Free $1,000 mobile phone?

Question

Went into a mobile dealer 2 months ago, signed up for a 24 month contract and comes with a $999 mobile. They promised me within 2 days my ph # will be transferred to the new mobile phone company which then will automatically cancel the other one out. (was on Virgin, now going to Optus)

So far nothing, no ph (sim) transfer, no bills from Optus.!

Does this mean they lost my paperwork and I just scored a new phone for nothing?

Do I follow this up or just stay quiet.

Answer 1

I wouldn't say anything...f**k it...they messed up.

Answer 2

Gee K Bear, that's a difficult one! As you're still on Virgin and haven't heard anything from Optus, it certainly looks as if someone has lost your paperwork - either the dealer or Optus. If you haven't had any bills, you won't need to make any back payments if you fess up or if they track you down, but you will be liable for 24 months of payments eventually which I guess amounts to much the same thing.

Personally, I'd fess up as I'd feel uncomfortable about getting a $1000 phone for nothing. You didn't get it under false pretences because it wasn't a deliberate thing on your part, but there is certainly an ethical dilemma. There's also the question of whether the salesperson suffered because of effectively losing an expensive phone. The dealer certainly had to pay for the phone and was probably never paid for it.

If you choose to stay quiet about it, they may never track you down but every phone has its own unique IMEI number which is recorded on the invoices received by dealers from suppliers and I'm fairly sure that the carriers can track IMEIs. Putting the two together shouldn't be too difficult if they choose to do so. Most dealers would have been able to find you very quickly and certainly within 2 months if they had the means to do so, but if they put the hard word on Optus for payment and Optus gets on the case, they will probably be able to find you.

It's up to you to decide to do the right thing or not.

Answer 3

Wow, K Bear, you're on the horns of a dilemma.

You probably should get in contact with them because they'll catch up with you in the end.

They always do.

Then you could be asked to pay back payments, even though you had no bill sent to you.

BUT.....you do know you owe them money.

I'm afraid I usually err on the side of caution.