It was pretty interesting to see Cash4Phones appear on the BBC consumer show “Watchdog” last night. Like those “We Buy Any Car” operations, they seem to be providing online quotations which are attractive but, when you send off your handset, they suddenly find “issues” with your handset and reduce their offer.
There’s a couple of problems to add into the equation. Firstly, after getting the online evaluation you just send off the phone in a freepost return envelope. You’ll then be contacted by the company and they’ll tell you if they’ve found any issues. I actually used this company some years ago, and the problems found by over one thousand Watchdog viewers mirrored my own. My handset was sent off, but I then received a message telling me that the handset had “Excessive Wear and Tear”.
It didn’t, and the new valuation was less than half the original.
This is when you hit problem number two, because if you do decide to get the phone back and refuse the new offer you’ll need to pay an £8.95 return fee. Now, if your phone has a new evaluation of £40 you might well decide to cut your losses here, but I’d advise that you try every possible avenue to contact them.
..ahhhh….
Now. “Somehow” they deleted their phone number off the website. Tssk.. careless. I think the web designer forgot.
Luckily I still have it from my old email, and it’s 0845 460 1064. Try that or their contact form, but my advice is to challenge the valuation if you don’t agree with it.