Virgin Credit Account online access ceasing January 2021

Pentris

I have just received an email from Virgin Credit advising that as from January 2021 they are closing the online credit card servicing option. It will only be available using a smartphone app. This has been confirmed by Virgin as being correct.
Surely this is discriminating against those of us non smartphone customers which will probably be mainly the older generation.

abc.xyz

discriminate
to treat a person or particular group of people differently, especially in a worse way from the way in which you treat other people

It's not discrimination. Everyone is being treated the same; we're all losing online access.
It's likely down to the cost of maintaining both an app and a website. Personally, I'll be happy to no longer have to remember character 3, 6 and 7 of two passwords just to log on.

born_again

As you are not happy. Did you raise a complaint?
Just ring them back and say that unless they change their minds you will close your account.

D3xt3r5L4b

It’s not discriminating. It’s called getting with the times. 

molerat

Never us the on line version now as I hate having to get a OTP every time I log on.  PDF statements are available in the app, unlike some cards, and can be downloaded onto my laptop so no real loss

onlyfoolsandparking

Warning! Stupid question/s time from a financial dinosaur.(with technology not money lol)

When they do stop online services for credit card accounts does it mean the only way I can access my account is via the app?

Having just logged onto my account, no messages their regarding closure (not received any email either) BUT I did see I could download the app from there, how does that work? I (probably wrong here) thought I would find the app on the app store, download it then register, how would I register the for app via my laptop? and if that's even possible, would I just login to the app using my laptop like I do now with the online service?

Does the app have to be specifically the 'Virgin money credit card' OR could I use the Virgin money current account app and 'ADD' my credit card as I recently opened a current account with Virgin? (I'm assuming I can't as they are both separate apps?)

I will be grateful for any explanations on best way to proceed if they are indeed shutting down online servicing. Good news is I'm not completely clueless, I have the Natwest app for my current account with them and I can navigate that reasonably well so there is hope lol.

On a side note I have just been reading some of the reviews on the Virgin app (was about to download it) and it doesn't inspire me with confidence, many people having problems logging on and being locked out to which Virgin's only fix 'appears' to be delete and reinstall? Has anyone experienced these problems and if so have the 'bugs' been fixed now?  

  

Paully28

abc.xyz said:

discriminate
to treat a person or particular group of people differently, especially in a worse way from the way in which you treat other people

It's not discrimination. Everyone is being treated the same; we're all losing online access.
It's likely down to the cost of maintaining both an app and a website. Personally, I'll be happy to no longer have to remember character 3, 6 and 7 of two passwords just to log on.

You can discriminate, illegally, if you treat everyone the same. 

cymruchris

onlyfoolsandparking said:

Does the app have to be specifically the 'Virgin money credit card' OR could I use the Virgin money current account app and 'ADD' my credit card as I recently opened a current account with Virgin? (I'm assuming I can't as they are both separate apps?)
  

For now you need separate apps. Behind the scenes there's a lot of systems development and merging going on, but for now - you can't put your credit card into the Virgin current account app. 

blue.peter

Paully28 said:

It's not discrimination. Everyone is being treated the same; we're all losing online access.

You can discriminate, illegally, if you treat everyone the same. 

Quite so. You beat me to it.

Indirect discrimination happens when there is a policy that applies in the same way for everybody but disadvantages a group of people who share a characteristic. If that characteristic is protected in law, then the policy is illegal.

For example, a shop manager introduces a rule that all employees must work at least two Saturdays each month in the shop. This new rule could be indirect discrimination against any employees who are practising Jews, since Saturday is a religious day in Judaism.

So, in this case, if it's true that those who don't have smartphones, and will therefore lose access to their account servicing, are predominantly older people (and that does sound plausible to me), this policy does look discriminatory. Is age a protected characteristic in this context? I don't know. But if it is, there might be an argument that this reported Virgin Money policy would be illegal. Will anyone care enough to test it in court? I doubt it. It's easier to dump one credit card and apply for another. I'll probably dump my Virgin credit card. Having said that, I was thinking of doing that anyway: this is just another prompt for me to do so.

[Deleted User]

blue.peter said:

Paully28 said:

It's not discrimination. Everyone is being treated the same; we're all losing online access.

You can discriminate, illegally, if you treat everyone the same. 

Quite so. You beat me to it.

Indirect discrimination happens when there is a policy that applies in the same way for everybody but disadvantages a group of people who share a characteristic. If that characteristic is protected in law, then the policy is illegal.

For example, a shop manager introduces a rule that all employees must work at least two Saturdays each month in the shop. This new rule could be indirect discrimination against any employees who are practising Jews, since Saturday is a religious day in Judaism.

So, in this case, if it's true that those who don't have smartphones, and will therefore lose access to their account servicing, are predominantly older people (and that does sound plausible to me), this policy does look discriminatory. Is age a protected characteristic in this context? I don't know. But if it is, there might be an argument that this reported Virgin Money policy would be illegal. Will anyone care enough to test it in court? I doubt it. It's easier to dump one credit card and apply for another. I'll probably dump my Virgin credit card. Having said that, I was thinking of doing that anyway: this is just another prompt for me to do so.

If this was their only/main method of access but since they will have app, phone, snail mail and potentially some branch access then this would be viewed as nothing more than a commercial decision. 

abc.xyz

blue.peter said:

Paully28 said:

It's not discrimination. Everyone is being treated the same; we're all losing online access.

You can discriminate, illegally, if you treat everyone the same. 

Quite so. You beat me to it.

Indirect discrimination happens when there is a policy that applies in the same way for everybody but disadvantages a group of people who share a characteristic. If that characteristic is protected in law, then the policy is illegal.

For example, a shop manager introduces a rule that all employees must work at least two Saturdays each month in the shop. This new rule could be indirect discrimination against any employees who are practising Jews, since Saturday is a religious day in Judaism.

So, in this case, if it's true that those who don't have smartphones, and will therefore lose access to their account servicing, are predominantly older people (and that does sound plausible to me), this policy does look discriminatory. Is age a protected characteristic in this context? I don't know. But if it is, there might be an argument that this reported Virgin Money policy would be illegal. Will anyone care enough to test it in court? I doubt it. It's easier to dump one credit card and apply for another. I'll probably dump my Virgin credit card. Having said that, I was thinking of doing that anyway: this is just another prompt for me to do so.

Interesting. I hadn't thought of that. But what arguments could they rely on in court? A couple of counter arguments I can think of..

1. I can't use a smartphone: If you can navigate a PC, you can navigate a smartphone.
2. I have vision problems: All smartphones settings have the option to make text larger and/or bold. There is also the option of a tablet - which seem to be getting as big as laptop screens.
3. I can't afford a smartphone: Smartphones can be purchased for as little as £30, and tablets for £50 - much cheaper than a PC.
4. I rely on my Virgin CC: Virgin do not have a monopoly over the CC market. As you say, it's easy to dump the Virgin CC and get another.