Virgin Mobile Credit checks issue
 

Virgin Mobile have no interest in dealing with complaints. They do not provide an idiot proof or ease of access to an email address especially for complaints because they do not want to deal with them. Beware of their mobile deals. Even if you are a good long term virgin media customer they will do a credit check. First of all they will ask for your Virgin Media customer account number to verify who you are. Then they will do a credit check. If Virgin media has your address slightly wrong then you will fail a credit check.

If then you phone about a complaint you will be forwarded to sales and without you knowing it the process has started again and a credit check done. If you then complain again you will be forwarded to a foreign country where again they will credit check you. At this time you have not been told that your address is slightly wrong and now you will recieve an email from them saying do not try to get a mobile off them for at least a month. The reason they give is because you have been credit checked locked.

AGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGH

When you complain to them you will get all the sympathy you want but no action or admittance of stupidity of their service. When you insist after talking to OFFCOM about how to complain with virgin mobile and you wish to complain in written form they then will give you an email address. No it is not an email address designed for complaints it is just theteam@virginmobile.com. Virgin mobile do not have a dedicated system for complaints because in their delusional world of virgins all their customers are happy and living the life of a virgin lol.

Now a message to Sir (lol) Richard Branson. Get your companies act together or someone is going to come along and compete in such a way of which makes you look like total market traders; and eat you alive. Oh what a thought all that bearded hair in ones teeth. Stop thinking of floating in a balloon around the world and come down to earth and pretend to be a mystery customer and see your failings. How on earth you got to where you are is totally beyond me. Just show’s this world is full of rich men based not on business ability but total chance or luck.

Why can’t you be like virgin media and treat customers decent. A quad service my assssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss!

re: Virgin Mobile Credit checks issue
 

So you failed a credit check and you've had a rant. Now go and see if anyone else will give you a mobile.

re: Virgin Mobile Credit checks issue
 

I'd like to know exactly what it has to do with Richard Branson .As far as i was aware he no longer owns the companies ,he's just a share holder

Re: Virgin Mobile Credit checks issue
 

Re: Virgin Mobile Credit checks issue
 

As others have said try another company and if you have no issues you can always try the CEO's office email address which may or may not be able to help you which is neil.berkett@virginmedia.co.uk and put your issue into words calmly.

Re: Virgin Mobile Credit checks issue
 

I must say when I ordered a sim (having been transferred by 150 to VM Mobile) it was as if I wasn't a VM customer at all, they still seem very separate operations. I had to provide all my details from scratch so I understand where the OP is coming from about the potential for making mistakes on a credit check.

But it's not just VM I suppose.

I am sure in the Nynex days you had separate accounts for the landline and TV and received two different bills.

Re: Virgin Mobile Credit checks issue
 

We have no way of accessing Virgin Mobile account details so all we can do is transfer you to them.

Re: Virgin Mobile Credit checks issue
 

Yes and you are right they are separate operations but as OFFCOM stated, it would be better that they have completely separate websites. Second that they do not ask for VMedia account numbers to verify you as a customer. Because this lends VMedia customers to assume they are a single entity. Very deceiving in their approach and nice they are but nice does not make efficient now does it.

Re: Virgin Mobile Credit checks issue
 

We would not ask for Virginmedia account details if you rang in with a Virgin Mobile query as the is no requirement or point in asking for those details we would just transfer you to them.

We do have separate websites to both Virgin Mobile and Virgin Media Business they are only linked to via the main website..

We could go down the route of asking you to hang up and redial the correct number which we could provide but we always offer to transfer you to them as that then makes it a single call for you.

Re: Virgin Mobile Credit checks issue
 

so why don't virgin media and virgin mobile become one entity surely it would save a lot of confusion

Re: Virgin Mobile Credit checks issue
 

Not really viable as one is an ISP and the other is a Mobile phone company, even BT would not be so stupid as to combine the broadband and mobile phone support.

It would cause issues with accounts and the support you receive as we will use different systems.

Re: Virgin Mobile Credit checks issue
 

That's fair enough. I (think) the OP was just highlighting that VM Mobile is very much a separate operation to VM Cable, your cable account conduct dosen't appear to be taken into account when applying for a mobile.

My Bank (Lloyds TSB) own C&G and sell their mortgage products in branch, indeed I obtained my C&G mortgage in a LTSB branch but they cannot help me with enquiries though, similar to VM they just tell me to call another rnumber.

You are right regarding BT Mobile though in the sense that too was a separate part of the business when I was with them.

Re: Virgin Mobile Credit checks issue
 

I was not talking of Virgin media, I was talking of Virgin mobile who always want your virgin media account to verify your details. They do this every time with me. It is standard practice when applying for a phone contract with them. Now if you are separate business WHY DO THIS. THIS DECEIVES PEOPLE INTO THINKING YOU ARE ONE ENTITIY. And then confuse virgin media members by asking loads of questions. So please virgin media/mobile staff member please do not try to defend your selves from a situation that has been apparent for a long time and deny any confusion caused when you could correct the problem easily. Your are not a Quad service but a service of which causes great frustration.

Re: Virgin Mobile Credit checks issue
 

Yes this is true, when o2 BB started we had to transfer people from the mobile side to the BB side as we were not able to access their details.

But just before i left the mobile cust service were able to verify the customer ( as the customers who had a mobile contract got cheap deals on BB so we had to verify them and pass them through to the BB support team ). As we were not trained to deal with the BB, BUSINESS OR PAY AND GO side of it and had to transfer as we were not able to deal with them.

Re: Virgin Mobile Credit checks issue
 

The reason they verify your Virgin Media acount details is simple.

Were you applying for a special Virgin Mobile deal which is only available to Virgin Media customers?

Re: Virgin Mobile Credit checks issue
 

As I said we on the Virginmedia side do not ask for any account details whatsoever if you are calling over a Virgin Mobile issue regardless of the fact that you may be a Virginmedia customer as it just wastes the customers time and annoys them once transferred that the Virgin Mobile agent has knowledge of who they are as we just cold transfer them.

Now if a Virgin National customer were to call then their account screen pops up and we can then ask for their details and inform the agent of the customers name before transferring them but we cannot get any further into their accounts either.

Re: Virgin Mobile Credit checks issue
 

Just as an addition to this, I ordered a phone and they ran a credit check and it failed. For info I have a 500+ credit rating with Equifax, however they cancelled my order and didn't inform me. Result: someone waiting in all day for a phone which never arrived.

An e-mail is currently sitting in Neil Burketts inbox. I await a reply with interest.

Re: Virgin Mobile Credit checks issue
 

Did they give you a delivery date before running a credit check, that dosen't make sense does it?

In my experience most companies confirm delivery details once the order has been fully processed, ie you have met the criteria but obviously not with VM Mobile.

On a sidenote the rating you refer to is a bit of a red herring, a marketing tool if you like to flog their paid for credit file services. It is merely an indication of how healthy Equifax consider your file to be but it is the credit provider that makes a decision based on a number of factors. Equifax merely provide them with details of the information they hold. As far as I am aware there isn't really such a thing as a numeric credit rating, certainly not an external one anyway. Organisations like Banks often have internal ratings for customers though, I know for a fact Lloyds TSB do.

I hope you get the problem sorted out.

Re: Virgin Mobile Credit checks issue
 

Yes ok. What will happen is that Neil will send you a message stating that your complaint has been sent to their Executive Office and a rep will contact you. Mine is Simon. Now despite how nice they are, they are also tied up with policies that are outdated and crazy and simon will admit this. Having said that they do have more high end contacts to resolve the issue. Now Simon and James Clarke (Executive Team manger) who is also dealing with my problem has told me that Virgin Media and Virgin Mobile are one and the same company. They have merged the companies with the intention of making the policies uniform. Simon has instructed me and confirmed the Email that I received that Virgin Media Customers do not require a credit check. However they still with the system have to do it because they don't have the ability to override the system. They now accept I do exist and indeed at the address of which I want the phone sent to. This is after sending a email with a photo of my passport, bank details and address and driving licence and Virgin Media Customer later with these details on. Now Friday 14 (over 3 weeks later) a decision to override the system has gone to the top Executive Director of Virgin Media/Mobile to override the system. So they will help you and try to resolve. But what a lot of hassle when all they need is some common sense and this is what Neil stated to me in an Email. Now things I believe will get better because of the Merge but alas this does not help us. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhg lol

---------- Post added at 14:25 ---------- Previous post was at 14:22 ----------

Yes they did confirm a delivery date depending on the time in the day of the order it came be next day or the day after.

I do not train their staff I doubt if anyone does. (Mere sarcasm)

---------- Post added at 14:34 ---------- Previous post was at 14:25 ----------

Well you should soon be able to, because Virgin Media and Virgin Mobile have merged into one company as it should have been from the start. This was something of which OFFCOM stated to me would have been the wisest approach as they do not prevent this within their guidelines. So it is likely that most of Virgin Media or Mobile staff may not be aware of. However this was stated by Simon at Executive Office (Mobile) and James Clarke (Executive Manager). So this crazy situation should be resolved and as Simon stated to me 'No Virgin Media customer requires a credit check for a mobile phone.' He also stated on the phone, 'This situation is crazy', James stated 'Crap', and I have every confidence this situation will eventually be resolved for all customers who are wasting their time dealing with this at the moment stupid situation.

Re: Virgin Mobile Credit checks issue
 

Hmmm, so "No Virgin Media customer requires a credit check for a mobile phone"? Strange, then, that I have tried numerous times to get a pay monthly one, having been a Virgin Media customer since the merger with NTL and and a PAYG one with Virgin Mobile for almost seven years, and on three occasions have been turned down! A few times I tried on the website, it would let me get so far and then tell me to ring instead (I knew it might be because of credit problems as my late husband left me deep in debt, so I didn't bother ringing), another time I tried on the landline after paying off said debts - all went fine, including a delivery date being arranged, and then the saleswoman suddenly said "Oh, I'm sorry, you've been refused"! She was very apologetic, but there was nothing she could do, obviously. So I left it for a while and tried yet again by 'phone, this time with a woman who had a heavy Asian accent and who also had problems understanding me, so the call took twice as long as neccessary, but with the same result - except this time she refused to tell me that I couldn't have the 'phone, she just suddenly said "I need to transfer you to my supervisor", then an Asian man came on the line and told me that there was a problem and that someone would ring me the next day with an explanation. Needless to say, no 'phone call ever came!

Just over two weeks ago, I lost my PAYG mobile, so decided to try one more time, again on the website. To my utter amazement it all went through without a hitch, money was taken from my account for delivery and confirmation and delivery emails were received, although I was still dubious - until the 'phone arrived on the Tuesday!

I couldn't be happier with my new HTC Wildfire, but still feel slightly miffed that, despite never paying one Virgin Media bill late and always having the money in my account to meet the Direct Debit every month for years, I was turned down so often and was treated without respect on the last unsuccessful attempt. Still, that's life, I suppose - chances are it's a new rule that's only been brought in recently!

Re: Virgin Mobile Credit checks issue
 

Well I am still blocked. Two years ago we had a phone which didn't work in our house - no signal. They took it back. However there was £1.20 worth of use on it which they said would be written off. They didn't. So now every time I try and get a Virgin Mobile contract, it blocks.

I have switched my son to Tesco and the rest of us have upgraded with Orange packages to suit our needs. Virgin Mobile lost five potential customers thanks to their inability to communicate and press a 'delete' key.

Re: Virgin Mobile Credit checks issue
 

For better or worse it's much easier to get a huge bill on a cell phone contract than on cable, especially when you are paying the vast majority of the costs, the monthly fee, in advance rather than arrears while on the cell contract all is in arrears.

Miss a bill on the cable payment you are just starting to clock up arrears, they can remind you then take further action, miss a cell phone payment you're already a full month of unpaid usage in and rising.

In addition with a cell phone contract there's the matter of the hundreds of pounds worth of phone they provide as well - cable doesn't have this either as they continue to own virtually all hardware they provide so no big outlay at the start of the contract.

I have no idea why Virgin Media customers should be exempt from credit checks with Virgin Mobile, taking one or a subset of services paid for in advance shouldn't have any bearing on a service like the Mobile side of the operations any more than having a prepay phone and making the minimum top-up for your inclusive package each month would.

Appreciate I'm being harsh but being cold and calculating about things that's pretty much the way I see it. VMob give you an expensive phone, bill you in arrears, VMed give you virtually nothing and mostly bill you in advance. Quite different risk levels.

Re: Virgin Mobile Credit checks issue
 

Yeah, I can see your point, but as my VMed bills are always £60+ each month and I have a V+ box as well, yet my VMob bill will be less than £20 (I rarely use it for anything other than texting, and ordering cabs & using the internet while out, and those come included in the tariff free!), they would lose much more if I had ever defaulted on the VMed side than on the VMob! Co-incidentally, I have also just applied for (and received) my first and only credit card since paying off all the debts, so maybe that had more to do with it than any change in Virgin policy?

Whatever the reason, I'm just glad to have the 'phone as I was lost without mine for three days (I also use it to let me know when to take my meds and when my hospital and docs appointments are, as well as it being my music player) and couldn't have afforded to buy such a good one outright, let alone get it in two days as I am disabled and not always able to leave the house on bad days, so I'm not complaining really!

Re: Virgin Mobile Credit checks issue
 

I think the issue here is virginmedias appproach. Just recently received a leaflet in the paper heres the wording.

'calling all new and existing customers add a mobile to any bundle for just £10.21 a month'

Now an existing customer all they want is to pick up their landline and call virgin and get the mobile service added. In the same way we can add premium channels, faster broadband and indeed premium landline features. The common argument is that virgin mobile and media are seperate. However broadband, landline and television have somehow managed to be merged into the one entity so its only natural for customers to expect mobile to be merged as well. Indeed mobile and broadband have a closer relationship then the landline so would make a more natural fit. Making existing customers undergo a credit check for a mobile is not very efficient. The argument that customers could steal the phone or run up huge bills makes no sense because their consequences for both. That being losing all virginmedia service or facing legal action for recovery of charges.

Re: Virgin Mobile Credit checks issue
 

But to be credit checked shows what type of person you are, I wouldn't want to be paying higher mobile phone costs and extra charges for a new phone because all those with bad debts or con artists are ripping off the phone companies.

So while the phone companies are putting £1000's into court action to recover the money from lost contracts and £400/£500 phones the rest of us would have to pick up the tab.

I know bad debt is not always the persons fault but some people are bad payers which is why I think credit checks to a certain level are a good idea

Re: Virgin Mobile Credit checks issue
 

I had a similar problem last year, I have an good credit record so I expected no problems.

I went through Virgin Mobile's Credit Check with no problem, they gave me a date for delivery, then as there was a delivery charge asked me to pay by Credit or Debit Card, this is when the problems started. I used the same card that I use to pay for items as Tesco, Amazon etc too my surprise this card was rejected and as a result they cancelled my order. I questioned the reason why if I could pass a credit check that I could then fail on a Credit Card which had a zero balance as I pay it off every month, I demanded an explanation and I was subsequently contacted by someone else in Virgin Mobile who said it was declined because of my postcode. As a postcode is shared between more than one property, it appeared that there had been some problems with my postcode. My suspiscion was the bedsit flats over the road which have the same postcode. I argued that I could not be responsible for what happened at other properties and if I passed the credit check then I should receive delivery of the phone.

As a very long serving customer I threatened to cancel or my services and that Virgin Mobile would be responsible for the loss of income to Virgim Media all over a £4.99 delivery charge. Not long after I had a call which reinstated my order and phone was delivered next day.

So was the failure due to a credit check or postcode check for delivery