Virgin Media won't refund my PAYG credit even though they are stopping the PAYG option

[LazyDaisy321]

Virgin Media are stopping the PAYG and, for me, they have given a date of 17th October.

Their website https://www.virginmedia.com/help/virgin-mobile-pay-as-you-closing says:

"What's happening?

We’re phasing out our Pay As You Go service from October 2021 to January 2022. 

Don't worry, there are lots of options for you to choose from, but your SIM will stop working during these dates if you don’t take any action.

We’ll be in touch closer to the time to inform you of the date when your SIM will stop working.

In the meantime, we’re here to help.

I’m on a Pay As You Go plan. What do I do?

You can switch over to one of our Pay Monthly plans or call us on 789 to discuss your options.

If you want to stick with a Pay As You Go plan, switching to another provider is simple. Just remember to get your Port Authorisation Code (PAC) before your end date so you can keep your mobile number, otherwise you’ll lose it.

There’s a few ways to get your PAC:

• Sign in to your online account and select Switching to make your request
• Text ‘PAC’ and your date of birth (in DD/MM/YYYY format) to 65075 For example: PAC 01/03/1984
• Give us a call on 789 and we’ll get this sorted for you.

You can request a refund for any leftover credit by registering your details with us at Your Account, then calling 789.

Good stuff to know

Don’t forget to use up your credit up before our Pay As You Go service ends or request a refund for any leftover credit. Got a Crave reward to use up? Make sure you use that before the end date, too.

Need a little extra help? Call us for free on 789 from your Virgin Mobile phone."

I have decided to leave and have requested my PAC.

I have phoned 789 today and they tell me I can't have a refund of my leftover credit.

Please refer to a Moderator to advise me why I have been told this when your website tells me I can have a refund.

Thank you.

[FGVPayg]

I signed up just to add my views on the way Virgin add insult to injury by terminating the PAYG service at short notice and forcing users to call 789 to get their refunds.  I never use a phone if I can possibly avoid it; I do everything online and via email. My very old, very cheap non-smart phone is malfunctioning: it freezes in the middle of things. I have no landline and the new phone isn't ready. I agree with posters who say that it should be possible to do everything online. 

[Ashleigh_C]

Hi there @FGVPayg

Thank you so much for your post and I am so sorry to hear that you have had this issue with your phone! 

Would you like me to take a look into this for you? I'll send you a PM now just in case. 

Please keep an eye out for the purple envelope on the top right corner of your screen alerting you to a new message.

Thank you.

[FGVPayg]

Thank you for this ash_c. I have given my account details in a PM.

Just to make it completely clear, I am asking for a PAC code and a refund of unused credit not because I have chosen to leave Virgin Mobile but because the PAYG service is being terminated on January 11th. 

[Ashleigh_C]

No problem, I've responded to your message now and we can get this looked into.

Thank you.

[FGVPayg]

Thank you for taking all this trouble to sort me out - and thanks too to the posters who gave me ideas about what is going on.

I thought I was being clever by requesting a PAC onlline well before the PAYG service ends, but now my Virgin Mobile logon details are not recognised! They must have assumed that I was leaving voluntarily.

[FGVPayg]

P. S. The link you gave seems to be for people who need to get a PAC to move to Virgin not away from them! Or am I just being a bit dim?

[Ashleigh_C]

You can request your PAC code either:

• Log into My Virgin Mobile account online and click request PAC code
• Text PAC followed by your date of birth in DD/MM/YYYY format to 65075
• Or call us on 789 from your Virgin handset

Thank you again

[FGVPayg]

Thanks. I will do as you suggested and wait for the refund to arrive, then try the online approach first as my phone is very unreliable.

[Ashleigh_C]

Thank you @FGVPayg

Please do let us know if you have any further issues! 

Thanks again.

[PaulH2011]

How did the previous poster arrange their refund?

I'm in the same position i.e. Virgin is ending PAYG in 4 days time, have just requested the PAC code, only to be told I won't get a refund even though both the email advising of the closure of the service and the switching web page state that refunds can be requested.

Tried to call 789 but wasn't even queued, just told they were too busy.  Went on to chat where the bot said they would put me through to an agent, but they are busy and there is a 45 minute wait, so hanging on ....

Called 789 again and this time was able to select options to speak to someone, then left hanging on to music ....