Missold Virgin contract and issues with payments

  • 14 December 2018
  • 4 replies
  • 572 views

Userlevel 1
This may be long but it can save someone from making my mistakes.

I set up my contract with ID in August 2017.
I had been to Carphone warehouse and they denied me credit. They phone me back 2 days later and asked me if I had tried to obtain a contract from them the shop in X town and gave me the details of the contract I was looking at. (The phone number was from my town and the shop I had been too, I checked before doing anything) They said they had found a contract fitting my credit amount and said I needed to pay 20 upfront which is again was what I was looking at. I explained I was working a crappy job and did not have the money atm but was desperate for a phone as mine was borrowed, old and crappy. They suddenly lifted the 20 pound and offered to send it to my address (I should have backed out then) I agreed and the phone was delivered a few days later like stated with my contract details. BUT WAIT. Another letter was with my package. It was from Virgin mobile saying I had set up a 6 pound monthly contract with them on the day I had set up with ID for extra data. I of course rung them straight away and asked WHAT THE HELL was going on. They stated my phone provider set it up my contract. Mad I explained i had not been made a aware of this and it was not part of my contract (mine came with 8g anyway.) and wished to terminate it. Luckily that was within my right to do so.
At this point I felt insecure about my card details with this company. Yes it's only 6 pound a month but they used my details to set up a paying contract in my name without my permission but I felt like I had no choice to keep it going as I had given the phone I had back to my friend who i borrowed it from. Anyway. All was resolved and I moved on.
A month later my monthly payment was due on the 15th. 2 days passed the 15th and nothing had come out (it was not a bank holiday or weekend) I noticed on the app I can make manual payments, so I did. Next day it comes out twice. I ring ID and they 'told me off' basically for making a manual payment. Money was sent back and all resolved with some groans and grunts on her part for some reason. Lovely women she was....
Same thing happened next month but 5 days late. (Again not a weekend or bank holiday) worried i would be cut off I made a manual payment. Next day my phone's cut off. I ring and apparently no payment was made, I explained how it's their job to take the money as stated in my contract on the 15 every month from a direct debit not me having to pay through the app then being told of for doing what you clearly are struggling to do and is your job in the first place. She restarted my contract but I was told either way I'd be charged for late payment. I was angry but it was their terms of service and in their books it was late (even though they hadn't taken it themselves.)
For the next 3 months it was taken late but I had not made any payments myself and was still being charged late fees. I ring again this time wanting to scream bloody murder. She has no idea why this happened but agreed they are in the wrong BUT refuses a refund for the late payment fees. At this point I have to express my utter disgust for the way i have been treated. Rude customer service and just utter crap service in general. ( I understand how this feels. I work in retail. I never shouted at her but made it clear I was not happy) she did not offer to solve my upset but clearly gritted through her teeth a lie of 'I'm sorry but there is nothing I can do.' And I was hung up on.
Then I was not informed by phone, email or letter that my contract was to change. Luckily my partner knew about the change to all networks but was disgusted to find out first on my own without warning.

So here we are december 14th 2018 and still to this day my payments are never on the 15th, gone as late at the 27th sometimes and still no answer as to why.
I looked at my credit score and it says i am in arrears with Virgin mobile and have been since the day they took the contract out. Guess who is getting a nice phone call tomorrow..

I know this is my fault. I should never had taken a contract out over the phone and surely not taken something that was meant to be paid for then suddenly made free by a provider i had not researched reviews on.BUT. ID are to blame also with this ILLEGAL act. They are lucky I didn't sue. I'm just looking forward to this contract ending August 2019 so I can move on and never go near ID again.

4 replies

Badge +10
Welcome to the ID Community,

Thank you for sharing your experience with us, it might have been very disturbing to find a Virgin Media letter enclosed with your new mobile, apologies if this wasn't explained in detail by the Carephone Warehouse staff at the time, but we deal with the top three providers to bring the best deals to all our customers, they include Virgin Media, TalkTalk and Sky.

If ID Mobile deals aren't fitting with customer needs we then try to find deals with the other providers again in-keeping with our customer needs, apologies if we didn't upheld our side of the deal in explaining the process.

You then experienced further issues with the billing cycle and multiple payments, I can only imagine the stress this must have caused you having to manually make a payment, adding to the already compounded stress of the late payment fees.

I hope others can take something from this and learn too.

Thank you for sharing
Userlevel 1
No I was not made awaylre of you making a contract with a DIFFERENT provider without my consent. I dont understand as to why a different provider in the first place. Also, after talking to a friend of mine I clearly made a huge mistake in the fact that I never SIGNED an agreement which had slipped my mind with ID. Which again is illegal. This is terrible service and I can't believe this is actually happening. I wish I could be refunded the money that I have wasted and been made a victim of FRAUD with. I will not be returning after August.
Badge +10
No I was not made awaylre of you making a contract with a DIFFERENT provider without my consent. I dont understand as to why a different provider in the first place. Also, after talking to a friend of mine I clearly made a huge mistake in the fact that I never SIGNED an agreement which had slipped my mind with ID. Which again is illegal. This is terrible service and I can't believe this is actually happening. I wish I could be refunded the money that I have wasted and been made a victim of FRAUD with. I will not be returning after August.

@Chloe.H123 fair point can't comment on that one as I have only ever dealt with providers online which is a very different process, however this new compulsory pension scheme doesn't require a signature and millions of people would have been signed in without a signature or consent, they do get 30 days to cancel after they are signed in, shambolic, sorry I digress but the legality is similar. In your case you didn't know you were in a contract till it was too late!
Userlevel 7
Badge +10

Hello @Chloe.H123,

This sounds very alarming indeed.

I'm not sure how an iD Mobile advisor has sold you a Virgin contract. Are you sure this wasn't missold to you by Carphone Warehouse's Sales Team? This would explain how this has occurred (though still something we'd like to raise).

We're not going to be able to do this here as we'd require your personal information.

Are you able to get in contact with us 

One of our Team will then be able to pick this up with you and investigate this further.

Mohammed

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