VFS taken £2000 and cannot contact them

[silentnine]

Hi Guys.
done a visa app for the mrs online... 
after much fuss got to go through and got her the 24 hour express service .. 
paid ... however according to there website the payment did not go thru ..
so it still shows as not paid on VFS .
used 2 cards .. and they took 43,000 baht from each card !!!!
phoned the bank ... they say have to contact the merchant.. 
but how to contact VFS !!! they no  phone numbers .. 
even called the gov uk visa hotline at £1.20 per minute and they say have to contact VFS 

[SteveK]

Which bank is it? Sounds like they are fobbing you off, call again and email them a screenshot showing that the payment didn't go through. I hope you used credit cards, with debit cards it much harder, nigh on impossible to get the money back if the bank can show that you gave the correct details.

 

The online reviews for this company suggest that they could possibly not be the best company to use and you might struggle to get any kind of redress in this matter.

[Odysseus123]

59 minutes ago, pr9spk said:

Which bank is it? Sounds like they are fobbing you off, call again and email them a screenshot showing that the payment didn't go through. I hope you used credit cards, with debit cards it much harder, nigh on impossible to get the money back if the bank can show that you gave the correct details.

 

The online reviews for this company suggest that they could possibly not be the best company to use and you might struggle to get any kind of redress in this matter.

That s very true about the debit cards.

[magicroundabout]

On 2/2/2019 at 6:03 AM, Lemonltr said:

I am doing the same as you and started bringing in 65k monthly as my embassy will not provide a letter. Under the previous system if you had 65k income you had no need to have any funds in the bank at all. I'm hoping that now I have transfers as proof instead of a letter that the same applies. No funds in the bank needed. ( although I have some). 

Not sure I can help too much the last time I done a visa you had to pay cash. 

I've found this link which you can contact them

 

https://www.vfsglobal.co.uk/th/en/contact-vfsglobal

I'm sure it will get sorted. 

 

[silentnine]

I tried that contact method
it takes you to a link to call UKVI @ £1.20 per minute on a premium rate 
spoke to them ..
they said its VFS not them .
and they even said VFS do not have a contact number .,. 
he said click the refund button on VFS ... but that does not work as its shows as unpaid ..
we used 2 credit cards ... 43,000 THB x 2 , and 1 debit card ... so currently 129,000 THB out of pocket and still cannot complete the application

banks very unhelpful saying the merchant needs to do a reversal on the transations , not them,, but when you can't talk to the merchant (VFS) then what can you do !..

[Lacessit]

You need to go to a VFS office.

[silentnine]

this is totally foo barred.

even tried to make a complaint on UKVI website ... and theres is knackered

 

[silentnine]

6 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

You need to go to a VFS office.

i'm in the UK ...   wifes at VFS on Thursday for her appointment

[LucysDad]

4 minutes ago, silentnine said:

i'm in the UK ...   wifes at VFS on Thursday for her appointment

 

 

What about cancelling the appointment and claiming a refund..............then start again.

[theoldgit]

As VFS are contracted by the UKVI to provide the service, so it's the UKVI that's ultimatly responsible.

 

The fact that the UKVI operative that you paid to communicate with freely admits that VFS are no longer contactable beggars belief, the UKVI managers must  be aware of it, and would seem to condone it.

 

I think your best option would be to try the complaint option again, it worked for me,  https://eforms.homeoffice.gov.uk/outreach/_static/ukvi-international-complaints.html

 

You don't seem to be posting from Thailand, so popping into a VFS office probably isn't an option.

[silentnine]

'I think your best option would be to try the complaint option again, it worked for me,  https://eforms.homeoffice.gov.uk/outreach/_static/ukvi-international-complaints.html'

 

thats the one we get the 'Sorry, something went wrong' message when trying to make a complaint.

the big problem with getting it sorted at the VFS office in BKK will be getting past the reception staff and getting to talk to anyone who can deal with problems with there payment system. 

and arguing the toss with UKVI on there 1.20 per minute number does not get it resolved either. 

Edited February 16, 2019 by silentnine

[silentnine]

13 minutes ago, LucysDad said:

 

 

What about cancelling the appointment and claiming a refund..............then start again.

unable to cancel it as there system shows unpaid... therefore no refund option

[silentnine]

27 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

You need to go to a VFS office.

even wifey is saying ... how can she get them to admit there is/was a problem on there website.. she says herself that the lady on reception will not be able to look at there online payment system and there not to be willing to lose face and say they sort it.

 

told her to get to VFS 4 hours before her appointment to try and sort it out.. but after googling this problem i see otherwho had the same and lost there money and even had VFS trying to sell them the priority service they already paid for at the interview.. 

if it was a few hundred ££ it would be bad enough ..   but this is £3000 / 120,000THB + they have taken

[magicroundabout]

I used the email address below but it was 5 years ago so might to work. 

 

[email protected]

 

[Formaleins]

 If those swine had taken that from me I would be on a plane and at their door the next day or sooner. If I couldn't get there then my wife would be high tailing it on my behalf. There must be a way to contact them. Does Thaialnd not have a Directory Enquiries Service? If they do, see if you can get the number for Trendy Building and see if someone there can help get you through. I do not believe those people do not have a phone, they just don't want to give the number out. Terrible people down there and a terrible service for anyone living outside Bangkok! Good luck with your money.

 

They have a Facebook and Twitter account - just Google it as this site won't let me post links. The Australians are on the same floor next to VFS UK, give them a ring and see if they can give you a number or even a contact, their number is 02118 87100. (Usually find that any other country is more helpful than what you will get from the British Embassy or VFS - they seem to think their citizens are just dogs!)

The VFS UK Facebook page has a CONTACT US - Link, it says "usually replies within 1 day" so maybe try that too.

Edited February 17, 2019 by Formaleins

[4737 Carlin]

VFS Global are a joke - withholding your money is basically fraud. They were less than useless when dealing with my daughter's UK passport at the Phnom Penh office. The fact the UK government allows this amateur outfit to handle such an important job tells you exactly what they think of their own citizens. I made an official complaint - although I doubt anyone listened.

[silentnine]

1 hour ago, Formaleins said:

 If those swine had taken that from me I would be on a plane and at their door the next day or sooner. If I couldn't get there then my wife would be high tailing it on my behalf. There must be a way to contact them. Does Thaialnd not have a Directory Enquiries Service? If they do, see if you can get the number for Trendy Building and see if someone there can help get you through. I do not believe those people do not have a phone, they just don't want to give the number out. Terrible people down there and a terrible service for anyone living outside Bangkok! Good luck with your money.

 

They have a Facebook and Twitter account - just Google it as this site won't let me post links. The Australians are on the same floor next to VFS UK, give them a ring and see if they can give you a number or even a contact, their number is 02118 87100. (Usually find that any other country is more helpful than what you will get from the British Embassy or VFS - they seem to think their citizens are just dogs!)

The VFS UK Facebook page has a CONTACT US - Link, it says "usually replies within 1 day" so maybe try that too.

i've tried them on twitter and facebook .  amazing that on twitter they are boasting in all there tweets about introducing new support phone lines , but nearly all of them are for india and other countries . not a mention of anything for the UK users.  
no replies of any sort as yet but it is the weekend.

thought about just jumping on a plane but i'm convinced that as a global company there payments are handled by yet another 3rd party and they will just fob me off. 
when paying it goes to something called 'digitpay' then i also noticed siampay diverts on the web browser

what makes it so infuriating is i can already imagine the conversation with them .. there going to ask for the receipt. but as there system said failed no receipt was generated . and the bank statements are showing 'asiapay*vfs(thailand) bangkok tha'

[Tongjaw]

22 hours ago, silentnine said:

I tried that contact method
it takes you to a link to call UKVI @ £1.20 per minute on a premium rate 
spoke to them ..
they said its VFS not them .
and they even said VFS do not have a contact number .,. 
he said click the refund button on VFS ... but that does not work as its shows as unpaid ..
we used 2 credit cards ... 43,000 THB x 2 , and 1 debit card ... so currently 129,000 THB out of pocket and still cannot complete the application

banks very unhelpful saying the merchant needs to do a reversal on the transations , not them,, but when you can't talk to the merchant (VFS) then what can you do !..

Googled VFS and got these numbers.

BKK Bang Kapi +66-840000000

BKK Watthana +66-631879270

CM office +66-21187100

BKK Bang Rak +66-21187001

 

Hopefully you can get through to one of them.

Let us know if you get it sorted. 

 

[lemonjelly]

Don’t panic, you have proof of payment from your bank, from there emails mentioning that fact and other words such as “resolve, legal action” usually gets things moving with these kind of outfits 

[silentnine]

do they even offer upgrade to priority application at the center itself when applying .,, or can it be only done in this crazy faulty online system .   other countries i've read about ppl paying for the express priority service when they attend . but for UK VFS i've seen no mention of it (other than there website)

[Medicine Man]

So if this was a fake VFS website there is no way to validate things with a phone call. The UK government shouldn't leave their citizens so vulnerable with such important services..

[Christophers200]

This is a strange tale and one wonders if a fake website was involved. There would be other complaints if this were really associated with VFS.

[virtualm]

If it helps, I've just checked my GF visit visa email payment confirmation and right at the bottom it says this service is provided by GOV.UK, if you have similar emails check yours and if they have the same note at the bottom then get onto GOV.UK and tell them what the email says.

 

I also notice the payment confirmation comes from [email protected] - so there's your answer the service is provided by GOV.UK

 

Did you receive two emails from GOV.UK with the payment transaction being successful? If so, did the first payment email come through before you processed the second one?  

 

Good luck.

Edited February 17, 2019 by virtualm

[silentnine]

its was 100% the VFS website. not a fake one.
this is money for the extra services provided .. not the main visa application fee that is paid for on the gov website.

after paying for the visa application and having booked the appointment you can then regsiter on the vfs website ... and buy services such as prioty lounge, scanning etc .. and also priory and super priority applications ... this is where the problem is

you only part with extra funds on the VFS website IF you are buying extra services such as these ...  normal applications without priorty payments do not suffer there payment system , 

Edited February 17, 2019 by silentnine

[virtualm]

Ok understood, so did you receive two payment emails from them?

 

You obviously have your reason for paying the 43k super priority visa, but that's just crazy money.

 

Still hope you get it sorted

 

 

[silentnine]

7 minutes ago, virtualm said:

Ok understood, so did you receive two payment emails from them?

 

You obviously have your reason for paying the 43k super priority visa, but that's just crazy money.

 

Still hope you get it sorted

 

 

yes ... got main gov emails .. and the main application fee is paid . and done.
the reason for the super priority .. was we really only wanted the priority which is 30 working days .. but once we had uploaded all the 400 pages of paperwork to the vfs online portal which you have to do it seems to use there priority services the option for normal priority had gone .. and only super priority remained ... its and extra 20k baht ... so we decided in for penny in for a pound ..
also having read a few posts on here by ppl saying they applied last year in july and still had no reply it was not a hard descision  

[LucysDad]

6 hours ago, Christophers200 said:

This is a strange tale and one wonders if a fake website was involved. There would be other complaints if this were really associated with VFS.

 

 

I don't believe so.

 

Today i went online to book the courier return, sms service and 'keep my passport when applying'.... 3,015 Baht in total.

 

i had a message to say the transaction was declined - I have that in black and white in front of me.

 

 

I just called Nationwide, my card provider, who confirmed that GBP 76.40 was approved earlier today - and they gave me the authorisation code that applied to the transaction.

[silentnine]

14 minutes ago, LucysDad said:

 

 

I don't believe so.

 

Today i went online to book the courier return, sms service and 'keep my passport when applying'.... 3,015 Baht in total.

 

i had a message to say the transaction was declined - I have that in black and white in front of me.

 

 

I just called Nationwide, my card provider, who confirmed that GBP 76.40 was approved earlier today - and they gave me the authorisation code that applied to the transaction.

yes !   sorry for your loss ...   but now i know its not only me .

was yours a credit or debit card

if like me a debit card my bank are saying only VFS can reverse it .. and of course there system is saying unpaid so trying to get through to them is not easy

Edited February 17, 2019 by silentnine

[LucysDad]

5 minutes ago, silentnine said:

yes !   sorry for your loss ...   but now i know its not only me .

was yours a credit or debit card

if like me a debit card my bank are saying only VFS can reverse it .. and of course there system is saying unpaid so trying to get through to them is not easy

 

 

It's OK, mine is not a loss - I have evidence of the payment transaction.

 

 

It was a credit card.

[silentnine]

6 minutes ago, LucysDad said:

 

 

It's OK, mine is not a loss - I have evidence of the payment transaction.

 

 

It was a credit card.

you got a receipt from the VFS system ? i have the bank transactions on the statement .. but alas on VFS it still shows unpaid