Help & Support
Got a query? Need some help? Most of the questions we get asked are contained below. Please browse through our frequently asked questions to find the answer.
We have compiled a long list of Frequently Asked Questions, and to help you navigate them, we have broken them down into teh following groups. If there is a question that is not answered below, please contact us and we will try to answer it.
Questions about Fonebak and Children in Need
Questions about your mobile phone
Questions about your transaction
Questions about sending in your phone(s)
Questions for Charities and businesses
Questions about 'My Account'
Questions about Fonebak and Children in Need
Why is Fonebak the best way to recycle my phone?
What are you doing with BBC Children in Need?
How do I donate the value of my phone to BBC Children in Need?
Questions about your mobile phone
Do I need to remove the data from my mobile?
How many mobile phones can I trade in?
How do I find out the make and model of my mobile phone?
I can not find my phone listed on Fonebak.com.
How do you determine a working phone and a non-working phone?
My mobile phone has no value, can I still recycle it?
My phone is damaged. Will I get any money for it?
Is my phone classed as 'working' if it works but has a broken screen?
Is my phone 'working' if the battery is flat?
What if my phone is Network locked?
Do you accept fake/counterfeit phones?
Do I get a higher price for a new handset or rare colour?
Do I need to remove all the data from my mobile?
How do I delete my personal data from my phone?
Questions about your transaction
What will you send me to confirm the transaction?
My Freepost envelope has not arrived, can I get another one?
All my phones won't fit in the Freepost envelope. What should I do?
How long before I get my money?
You have offered me a different amount for my handset?
How long is my order valid for?
What if I get the model or condition wrong?
I've received an email confirmation that payment has been made but I've not received it?
How often do the prices change?
I think I sent you the wrong phone. What should I do?
I have changed my mind. Can I cancel the transaction?
Can I track what's happening with my mobile phone?
What happens to my phone after I send it in?
Questions about sending in your phone(s)
What do I need to include when sending my mobile phone?
How long does it take for my phone to reach you?
What happens if my phone gets lost in the post?
What if I forgot to include the receipt in the envelope?
Do I pay postage when I send my mobile phone?
What do I need to include when sending my mobile phone?
Do I need to include my SIM card?
Do I need to include my memory card?
Can I send accessories in with my mobile phone?
Do you take other stuff as well?
Questions for Charities and Businesses
I am a charity, can I collect handsets?
Questions about 'My Account'
I can't log in to 'My Account'?
I've forgotten my password, how can I find it?
I've forgotten all my log-in details, how can I retrieve them?
Questions about Fonebak and Children in Need
Why is Fonebak the best way to recycle my phone?
Because unlike other cash-back trade-in websites, Fonebak takes your personal security and care for the environment very seriously! We clear every bit of data from every handset received so that when it goes on to its new life in a developing country, you can be sure that everything you stored on your mobile has been removed. We also operate a zero landfill policy. This means that if your phone is too old or beyond economical repair it will be safely and responsibly recycled – ensuring that absolutely nothing goes to landfill. We even recycle the packaging if you send it to us.
Why should I trust Fonebak?
We have been recycling mobile phones for over 10 years for leading brands like Vodafone, Orange, O2, 3, some of the UK's leading businesses, retailers and charities. We have safely and responsibly handled over 18 million mobile devices. We are part of Regenersis plc, a publicly traded company on the London Stock Exchange with an annual turnover of approximately £100 million.
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What are you doing with BBC Children in Need?
This is our fifth year collecting unwanted mobile phones in exchange for donations to one of the UK's favourite charities – BBC Children in Need. To date, we have raised over £1million to help disadvanted children across the UK lead better lives.
How do I donate the value of my phone to BBC Children in Need?
It's really simple. Find out the value of your handset by typing in the make and model on the website. Register to send it in and select how much of the value you wish to donate. Once you confirm the transaction, pop your phone in an envelope and send it to:
FREEPOST FONEBAK
BBC CHILDREN IN NEED
We'll send you the cash you asked for and make the donation on your behalf.
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Questions about your mobile phone
Do I need to remove the data from my mobile?
We will clear off all the data from your device, but we do recommend that you clear your data off too. Mobile phones are as different as the people who own them and therefore have different ways of deleting data or resetting the software. Look in the index of your manual (if you have it) for items such as "delete data" or "reformat device" or go to the manufacturer's website and do the same. Data includes your contacts, SMS, pictures, videos and music, etc.
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How many mobile phones can I trade in?
There is no limit to the number of mobile phones you can trade-in with Fonebak.com. The more handsets you send in, the more cash you receive and the bigger the donation to BBC Children in Need!
How do I find out the make and model of my mobile phone?
If you don't know the make and model of your mobile, we suggest that you remove the battery casing. The model number is normally located under the battery. There is also a unique number, referred to as the IMEI. We would suggest that you make a note of this number. If you forget to include your receipt in the envelope with your phone, this will enable us to track the phone very easily.
I can't find my phone listed on Fonebak.com.
There are several thousand phones on Fonebak.com, but it is not possible to list every single mobile on the site. If you can't find it, please contact our customer service team with the make and model on or call us on 01708 683432.
How do you determine a working phone and a non-working phone?
We have three classifications of phones: Working, Non-Working and Recycle.
|
Working Device |
In full working order with a battery. Cosmetic damage (scratches, etc) do not normally affect the value of the device, unless they are shown in the 'Non-working' description below. |
|
Non-Working |
Badly damaged casing No battery Phone back/battery cover missing or broken Does not power up Phone operating system missing or corrupt Broken/missing aerial Faulty keypad SIM Gate broken or missing Memory card holder broken or missing Pin locked |
|
Recycle |
Physically broken In more than one piece Broken/Cracked/Snapped hinges Water damaged LCD cracked/bleeding/does not work or missing Unresponsive touch screen's SIM glued in Memory card glued in Broken battery terminals More than 5 years old Re-programmed IMEI number** Logged by CheckMend on the IMEI blacklist register** Barred by a network** |
*this list is not exhaustive and Fonebak.com reserve the right to amend this list at any time.
**phones under these conditions will also be reported to the relevant authority.
My mobile phone has no value, can I still recycle it?
Yes, we will recycle your mobile phone free of charge to help protect the environment, and we will even donate 10p to BBC Children in Need.
My phone is damaged. Will I get any money for it?
Yes. In many cases we will offer you the 'non working' value for your damaged phone, but this depends on the amount of damage and whether or not we are able to fix it. For example, if your phone has water damage, we are only able to recycle the handset. However, if the screen is cracked (but not bleeding) we can easily fix this.
Unfortunately, we cannot be held responsible for damage to your mobile phone sustained while in transit.
Is my phone classed as 'working' if it works but has a broken screen?
Possibly. As long as the screen isn't bleeding, isn't water damaged and the device powers up it should be classed as working. If it requires a new screen (which is expensive to replace) we will class it as non-working and Unfortunately not. Broken screens are expensive to replace. Therefore, the phone will be classed as 'non-working'.
Is my phone 'working' if the battery is flat?
Yes, provided you know that the phone otherwise works then it's fine to sell as 'working'. We use our own batteries to test phones.
What if my phone is barred?
If a phone is listed on the CheckMend register as 'barred' then we are unable to pay you for the handset and will report it to the relevant authorities.
What if my phone is Network locked?
We accept Network locked handsets and pay the full value.
Do you accept fake/counterfeit phones?
No. There are a growing number of mobile devices that look very similar to the genuine products, but are illegally produce and may be dangerous to use. If we receive a device which is counterfeit, we will safely recycle it.
Do you accept stolen phones?
We use CheckMend, a crime protection database. We check every handset received against this database. If it is registered as crime-related we will report it to the relevant authorities for further action and you will not be paid for the transaction.
Do I get a higher price for a new handset or rare colour?
The newer your phone is, the more it is worth. We don't offer more if it is an unusual colour.
Do I need to remove all the data from my mobile?
Fonebak.com is the only mobile phone recycler to remove all the data from every handset received. However, we can't protect the data contained on your mobile phone while it is in transit to us. Therefore, we also provide a 'data cleanser' which provides clear instructions on how to remove the data from your mobile.
How do I delete my personal data from my phone?
We offer all our customers with clear instructions on how to delete all personal data on your mobile phone. Just tick the box when requested during your transaction and we will send them to you automatically. If you forgot to do this, just send an email to enquiries@fonebak.com and we'll send them to you.
What is an IMEI number?
This stands for The International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number and it is a serial number which is unique to your mobile phone. You can find this number printed under the batter casing (along with a barcode). Alternatively, if your phone switches on, just type in *#06# and the IMEI number will be shown on your mobile.
Is the IMEI number important?
It's only important if you forget to include the transaction receipt when you send us your phone. If you know your IMEI number, you can tell us what it is and we can almost instantly find your mobile if it has arrived at our processing centre.
Questions about your transaction
What will you send me to confirm the transaction?
We will automatically send you an email confirming the trade. In addition, we will send you a freepost envelope with a letter explaining exactly what you need to do next. Please allow up to 10 days for your freepost envelope to arrive.
You can track your mobile through the process by logging in to 'My Account'.
My Freepost envelope has not arrived, can I get another one?
If it has been more than 10 days since you registered your mobile phone, then it may have gone astray. Please ensure that the address information we have for you is up to date by logging into the 'My Account' section of Fonebak.com. If it is incorrect, then please update it and order a new pack.
All my phones won't fit in the Freepost envelope. What should I do?
Please contact us on enquiries@fonebak.com or call us on 01708 683432 and we can send you additional envelopes. If you have more than 10 phones, we can send a courier to collect them.
My phone is worth a lot of money on Fonebak.com. Is it safe to send it using the Freepost Fonebak address?
We recommend using Royal Mail recorded delivery for high value handsets as we can not take responsibility for any loss or damage caused in transit. This is normally 72p plus the cost of postage.
How long before I get my money?
We guarantee payment within seven working days of receiving your mobile phone. We will send the cheque to the address you specified when you registered on Fonebak.com.
You have offered me a different amount for my handset?
With so many mobile phone models, it is often difficult to tell the difference between them. Some may look the same but have a different value. We operate a scanning system which scans the IMEI number of the handset to guarantee that we have the correct model. If your handset is worth more than what you expected, we will send you a cheque with the larger amount. If it is less, because it is different than what you described when you registered your mobile phone, then we will contact you via email to confirm the new amount. You then have seven days to confirm that this is acceptable.
I do not want to accept the value you have offered for my damaged/faulty mobile phone; how do I get it returned?
When we send you the email with your new offer, you have seven days to respond whether or not you wish to accept this. If you do not, we will return it to you. Alternatively, please contact us on 01708 683432 and inform us of your decision.
Please allow up to 14 days for your mobile phone to be returned to you.
How long is my order valid for?
Your order is valid for 14 days from the 'Order Processed' date. (This is the date we sent you the confirmation letter and FREEPOST bag.)
You have plenty of time to get your phone off to us, but we do recommend that you do it as soon as possible. That way there's less chance of your order expiring, and the sooner you receive our payment.
What if I get the model or condition wrong?
If you realise you have made a mistake, please contact our customer service team and we'll happily correct your order.
If upon receipt of your phone(s) we find you have entered the wrong model, condition or quantities, we will amend your order and email you a revised offer. You will then have 7 days to accept the offer or have the revised handsets returned to you free of charge.
I've received an email confirmation that payment has been made but I've not received it?
We post all payments via 1st class post. If your payment has not arrived within 5 days, it may have been lost in the post. In this case, please contact our customer service team on 01708 683432 and we'll reissue payment.
How often do the prices change?
Because we are part of the largest mobile phone recycling company in Europe, we attain the best prices for handsets. However, the market for reused mobile phones is constantly changing. Therefore, we only guarantee our prices for 20 days from the date you registered your handset. So, please try to send in your mobile as soon as you can!
I think I sent you the wrong phone. What should I do?
Please contact our customer service team or via telephone on 10708 683432 and we will sort it out for you. It would be helpful if you had the tracking number available. Alternatively, we will contact you when we receive the phone to confirm what we have received and whether it differs from what you have sent to us.
I have changed my mind. Can I cancel the transaction?
If you haven't yet sent in your mobile phone, just send us an email with the tracking number and we will cancel the transaction. If you have posted your phone, and it has not yet been processed we can return it to you with an administration fee of £10.
Can I track what's happening with my mobile phone?
Yes. By going to 'My Account' on Fonebak.com you can track where it is in the process at any stage. We will also send you email confirmations when it arrives and when the cheque has been issued. You will also be notified if the value of your device is less than what you expected because it is damaged or faulty.
I sent more than one mobile phone but I have only received notification that some of them have been received, what has happened to the others?
If you sent us your mobile phones in separate packages then it may be that some have arrived and the others have not. We will send you an email notifying you of receipt of your mobile phone as soon as we receive it.
Also, all mobile phones are processed individually regardless of whether they were sent in the same package or not. If you have already received notification of receipt of a mobile phone and you know others were in the same package then it is likely then that we simply haven't processed the other mobile phones yet.
What happens to my phone after I send it in?
Phones are sorted, checked, valued and refurbished for resale in developing countries where new handsets are unaffordable. Non-working handsets are safely recycled ensuring that absolutely nothing goes to landfill. Some of the handsets, for example, go to help micro-entrepreneurs in asia, with our partner Enable Community.
Click here to see how your unwanted mobile may be helping people in developing countries.
Questions about sending in your phone(s)
What do I need to include when sending my mobile phone?
Using the freepost envelope provided, please include the mobile phone you have traded in, making sure to remove your SIM card. You can also include accessories and manuals, but these will be safely recycled.
How long does it take for my phone to reach you?
If you use the Freepost envelope we sent you (or the Freepost address – FREEPOST FONEBAK) it can take up to 15 working days for items to arrive, particularly around busy periods.
If you have sent your mobile phone via recorded delivery it will normally arrive within 48 hours. If we have collected your devices via courier (if you have more than 10) they will normally arrive within 48 hours.
If we have not received your mobile phone within this time period then it may possibly be lost in the post. In order to make a claim you will need to contact the Royal Mail on 08457 740 740 or visit http://www.royalmail.com to find out more.
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What happens if my phone gets lost in the post?
Although you can send us your phone free of charge using the FREEPOST FONEBAK address, we can not take responsibility for any mobile lost by the mail service. If it's a high value device, we recommend that you send it via Royal Mail special delivery. In this case, please use the following address:
Fonebak
c/o Regenersis
Eurocourt
Oliver Close
West Thurrock
Essex
RM20 3EE
If it does get lost in the post, please let us know immediately and we can help with the investigation, but can not pay you if the handset has not been received.
What if I forgot to include the receipt in the envelope?
We also put a barcode tracking symbol and number on the front of the envelope. However, we would suggest writing down the IMEI number of your handset before sending it in to us. This can normally be found under the battery on the back of your mobile. This is a number which is completely unique to your phone. If you forget to enclose the reciept or in the rare case that it gets separated from the envelope as well, we can track it via this number. We get tens of thousands of handsets a month and haven't lost one yet!!
Do I pay postage when I send my mobile phone?
No, we provide a freepost service for you to send your mobile phone to us. Simply place your mobile phone in the freepost envelope that we provide and post it back to us.
If you would rather send your mobile phone in a box simply attach one of the freepost address labels included in your trade pack. If you do not have any address labels you can download one from the "My Account" section of the website. It is essential that you use the freepost address labels because they include your unique barcode that we use to identify your account.
Please note that we recommend using recorded postage to ensure successful delivery as we do not take responsibility for any loss or damage sustained in transit. Unfortunately we cannot pay any additional recorded delivery charges for you.
What do I need to include when sending my mobile phone?
Using the freepost envelope provided, please include the mobile phone you have traded in and any accessories you may choose to send. Please note that we do not pay any more for accessories but we can recycle or re-use them.
Please ensure you remove your SIM card before sending us your mobile phone as SIM cards contain personal details. We will not accept liability if SIM cards are sent with the handset and any charges are incurred before or after receipt of your handset. Unfortunately once we have received SIM cards we are unable to return them.
Please note that we recommend using recorded postage to ensure successful delivery as we do not take responsibility for any loss or damage sustained in transit. Unfortunately we cannot pay any additional recorded delivery charges for you.
Do I need to include my SIM card?
Please ensure you remove your SIM card before sending us your mobile phone and make sure you cancel any airtime contracts associated with the mobile phone. If you forget to remove the SIM card, please contact us immediately. If the phone hasn't been processed, we may be able to return it to you. However, we would normally remove the SIM card and have it securely destroyed to protect you and your identity.
Do I need to include my memory card?
If you include your memory card, we will erase all the data and have the card securely destroyed and recycled. We would recommend that you keep this, unless you would like it recycled.
Can I send accessories in with my mobile phone?
The value on the website is for the handset only. However, if you want to send any accessories in with your package this will not increase the value but they will be safely recycled.
Do you take other stuff as well?
We plan to recycle all forms of electric equipment for so watch this space.
Questions for Charities and businesses
I am a charity, can I collect handsets?
Absolutely! If you are a registered charity, you may also qualify for GiftAid which will significantly increase the value. If you have collect 10 or more handsets, we'll even send a courier to collect them.
Can Businesses use Fonebak?
Yes. Just register in the usual way and set up an account. We can also supply a range of materials to help with your collection. Today, we have some of the UK's largest companies collecting handsets and donating the funds raised to charity.
Questions about 'My Account'
How do I log into my account?
Click on the 'My Account' option on the right hand side of the Fonebak.com website. You will be prompted to enter your Username and Password.
How do view my transactions?
Please log in the 'My Account' area of our website.
Select the 'My Orders' option to view an order summary.
I can't log in to 'My Account'?
Please check that you are entering your username and password correctly. If you can't remember your log in details you can check these against the email that we sent you when you first registered with us. Please note that the password is case-sensitive.
I've forgotten my password, how can I find it?
You can check your log in details against the email that we sent you when you first registered with us. If you no longer have this please contact Customer Service on 01708 683432 or via enquiries@fonebak.com and we can reset it for you (following some security questions). We will then confirm your password via email.
I've forgotten all my log-in details, how can I retrieve them?
You will need to contact us on 01708 683432 or via email on enquiries@fonebak.com. One of our team will ask you some security questions to confirm your identity. They will then be able to reset your password, which will arrive via email.
