Avoid like the plague (Vanquis Credit Card)

Member Name: g0405

Product:	Vanquis Credit Card
Date:	24/06/09 (207 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good for rebuilding credit rating

Disadvantages: Low credit limit, bad APR, poor customer service

I applied for a Vanquis Visa Card back in 2007 and was given it almost immediately, hassle-free. Unfortunately this was the only positive thing I can say about the company itself.

Upon delivery, the card itself was the ugliest I've ever seen, with the abacus design on an orange backdrop. This was a sign of things to come. The APR is atrocious, I would never use this for any kind of purchase. Only for those who are desperate to rebuild a faltering credit history should invest in one of these.

My card was defrauded some months after I took it out, and despite telling them this several times, I was treated effectively guilty until proven innocent with their so-called 'collections department'. I received various phone calls, including at my workplace and soon after I failed to make repayments, a doorstep collection person was at my house. Their investigation into the ID theft went nowhere, I would doubt that they even bothered to do any investigating.

I must stress that if you're looking to take out a credit card, whether as a first-timer or to rebuild your history, then make this your absolute last resort. Try Barclays, or even Capital One. While they are not great, they are miles ahead of this lot. The level of customer service at Vanquis is the worst I've encountered. Even the phone number costs more than the rest of them. I had a friend who was even charged a default sum by them for paying too early!

Steer clear!

Summary: The worst credit card company I've dealt with