Can you block my lost phone?

[#1]

This might be a bit of an unusual request but here goes...

I used to be a PN mobile customer but am no longer one at the moment. (I am a PN Broadband customer though!)😀

I have just sold an old phone on eBay that I have not used for a long time but when it was in use it was on the PN network.

The buyer of the phone has said he has not received the phone and demands a refund which I will give.  So, the phone has been lost in the post even though in my experience losing anything in the post is extremely rare.

I did however take the precaution to record the IMEI number of the phone and would dearly like to have it blocked so that no one could profit by my loss.😈

All the info on blocking seems to require contact with the network provider which is the dilemma I face.

Can anyone help or offer suggestions?

[#2]

Thanks for getting in touch, I appreciate it.

I'm really sorry to hear that the phone is lost in transit, what a hassle that will be trying to get that back.

I would recommend contacting who you purchased the phone from as they will be able to place a bar on it.  

I hope you get it sorted soon!!

[#3]

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@veloman wrote:

The buyer of the phone has said he has not received the phone...

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Did you send it via Royal Mail and did you get a "Certificate of Posting"?

[#4]

Thanks for the replies- Just to clarify.

Yes, I did send by Royal Mail and have a certificate of sending.  The value of the phone was around £20 and was sent 2nd class large letter so no proof of delivery.  I will try to claim compensation from Royal Mail but have to wait 10 working days as they don't consider it lost until then.

My understanding is that only Network providers can block a phone.  This phone was bought from a store as Sim free, used on the PN network for some time then put in a draw for several years.  If RM compensate me then I won't actually have lost much but it is possible that someone might have effectively stolen the phone and if that's case it would be nice to know that they haven't profited from it getting "lost"

I guess my question is - I was a customer of PN Mobile, used the phone on their network, have the IMEI of the phone, would PN be kind enough to block it?

[#5]

@veloman My understanding is - and I could be wrong - that the phone has to be active on a network for the network to block it. From your description, it appears that PN would have no sight of the phone, so would be unable to bock it.

[#6]

Ah, if that is correct John then I am stuffed!  I thought PN might have an historical record of my phone being used in the past on their network if I provided the IMEI and might be able to block as a sort of goodwill gesture.

[#7]

Which make of phone is it? As I said, I am fairly certain it has to be live on a network for them to block it.

[#8]

The phone was a Samsung S4 mini.

[#9]

Maybe ask Samsung if they can block it? Somewhere in my memory, I seem to recall a friend of mine got an iPhone blocked by Apple, but that was a while back, and I don't remember the details.

[#10]

Good idea, I'll see if I can sort a contact for them.

[#11]

Not sure if this helps https://www.samsung.com/uk/support/mobile-devices/what-to-do-if-you-have-lost-your-galaxy-device/ but might be worth a go?

[#12]

Good spot @Gandalf - that looks similar to the 'Apple' options for a lost/stolen phone, IIRC.

[#13]

Thanks but unfortunately I factory reset the phone before it was posted so that facility won't work.  Phone needs to be on same account etc. 

[#14]

This might be worth trying: https://www.imei.info/lost-device/