Serious Complaint - Virgin Media set up a fake contract on me

[redroman]

Hope to get some help here to deal with some ongoing terrible experience with Virgin Media.

I started to use Virgin Media broadband since 2018 when I moved into my house. Main reason for the choice - previous owner used VM so I think it was easier to set up.

Summary of my experience: Virgin Media is expensive to use and very difficult to escape from.

As most of you will know, Virgin Media kept increasing my price, especially during the last two years - during the pandemic when I worked from home most of time, didn't want to change internet connection. In 2021 I paid £58 per month without a contract for the whole year - just was overwhelmed by many stuffs and had no patient to call VM service number and wait for 30mins or longer to talk to them. Really poor value for the money I paid. Internet speed was not bad but lost connection regularly. The landline and TV packages were almost "compulsory" but useless for me. I never bothered to buy a landline phone and didn't watch much TV. At the end I even unplugged the TV box...However I kept bearing its service.

Until Jan 2022, VM sent me a letter again saying it would increase my payment again. I felt sick and decided it was time to try some other service.

On ~24 Jan 22, I called VM custom service number 0345 454 1111 and waited about 40 mins for a representative to answer my call - I was still very happy thinking about finally going to end it.

I told the VM person about I decided to leave... He confirmed my request was received and I didn't need to pay leaving fee as I had no contract at that time. He told me about the 1 month notice period, which meant my VM broadband & TV service would be ended in a month time, i.e. on ~24 Feb 22. He also told me VM would send me a mailbox for me to return the devices (router, TV box). That was all I needed to do.

I received a message on 26 Jan from a mobile number (strange) saying, "they noticed I am leaving VM and will close my VM account and disconnect my services soon". Then I also received an email from VM on 1 Feb saying, "Thanks for letting us know you’re going to be leaving us. We’ve loved having you with us, and will be sad to see you go. If you change mind please give us a call ... blablabla ...".

I signed a cheap deal (24 months contract) with another broadband and started to use the new broadband from ~4th Feb. Meanwhile I disconnected and unplugged all Virgin Media devices, put them in a box and waited for VM to send me the mailbox to return them. I was happy and thought it was finally done and not that trouble. However I was too naive.

Until 22 Feb I still had not received the mailbox from VM. In stead I received new bill asking me to pay for period covering 13 Mar. I was confused as my service should be ended 24 Feb. So on 22 Feb I called the VM customer service number again and asked why. The lady told me that a new 18 months contract has been set up for me on 5th Feb. What?🙄

I told the VM lady, "I have contacted VM on 24 Jan about leaving VM, which was confirmed by her colleague on phone, then a message, then an email. I have no idea about the new contract. I was shocked about it was set up without my permission. And how could that happen?".

...

VM lady: according to our record, you did call us about leaving; and you didn't call VM personally to ask for the new contract, and it wasn't requested online as well. Some people looking like an agency set up the contract for you...

I: I was shocked about what happened. This is not acceptable. This is a fake contract. How can someone else set a contract for me without getting my permission or involvement. Did VM disclose my personal information to a 3rd party to enable them to do this?

VM lady: I don't know. I am not sure.

I: Fine, so it isn't a contract I asked for, please cancel it.

VM lady: Yes I can cancel it, but you have to pay a big early leaving fee...

(What a fk good fraud for VM to rob money from "customer")

I: That is not possible. This is fake contract. 

VM lady: That is all I can do. This is cancellation team. I can cancel the contract, but you have to pay the leaving fee. Alternatively I can file a complaint for you and we will investigate what happened.

I: That is fine. I need VM to give me feedback as soon as possible, about what happened? How someone else could set up a contract for me without my permission? Did someone break into VM's system? Did VM disclose my personal details to a 3rd party to enable them to set a contract under my name? Did VM sale team do this deliberately to increase their sale performance? How long will this investigation take?

VM lady: OK I'll file the complaint and VM will investigate everything. However I don't know how long it will take.

At the end, I told the lady I will pay the "last" bill which covered a period up to 13 Mar, more than what I should just pay for up to 24 Feb. I said VM shall refund the extra days I paid once VM investigate the issue. I also told the lady on the phone I will cancel my Direct Debit after I paid the "last" bill ...

I believed VM is going to investigate the issue and gave me some feedback and some justice and an apology. I was too naive again.

Until now, more than two months passed, I did NOT receive any feedback from VM about this issue and their investigation. What I received from VM are just more bills and threatening. They sent me emails and text messages and said I missed paying two bills (after I cancel the Direct Debit), and threatening they will take further actions and will prevent me from getting credit for loans, mortgages and mobile phones, etc, in future.

What a horrible gangster this company is?😤

I tried this evening again to ring the VM customer service team and hoped to explain what happened and ask for the feedback about the "investigation", which I believe has never happened. However their system said I have bills due to pay and didn't give me access to a VM person.😠

It made me think of the Russian invasion into Ukraine. Russian, "We are happy to talk with you about peace, but firstly you have to approbate what we have robbed and put down your weapons".

I am going to try the last time again tomorrow to ring VM customer service and hope for a solution. If still not, I will file a complaint to CISAS and the Ombudsman Services.

If those organisations won't help me to get justice, I am prepared to sue VM in a court. I probably will spend or lose much more money for this approach. Ukraine probably would have less people died/dying from the war, if they just hands up and gave whatever Russian wanted. However, sometimes we just have to fight for our rights even it costs a lot. I hope some of you, especially people suffered similar bullying from Virgin Media, will support me at that time.

Finally, to VM Forum admin persons, "I hope you are here to help customers. and Don't Delete My Post".

[Andrew-G · Accepted solution]

Makes my blood boil when I see stories like this - particularly because it so representative of VM's uselessness in cancellations, customer service, and complaints.

Staff here can probably get this sorted, including the compensation you're due for the poor service in trying to close the account, and for setting up a new contract without your authority, trying to get an early disconnection fee and failure to realise that setting up an unrequested contract is illegal and a matter of the gravest concern.  By my reckoning that's one CISAS Tier 2 failure (say £70), and two Tier 3 failures (say £150 each), wouldn't you agree forum staff?  Here's the way I've concluded that.

There's a big risk that if VM are demanding payments, they're also marking your credit history file with defaulted payments.  That's really serious - a spoiled credit history lingers for six years, and will affect new credit agreements, credit card applications, future phone contracts, new mortgages or rental contracts, or even come up in pre-employment checks.  Check your credit history, if the company have done this, then addition to the settlement figures above, the resolution needs to include that the company correct your credit history. If this applies, especially with any entries dated after your complaint, then I reckon that makes the Tier 3 failure for setting up a new account into a Tier 4 (add £100, even when they've corrected it).

CISAS are the people to approach if all of this is not done (VM do not use Ombudsman Services), and as your formal complaint was (allegedly) raised two months ago you can immediately ask for CISAS to investigate, although as soon as you involve CISAS the staff here can't get involved.  In the CISAS complaint, break out the separate elements you want resolving - 1) Difficulty in cancelling, 2) Setting up an unauthorised contract, 3) Poor complaint handling, 4) if applicable the credit history damage.  It will be quicker and easier for you if the staff to get this sorted (they're sadly used to this), but don't settle for anything less than you're happy with.  If any offer of settlement does not cover all the points above, or is not suitably generous, you can reject anything the company offer and ask CISAS to adjudicate the matter independently, but that will take longer - perhaps a couple of months.  And whilst CISAS are free for you to use, they will charge VM for resolving the complaint - VM get a choice when a complaint arrives at CISAS - they can roll over and immediately offer a settlement (still incurs case fees of around £150), or they can contest it, and then they pay a full adjudication fee of around £400.  If you're offered an initial settlement by VM, check it is fully on your terms, if not ask to continue to a full adjudication.  The majority of CISAS complaints are either settled by the company (31% last quarter) or found in the customer's favour at adjudication (51%), with a minority (17%) found in the company's favour.  If you don't agree with the CISAS adjudication you don't have to accept that and could still take VM to court through the small claims process, that's a further delay, and requires you to structure a case and have good knowledge of the legal basis of your complaint.  It can and has been done, but is not something I'd recommend for most people.  Bear in mind my estimates of the compensation you're due may not be the same as CISAS offer.

And finally, complain to Ofcom, and do it this weekend.  They won't get involved in your complaint, but they monitor VM's performance on complaints and service standards, and by complaining you're helping add to the evidence that will hopefully result in a proper regulatory investigation.  I'd suggest you comment in the Ofcom complaint that this fiasco around the supposedly simple business of closing an account is a particularly serious breach of Ofcom General Condition C1.8, which requires that cancelling a contract is quick, simple and easy.

[Ayisha_B]

Hi @redroman,

Welcome to our Community Forums and thanks for your post. 

I am so very sorry to hear of your poor experience with us. This is certainly not the level of service we aim to provide!

I would love to look into this further for you and do everything I can to help put things right. 

Please keep an eye out for the purple envelope icon in the top right hand corner of your page for my Private Message. We will clear security and take it from there 🙂

Hope to hear from you soon!

[redroman]

@ Andrew-G

Thank you so much for the detailed reply and suggestions, which is definitely much more than "helpful".

And also thank you very much for your sympathy saying "Makes my blood boil when I see stories like this". Indeed, I am very frustrated and furious for what Virgin Media did. I am an ordinary but busy people, busy to keep the family fed and warm, and trying the best to look after the young children. This is why it took me so long to decide to end a very expensive but unworthy broadband service, and why I could only have time to write my post at mid-night after all others went to bed, although I wanted to write it month ago.

We pay huge money to companies like Virgin Media, energy companies, etc. emptying our pocket monthly without much left from our salary. I have been disappointed by the system we are facing for long, never expected those companies to treat their customers as "god", as in some countries like Japan. However I still hope they could do a basic job to meet the basic level they are paid for. This time, I am extremely disappointed about Virgin Media and feel extremely affronted. Therefore, I decided I will fight back with whatever I have until I get the justice.

Many thanks again, Andrew. I'll follow your advice to make a complaint to Ofcom firstly. And give VM stuffs here a few days, hopefully they could sort this mess out. If not, I'll contact CISAS next week. Wish you have a wonderful weekend. 

[redroman]

my case is progressing...

but seeing lots of similar complaints in the community 😤 

[redroman]

Met a helpful staff. My complaint is progressing, however still wait for the final solution.

[David_Bn]

Thanks for the update @redroman, and feel free to offer us further updates.

Do please continue to work with the member of our team who's assisting you, and hopefully this can be resolved in a timely manner for you

Kindest regards,

David_Bn

[redroman]

Virgin Media have partially solved my concerns, however I am still waiting for a full solution.

[Serena_C]

Hi @redroman

Thank you for providing us with an update, I'm glad to hear your complaint has been partially resolved and things are starting to get fixed. I am so sorry for the frustration this has caused. My colleague who has been assisting you with this case is back in today so we will be back in touch asap to discuss things further.

Kind regards,

Serena