Paying for address check - Is it genuine?

philbo83 · 21-01-2008, 10:29

Hi,

I recently submitted a request through the VM address checker on their site as the address listing they had for my property wasn't accurate.

A few days later I received a phone call from a man saying he worked for VM and that it was his job to update these incorrect addresses in their system. The reason he gave was that VM were going to be fined for having inaccurate address, something because of 999 calls...

He told me he needed to come round to the property, I need to provide proof I lived there, and that it would cost me £25.

I was a little suspicious about this afterwards so I rang VM who didn't seem to know anything about it, and were able to register me with the inaccurate address.

Does anyone here know whether this call is genuine and needs to be completed? Given the fact I've successfully signed up for VM I'm slightly reluctant to pay out an extra £25 for them to keep their databases up to date.

Thanks,
Phil

**Graham M** · 21-01-2008, 10:35

Nope, never heard that one and it definitely doesn't sound genuine

**Jefferson T** · 21-01-2008, 10:37

It does sound as dodgy as hell to me.

PeteTheMusicGuy · 21-01-2008, 10:47

Does not sound right at all

Motorman · 21-01-2008, 11:16

Hi Philbo

This sounds like crossed wires.
There are guys in VM who recieve lists of people who want connection, but maybe there is a problem or issue with the address.
These guys (Spotters) will then visit the customer, sort out the problem and the contract and arrange install etc.

Sounds like this phone call you had was from a spotter. The £25 and ID is required from every new customer. The £25 is a pre-payment and will be credited directly to your new Virgin Media account, so you start £25 in credit.
The ID they will accept must come from an approved list.

So this could well be a genuine call from a VM employee, who has taken the initiative not only to look at your address problem, but also offered to take the time and call round and sort everything out for you.

**Stuart C** · 21-01-2008, 11:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by Motorman

Sounds like this phone call you had was from a spotter. The £25 and ID is required from every new customer. The £25 is a pre-payment and will be credited directly to your new Virgin Media account, so you start £25 in credit.
The ID they will accept must come from an approved list.

So this could well be a genuine call from a VM employee, who has taken the initiative not only to look at your address problem, but also offered to take the time and call round and sort everything out for you.

If his address is already on the system (and it sounds like this is the case) then virgin would, I would have thought, already set up an account for him.

Motorman · 21-01-2008, 11:44

the address listing they had for my property wasn't accurate.

Its difficult without knowing the full details.
But it could be that VM database has, for example, street numbers 2,4,6,8,.10 etc and a customer (Philbo) lives at 8A, which may be a newly converted flat.. The database should show 8a and 8b and hasnt been updated yet

It wouldnt be right to load the order at 8, as there may be a different address.
The spotter in this case, would raise a request with Central housefile Admin, who would create 8A in the database, and the spotter (salesman) would then be able to load the order.

Maybe when philbo called telesales, the address had been created by that time (takes about 3-10 working days),
or maybe they loaded it at no 8 (e.g.) anyway, which means that when the customer moves in at 8b, this will cause problems for them

Like I said its difficult to say unless you are in possession of all the details.

philbo83 · 06-02-2008, 09:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by Motorman

Hi Philbo

This sounds like crossed wires.
There are guys in VM who recieve lists of people who want connection, but maybe there is a problem or issue with the address.
These guys (Spotters) will then visit the customer, sort out the problem and the contract and arrange install etc.

Sounds like this phone call you had was from a spotter. The £25 and ID is required from every new customer. The £25 is a pre-payment and will be credited directly to your new Virgin Media account, so you start £25 in credit.
The ID they will accept must come from an approved list.

So this could well be a genuine call from a VM employee, who has taken the initiative not only to look at your address problem, but also offered to take the time and call round and sort everything out for you.

Yeah you got it spot on. It was a genuine guy from VM who came round to verify the address. And the £25 was the initial amount required when registering, which then goes on the account as credit.