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Auto topup DANGER!

prhandley
3: Seeker
3: Seeker

Beware of signing up for auto topup for mobile broadband - cancelling it is a nightmare.  If you go on Live Chat to cancel it they will tell you it is cancelled but that's a lie - payments still go through.  Getting a refund is even worse - you have to speak to someone - so what is the purpose of Live Chat.

Transcript excerpts of my first conversation is below:

 

Paul: Hi - I need to cancel auto topup on my broadband please
Louise: Hello Paul
Louise: Good Evening
Paul: hi
Louise: I will check the details and certainly help you .
Paul: ok
Louise: For verification purpose may I please take the date of birth, last topup date and amount  and balance on your account? with your last name

Louise: That matches our records! Thank you for verifying your details.
Louise: Kindly bear with me while I check your account details. I appreciate your patience.
Louise: Your account is all fine now Paul
Paul: is the topup cancelled?
Louise: Yes there will be no top up taken .

 

That was on 22 Jan then on 30 Jan another payment was taken so I contacted them again:

 

Kevin: When was your last chat regarding stopping of your auto Top up?
Paul Handley: 22 Jan with Louise
Paul Handley: I have the transcript
Kevin: Thank you.
Kevin: And when was your last auto top up went through?
Paul Handley: I got the email today at 6:32 am - £10
Paul Handley: Before that 1 or 2 Jan I think
Paul Handley: again £10
Kevin: Paul, yes I can see one instance of top up today after your conversation over chat.
Kevin: Do you wish to get it refund?
Paul Handley: yes please
Paul Handley: and confirmation that no more will be taken
Kevin: As over the chat we do not refund.
Kevin: There is a concerned team who deal with payment and refund.
Kevin: I will need to transfer this chat to them, who will remove your automatic top up and also help you with the refund. Please stay connected while I transfer this chat.
Paul Handley: how long is this going to take
Paul Handley: this is ridiculous
Kevin: It will take 2-3 minutes to connect with our concerned team.
Paul Handley: and will i have to go through all the story again! it's your mistake
Kevin: They may contact you for confirmation.
info: Please wait while I transfer the chat to the appropriate group.
info: You are now connected with Jess .
Jess : Hello, you're chatting with Jess , one of Vodafone's online customer service specialists. Allow me a moment to go through the conversation you had with the representative who transferred your chat over to me
Paul Handley: ok
Jess : Hello Paul, do not worry at all.
Jess : I will help you now,
Jess : In order to cancel the auto renew top up you will need to write an email to Customer.Support@Mi-Pay.com and they will cancel the automatic top up for you.
Jess : And at the same time you will need to give a standing instruction to your bank.
Paul Handley: so why did Louise tell me that it had been cancelled?
Paul Handley: and how do I get a refund?
Jess : For refund I will check this for you now.
Paul Handley: and why did Louise lie to me
Jess : Paul, let me explain you how it works.

Jess : Auto top up is link with 2 side.
Jess : From Vodafone and your bank.
Jess : When auto top up gets set up your bank do have the standing instruction to make payment on your behalf.
Jess : So when you wish to cancel the top up you need to instruct your bank too, to cancel the top up.
Paul Handley: it does not get debited as a direct debit it appears as a card payment
Paul Handley: so why have you lied to me
Jess : I can confirm that there is no card registered with your Vodafone account.
Paul Handley: so if I cancel the payment at the bank they will refuse my refund
Paul Handley: HOW DO I GET MT REFUND?
Paul Handley: that you have fraudulently taken
Jess : About the refund please help me with number to call you.
Paul Handley: NO - I cannot take calls today - HOW DO I GET MY REFUND -
Jess : As I will need to call you and will need to connect you to our card refunds team and they will process your refund.
Jess : I can arrange for it tomorrow.
Paul Handley: NO - just tell your team to do it.

Jess : When we request for refund , we need to take your bank details in which you wish to get the refund.
Jess : I am sorry for the miscommunication from Louise.
Jess : And I will help you to get refund for sure.
Jess : For that we will need your alternate number.
Paul Handley: Why?
Jess : When we request for refund , we need to take your bank details in which you wish to get the refund
Paul Handley: The same account you took it from - simple!

Jess : Paul, for the security reason we need to confirm it from you when we process for refund

Jess : Paul, I truly understand your concern. I would have felt the same if I was at your place. I agree with what you are saying is correct.
Jess : Here I am trying to help you.
Paul Handley: But you are failing

Jess : In order to cancel direct debit top up you will need to write an email to Customer.Support@Mi-Pay.com and they will cancel the automatic top up for you in 24 hours.
Jess : And at the same time you will need to give a standing instruction to your bank.

 

So I hold out no hope of getting a refund - and when my other mobile contract expires I will certainly be looking for a company who has better customer service.  I have confirmation from Mi-Pay that no more will be taken but I would like to bet they'll try!

 

Beware - and learn from my mistake of using what should be a sensible service

2 REPLIES 2

prhandley
3: Seeker
3: Seeker

So here is my experience

 

Beware of signing up for auto topup for mobile broadband - cancelling it is a nightmare.  If you go on Live Chat to cancel it they will tell you it is cancelled but that's a lie - payments still go through.  Getting a refund is even worse - you have to speak to someone - so what is the purpose of Live Chat.

Transcript excerpts of my first conversation is below:

 

Paul: Hi - I need to cancel auto topup on my broadband please
Louise: Hello Paul
Louise: Good Evening
Paul: hi
Louise: I will check the details and certainly help you .
Paul: ok
Louise: For verification purpose may I please take the date of birth, last topup date and amount  and balance on your account? with your last name

Louise: That matches our records! Thank you for verifying your details.
Louise: Kindly bear with me while I check your account details. I appreciate your patience.
Louise: Your account is all fine now Paul
Paul: is the topup cancelled?
Louise: Yes there will be no top up taken .

 

That was on 22 Jan then on 30 Jan another payment was taken so I contacted them again:

 

Kevin: When was your last chat regarding stopping of your auto Top up?
Paul Handley: 22 Jan with Louise
Paul Handley: I have the transcript
Kevin: Thank you.
Kevin: And when was your last auto top up went through?
Paul Handley: I got the email today at 6:32 am - £10
Paul Handley: Before that 1 or 2 Jan I think
Paul Handley: again £10
Kevin: Paul, yes I can see one instance of top up today after your conversation over chat.
Kevin: Do you wish to get it refund?
Paul Handley: yes please
Paul Handley: and confirmation that no more will be taken
Kevin: As over the chat we do not refund.
Kevin: There is a concerned team who deal with payment and refund.
Kevin: I will need to transfer this chat to them, who will remove your automatic top up and also help you with the refund. Please stay connected while I transfer this chat.
Paul Handley: how long is this going to take
Paul Handley: this is ridiculous
Kevin: It will take 2-3 minutes to connect with our concerned team.
Paul Handley: and will i have to go through all the story again! it's your mistake
Kevin: They may contact you for confirmation.
info: Please wait while I transfer the chat to the appropriate group.
info: You are now connected with Jess .
Jess : Hello, you're chatting with Jess , one of Vodafone's online customer service specialists. Allow me a moment to go through the conversation you had with the representative who transferred your chat over to me
Paul Handley: ok
Jess : Hello Paul, do not worry at all.
Jess : I will help you now,
Jess : In order to cancel the auto renew top up you will need to write an email to Customer.Support@Mi-Pay.com and they will cancel the automatic top up for you.
Jess : And at the same time you will need to give a standing instruction to your bank.
Paul Handley: so why did Louise tell me that it had been cancelled?
Paul Handley: and how do I get a refund?
Jess : For refund I will check this for you now.
Paul Handley: and why did Louise lie to me
Jess : Paul, let me explain you how it works.

Jess : Auto top up is link with 2 side.
Jess : From Vodafone and your bank.
Jess : When auto top up gets set up your bank do have the standing instruction to make payment on your behalf.
Jess : So when you wish to cancel the top up you need to instruct your bank too, to cancel the top up.
Paul Handley: it does not get debited as a direct debit it appears as a card payment
Paul Handley: so why have you lied to me
Jess : I can confirm that there is no card registered with your Vodafone account.
Paul Handley: so if I cancel the payment at the bank they will refuse my refund
Paul Handley: HOW DO I GET MT REFUND?
Paul Handley: that you have fraudulently taken
Jess : About the refund please help me with number to call you.
Paul Handley: NO - I cannot take calls today - HOW DO I GET MY REFUND -
Jess : As I will need to call you and will need to connect you to our card refunds team and they will process your refund.
Jess : I can arrange for it tomorrow.
Paul Handley: NO - just tell your team to do it.

Jess : When we request for refund , we need to take your bank details in which you wish to get the refund.
Jess : I am sorry for the miscommunication from Louise.
Jess : And I will help you to get refund for sure.
Jess : For that we will need your alternate number.
Paul Handley: Why?
Jess : When we request for refund , we need to take your bank details in which you wish to get the refund
Paul Handley: The same account you took it from - simple!

Jess : Paul, for the security reason we need to confirm it from you when we process for refund

Jess : Paul, I truly understand your concern. I would have felt the same if I was at your place. I agree with what you are saying is correct.
Jess : Here I am trying to help you.
Paul Handley: But you are failing

 

I have just given up on the refund and I'll bet nobody at Vodafone cares enough to sort it out.  When my normal mobile contract expires can you guesss if I will be staying with Vodafone or moving to a supplier which actually has customer service.

I bet they try and take another tenner next month!

Hi @prhandley

 

See how to cancel your automatic top up for more information on this.

 

If you’d like my team to check this out, get in touch with us here.

 

Cheers,

 

Laura