Like speaking to a wall

My daughter left her phone in the Uber, driven by James, in Stellenbosch on the 1 September 2017. As the app is on her phone, she cannot log the lost item. Nor can she contact James via the various options on the app, as suggested to me by Uber (twice), despite my explaining that my daughter no longer HAS her phone. Nowhere does Uber provide a contact number for such instances, so one ends up speaking to a 'bot' via email. I tried to get a number using my last trip with an Uber but the response I received was that my driver said I had left nothing in the car, therefore according the Uber, for the n'th time, the issue was RESOLVED. The latest email received said "we recommend formal litigation via contacting local law enforcement". I realise Uber are not liable for lost items, but surely they can help put driver and passenger in contact with one another?