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Beware Of Vanquis Credit Card


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Hi people.... Firstly new to the site i found this after looking up vanquis on the net recently!... so hi i'm Wayne

 

I have been a vanquis card holder since July 10 in all honesty i have never had any problems with them however i have seen that if you take your eye off them they will lead you a merry dance into debt.

I got my card only because i had no credit rating i hadn't had credit since 2001 it is true what they say cards like this do help build credit it has worked for me but i have learned one or two lessons along the way. Lessons i'd like to share with the forum if you don't mind a read to help tippytoe through the Vanquis minefield.

 

1. I declined the £100 cash advance until my card arrived - with a limit of only £250 and an interest rate of 49.9% i smelt a problem straight away

2. Set up a direct debit for a minimum payment - giving Vanquis a payment of what they want each month keeps them happy

3. make sure your minimum payment is reducing the bill - i first found that my minimum payments wasn't reducing my bill it was growing so first off out went the PPI then i paid closer attention to the interest being added i was horrified to work out the minimum payment after interest was something like 1% now not being a mathmatician i did work out that a £750 bill is gonna take 750 months to pay off now even if my maths is wrong then this little shocker has encouraged me to increase my payments.

4. Vanquis throws credit around like confetti my limits went £250-£750-£1500 - i have set a spending limit suitable to me regardless of what Vanquis have give me believe me at 39.9% my limit will never reach £1500

5. Reduce the balance asap - i found meeting the minimum payment plus an extra payment of the interest plus whatever i spend in that month technically reduces the balance

6. Stay well under the limit!.. I stay well under my limit sometime times its hard especially with monthly pay etc but i try to keep under the £750 mark

7. Only spend what you can afford each month - i have a Capital one card i use only for shopping and pay it off in full each month hey presto they don't make any interest off me, i get to eat and it builds my credit once my Vanquis card is cleared i will use it for this reason only

 

It works for me i haven't had any problems as yet but i think its down to i keep my account under control and don't let Vanquis control me, but i can see in these hard times how easy it is to be tempted and how companies like vanquis prey on the likes of myself using the disguise of credit building.

My advice if you are thinking of getting this card is be careful and think about it first!..

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  • 4 weeks later...
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I have a granite card issued by vanquis. My problem has been they ask for a minimum payment and when I pay slightly more than the minimum The interest they put on takes me over my limit. I know of no other company who acts in this way and I am still waiting a reply to a letter I sent to them 2 weeks ago.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Never had a problem pay full balance every month no fees what so ever

 

 

 

 

Hello Team,

I thought i would just post this on here for people to see about the Vanquis Credit Card. I found a leaflet in a Cafe yesterday and was shocked to see how much their basic Credut Card interest is. Their website says 39.9% APR . .. The leaflet said 49.9% APR with a £2000 credit limit. This sort of thing should be stopped right now. Here is a snippet from their website about being responsible:

Vanquis Bank is a responsible lender and we provide our customers with support, education and help in controlling their spending. We do this by being transparent about our products and pricing, and providing high levels of customer service. Vanquis Bank is part of Provident Financial plc, a leading international company providing financial products to thousands of people across the world.

Vanquis Visa card is issued by Vanquis Bank Limited whose registered office is at Colonnade, Sunbridge Road, Bradford BD1 2LQ. Registered Number 2558509 England.

I love the bit about Educating customers and help in controlling their spending.

A Responsible Lender. If anyone has one of these cards please let me know how you sleep at night, because this to me, is extortion and they should be pulled up about it. Grrrrrrrrrr Grinds teeth in disgust . .

 

Go get em ..... ukaviator...

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  • 3 weeks later...

I'm new to this forum, so forgive me if I have posted this in the wrong section!

 

I have over the last couple of months had a problem with Vanquis - Luckily it hasn't legged me up, but I wanted to share my experience with you all to warn you of a 'trick' I think they may be playing.

 

I have had a vanquis card now for nearly 18 months to help me repair my credit rating. I have never had any real issues other than them constantly trying to sell me PPI, but have never carried a balance past my statement for them to charge interest on either - so I suppose I am unlikely to ever have anything to complain about. They have regularly put my limit up and the card has worked well for my credit file.

 

HOWEVER - over the last couple of months, when I have tried to pay my balance of using my debit card through their website, they have randomly failed to take the payment even though I have been given an authorisation number by their site and advised it will credit my card within 3 working days. A call to the bank confirms no request for payment received. When I called Vanquis, they advised me that the payment had been 'challenged' for security reasons and would credit my account once they had satisfied their security checks. This once took them 2 weeks.

 

The first time they did this it didn't concern me too much, just frustrate me. They advised that the security check was because I had paid a large amount and so I decided I would simply pay more regularly in smaller amounts in future to avoid the problem. Since then however they have challenged the smaller payments as well and I have started to see a pattern to it. I believe this is nothing to do with security or the amount of the payment, but more likely the timing of the payment. It seems to line up with a payment being made towards the end of the 60 day interest free period! I'm guessing, by challenging the payment and therefore delaying it, the payment lands outside of this period and your balance is therefore subject to interest?

 

I'm lucky, I don't carry a balance forward and have each time cleared my balance in full within a day or so of my statement; therefore it hasn't caused me to be charged interest. Had I not have done that though I'm sure I would have been charged!!

 

My concerns are two fold, obviously anyone taking advantage of their rights to up to 60 days interest free as per their contract may be caught out by these 'challenged' payments, and secondly, if they are not authorising payment electronically online as I enter them, are they storing the 3 digits on the back of my debit card for use later when they have finished challenging (or delaying) my payment? If they are, this is against Visa's rules isn't it, and as a Visa Card Issuer this really concerns me! They are trusted with a lot of important personal data; surely out of anyone that accepts debit / credit card payments you would expect a credit card company to respect the rules?

 

I genuinely hope I am wrong with this as to date, their card has been good for me and now, as one of the oldest credit accounts on my credit file, I would be disappointed to have to cancel the card to ensure my details aren't being compromised on a regular basis!

 

Has anyone else had the same experience? Again sorry if this is in the wrong place.

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Unfortunately Vanquis tell me they only accept either direct debit or debit card payments. As the cards come with a fairly small limit I sometimes need to clear my balance more than once a month and so direct debit doesn't work for me as my credit limit would need to last me nearly 60 days. As soon as my credit file clears up I will switch to a better card and ditch Vanquis. It's a shame though as it will be one of my oldest accounts on my credit file and I expect it to hurt my score.

 

Thanks for your reply though

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Unfortunately Vanquis tell me they only accept either direct debit or debit card payments. As the cards come with a fairly small limit I sometimes need to clear my balance more than once a month and so direct debit doesn't work for me as my credit limit would need to last me nearly 60 days. As soon as my credit file clears up I will switch to a better card and ditch Vanquis. It's a shame though as it will be one of my oldest accounts on my credit file and I expect it to hurt my score.

 

Thanks for your reply though

 

Thats a load of baloney!... They do accept bank transfers and it takes about 3 working days to hit your account its how i pay mine they did have an account number on the website it was loadsa 0's & 1's and my bank wouldn't accept it so i called them and the gave me a proper account number

 

don't take the crap the so called CSA's spew out this is one company that should move the customer service dept to Bangalore it would improve customer services 10 fold i think

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  • 1 month later...

complete newbie here, hope someone can help!....have had a Vanquis card for years, only used it occasionally for smallish amounts, and paid off no bother......however, just before Christmas i used it several times for some larger amounts and some cash advances...this was because i needed to do some work to my house as am about to rent it out and move to another house...my credit limit on card is 3K and have run it up to 2.5K...(i intend to just clear it off when my new mortgage money comes through)...but am absolutely horrified at the interest i'm being charged and dont even know what some of them mean!!.......I had 3 x cash advances of 250 pounds each...interest is 7.50x each = 22.50 (fair enough, i get that )...then i have "billed deferred finance charges" of 4.61 (what is this??)...then "repayment option plan" of 34.84...(only discovered 2 days ago this is not an insurance to cover payments if i become unemployed, which i thought it was!...is it ppi??)...then "cash interest" of 40.41...then "purchase interest" of 24.22...and finally "default charge interest" of 68p...(dont get this as havent defaulted!!).....so, of my requested next months payment of 123.00, a whopping 91.45 is interest!!!...cannot beleive this...only found this thread by accident...wish i had seen it weeks ago!!...hope i have explained this ok.....can anyone enlighted me please???

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I am grateful to Vanquis for the service they have provided me over the past 2 years. They have got me out of a hole on more than one occasion. Yes its high interest and there are a few nasty surprises if you don't look at what you signed for carefully, such as the repayment option plan, but as a lender of last resort they seem a far better option than payday and/or logbook loans. I use my card only when I have to and pay it off as quickly as possible and in that context I am very happy with them.

 

P.S I had to have a long hard think before I posted this. My natural inclination was to stick the boot in along with most of the other posters :???:

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi All

 

Just thought i would do my research on the Vanquis Credit Card as have just opted for one and is on the way in the post.

 

I have a very poor credit score of 345, i messed around a lot when i was very young and took out contracts and never bothered to pay for them. I have managed to clear off quite a lot of debt and had a look at my credit report today and all thats left is £290 from a provident loan i took out a while back. I also have 2 CCJ's dated from around 2008. One of which has been paid in full but still remains on my report and one i have outstanding that i feel i should not pay (long story).

 

Anyway i took this Vanquis card out as it was recommended on moneysavingexpert as a good credit rebuilder. I understand the interest is very high. My plan was to take it out spend maybe £40-£50 on it and then pay it back the next day always making sure i have the spare cash ready to pay it off before using it. Im new to APR and all this sort of thing and to be honest dont understand any of it. If i do what ive just explained will i be charged interest etc?

 

I dont want to be left in a worse off situation but i really need to rebuild my credit. I have two young children and we have to take all finance out in my partners name which is also affecting his credit rating. Everything gets paid in time but lots of things out in finance cant be good?

 

Would really love some advice.

 

Thanks

Daniie

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No you wont be charged any interest if you pay the outstanding balance in full before the due date. i have had a Vanquis card now for 4 years credit limit is 3k some months i pay it all some months I dont, i have recently cancelled the insurance on it as it was quite expensive but overall I am quite happy with them. i have always paid by debit card over the phone and made sure I have spoken to a person (not used the automated service) I have never had a late payment charge or problem with them. Yes the APR is high but i think you have to look at it another way, is it giving me what I want and can I afford to pay. There will always be cheaper places to borrow money/buy goods regardless of who you go to but I think you can waste a lot of your life worrying about interest charges and am I being ripped off.

If I have been of any help, please click on my star and let me know, thank you.

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Thank You! Was just getting worried after i read all of the comments. Im simply using it to build my credit as no other reputable company will touch me with a barge pole!! Any other ideas that can add to building credit scores?

Thanks for the quick reply x

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Dont apply more than a couple of times a year for anything that will involve a credit search other than that its just a case of waiting. having said that there seems to be no rhyme or reason to credit scores my husband went bankrupt when we came out of our business about 6 years ago, was discharged after a year and in the last 18months has been acceptred for 2 credit cards and a loan all with major banks (not sub prime lenders) i on the other hand have not been bankrupt but cant get my vanquis card transferred to another lender with a lower interest rate (ut I am paying off 2 old cards at an agreed rate each month and have been for over 4 years with no defaults) and I earn in excess of 45k, twice as much as my husband.

If I have been of any help, please click on my star and let me know, thank you.

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  • 4 weeks later...

As others have mentioned, a vanquis card is legitemate - albiet potentially expensive - means to repair your credit. Just make sure you

 

a) pay your balance off each month in plenty of time, and

 

b) don't try to skate right up to your due date because they *will* flip you over into interest at the slightest (usualy bad) excuse, and

 

c) be very aware that they will pull all sorts of stunts to line their pockets, so ALWAYS keep an eye on your account, prefferably on a daily basis.

 

A favourite stunt is the "VALUESAVER 08004083990" un-authorised debit. This is a phone call that you get from Vanquis offering all sorts of wonderful for nothing, which you duly accept.

 

A month or so later you'll get the un-authorised (because you didn't agree to pay anything, right?) charge from "VALUESAVER 08004083990".

 

When you get it, ring the 0800 4083990 number and deny having an account with them (because you wouldn't have authorised it, right?) - they will tell you that you have an account. Deny it, saying you have signed up to nothing.

They will tell you "you don't have to sign" - you may laugh at them at this point if you wish.

 

Ask them to provide evidence of your agreement with them.

They will ask for your postcode, give it, then your name and you'll be given your "Account number".

State that you would like them to return your money within 24 hours or you will be contacting the police to report the fraudulent transaction as you did NOT agree to the account and did NOT authorise anyone to take money from your account.

They will say they cannot refund within 24 hours it will take about 7 days.

Accept this, demanding a letter stating that your phantom account has been closed. They will refuse this, but close the conversation by informing them that you have recorded the conversation and if any further transactions appear on your account you will immediatly contact the police and hand them the evidence contained in your recording.

 

Put the phone down rather than listen to some muppet tell you how "you shouldn't record phone-calls!!!"

In knowledge lies wisdom

 

Mo - not even a bar-stool lawyer, but I'll help where I can...

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Same here. This is a card people should steer clear of. I have just about had enough of them. And at the moment couldn't care less what action they take against me. I would have to tell the courts just how much i have paid up and the bill escalates instead of decreasing. Now at a loss what to do.

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I phoned them and cancelled mine, they agreed to it. They sent me a letter saying it was cancelled. This is yet to be seen. If i open up another statement from them and it is still there, there will be hell to pay. The ROP is some clever disgiused premium which is not worth the papaer it is printed on. I got into problems just before xmas. One of their reps rang me and gave me a proper telling off. I was so angry i just told him don't you ever ever ring my phone again. My phone is for family and friends, and he was neither. I pay my bills. But when they never seem to go down i wonder what i am paying for. I will challenge the ROP even though i have been told it is not PPI. I will go the whole length if need be. And only hope others do the same. If all are unhappy with ROP it can only be challenged if all stand up and be counted

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Hi Guys,

 

Also new to the forum and wanted to comment...

 

I've recently moved from music into career and so my salary has shot up from about 20k a year to more like 50... Which is great, but now trying to move house and do a million things at once, I'd love to take my time but due to loads of reasons I really can't.

 

This puts me in the odd position of having a great salary, not much debt... but a CRAP credit score due to my history... and a genuine desire to take out credit to help me over the next couple of months whilst I kit out a place from scratch.

 

I've applied for a vanquis card just to help with this, and plan to pay it off almost immediately and just use it as an aid to cash flow and to improve my record.

 

I doubt they'll give me a limit I couldn't easily clear with the spare cash I'll have each month, so really not a problem!

 

I know my situation is rare... but just pointing out that products like these DO suit some peoples situations :)

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Hi just an update to a previous post I made my own bank have just offered me a credit card with them for well over the 3k limit I have with vanquis at a much better interest rate, I didnt ask for it I phoned about a totally different thing, so thank you to Vanquis, I have had no problems over the 4/5 years I have been with you, but I will be transferring my balance to my new card as the bal transfer is a good deal.

Used properly sub prime cards can be of use, a credit card is not a necessity but it does make life easier and a bit of patience seems to have paid off for me.

If I have been of any help, please click on my star and let me know, thank you.

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Dont pay late? :-)

 

not sure if they can charge late payment and unpaid item on the same transaction if you have had a few of these and therefore they have taken you over the limit incurring extra charges I understand you can claim them back, but i havent done this so I am not sure exactly how to go about it.

If I have been of any help, please click on my star and let me know, thank you.

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Dont pay late? :-)

 

not sure if they can charge late payment and unpaid item on the same transaction if you have had a few of these and therefore they have taken you over the limit incurring extra charges I understand you can claim them back, but i havent done this so I am not sure exactly how to go about it.

 

This is the 1st time, but spoke to them they cancelled one charge.

:mad2::-x:jaw::sad:
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  • 1 month later...

I applied for a Vanquis card a few weeks ago, simply just help me out throughout the month. The limit is only a small amount of £100, but after reading everyone’s comments I’m slightly worried about having it. I’ve used my limit already and the direct debit is due to come out on the 18th of this month.. If I pay back the £100 in full on the 18th, will I be charged interest? I’m stupid really because I don’t actually understand how these things work, I was just desperate for help with a bit of extra cash.

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