UK Visa and Immigration, is it a scam?

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Hello I'm New here! Joined: 01 Dec 2011 Posts: 8

Hi there,

I think I am being scammed by an immigration company called UK Visa and Immigration services. I called them to find out some details regarding my status in the UK as I needed some immigration advice. They told me they can deal with everything for the fixed fee of £800, I went ahead with it like in a dream. I do not understand how I went and gave them my credit card details, such a fool!
Anyway, they've sent me couple of emails since then with the list of the documents required in order for them to apply to Home Office on my behalf, which was fine. Something triggered the alarm and i decided to go ahead and research a bit more about them. I came accross a page on facebook which is claiming that they are a big scam operation and that no one should use them. Moreover this company applied for insolvency and it is not possible to claim money back from them.
Did anyone work with UK VIsa and Immigration or hear anything of them?

Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2011 5:56 pm

Welcome to Eater, Katushka!
Is this who you mean:
http://www.ukvisaandimmigration.co.uk
Would you please post more info? An email or two that you've received from them with the headers would be helpful.

Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2011 6:03 pm

Hi Katushka,

I am sorry to hear you might have been scammed. If you can post up any information about any sites related to this scam, we can try and get them killed.

I also highly recommend you post up your story and any emails over on our sister site www.scamwarners.com to help prevent other victims.

Edit -- Ninja'd by Dya. Very Happy

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 01 Dec 2011 Posts: 8

Hi guys!
Thank you for your reply.
Yes, that's them.

Basically, I needed to apply for visa extention and my friend said that she'd been talking with UK visa and immigration people, so I went ahead to check them out and ended up singing up to their service...i know..what an idiot... I am trying to get hold of my friend at the moment to see what happened with her case.
When you call them, they give you a lot of information on what they can do for you and they say that they have connections in Home Office that allow them to fast track the application, which was very useful for me as I travel a lot for work,so not having my passport for 6 months is a big hinderance. They also asked me how much i earned and whether I had any savings, which didn't seem odd to me at the time, but later I thought they must have asked me that to see how much they can get away with charging me.
After you make a payment, the so-called Head of Immigration gives you a call and the situation seems to be a bit different from what the sales people descibed earlier. He asked me all the questions again and didn't seem as excited as the sales person. His promises didn't match up to that of the sales person at all.
In the end it turns out that their office is in Birmingham and that i need to get all the documents required and send them there and pay for the postage on top. I was shocked that the office was in Birmingham, I never signed up to that, as I wanted advice close to home, and they claim on their website that they have offices in Central London. When I questioned that, they told me that they are not offices, but drop off points. Also when they charged me the fee, they said it's a fixed amount and that there won't be any hidden charges, but now it turns out that i have to courier my documents to their offices in Birmingham that I didn't know existed.
On top of all that I came across a facebook page that claimed that they were definitely a scam, but I can not find this page anymore, as when i google it and and click on it it takes me to my homepage on facebook. It was called "Uk Visa and Immigration is a scam do you agree?"
I am confused now as to whether these people are for real. I got them to meet me on Monday morning at the office/drop off point in Central London as I said I needed advice.
Will try and contact my bank tomorrow to see if the credit card charge can be reversed as well.
If you can find any information that can disprove or confirm my worries, I'd be very great full.
I will try and post more later...

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 01 Dec 2011 Posts: 8

I've just tried to find that facebook page and I think it was removed already! Unbelievable!
Whoever it was, claimed to have worked for them and said that they were not certified and that they changed company's name a few times already. And that last July Uk Visa and Immigration filed application for insovency, so now you can not get your money back from them.
He also said that the company is not Level 3 OSCI accredited as they claim on their web site. And once they get enough money they cut and run. Which is quite scary taking into account that they deal with passports and visas.
I am shocked that this facebook page is gone now, the only trace is to google "UK Visa and Immigration is a scam do you agree?" and it will come up in the search, but when you click on it it goes to login.
Is it just me or it is a bit weird?

Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2011 7:24 pm

As for the site, I will look at it closer later tonight.

Do you have emails from them? And how did you pay them? That info will help prove the site is fake. You can either post it up here in the thread (removing your personal details) or send them to me via PM.

Do you know how to check headers from the emails?

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 01 Dec 2011 Posts: 8

I have some emails from them. I will look through them and see what i can post.
I paid them via credit card, so I am hoping to talk to the bank tomorrow and see if there is anything that can be done.
I also want to see how the meeting goes on Monday as I am meeting the Head of Immigration who I talked to when I signed up to things. That will be interesting.

I don't know how to check headers from emails sorry Sad

Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2011 7:51 pm

Instructions on how to find email headers:
http://www.abika.com/Reports/Samples/emailheaderguide.htm

Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2011 8:35 pm

Here is the WhoIs for the site

Quote:

Domain name:
ukvisaandimmigration.co.uk

Registrant:
A2ZWebHosting A2ZWebHosting

Trading as:
Rizwan Ahmed

Registrant type:
UK Sole Trader

Registrant's address:
25 Wylde Green Road
Birmingham
west midlands
B72 1HD
United Kingdom

Registrar:
Fasthosts Internet Ltd [Tag = LIVEDOMAINS]
URL: http://www.fasthosts.co.uk

Relevant dates:
Registered on: 29-Jul-2010
Renewal date: 29-Jul-2012
Last updated: 26-Aug-2011

Registration status:
Registered until renewal date.

Name servers:
ns1.livedns.co.uk 213.171.192.250
ns2.livedns.co.uk 213.171.193.250
ns3.livedns.co.uk

WHOIS lookup made at 20:23:44 01-Dec-2011

2 year registration is the minimum for a .co.uk domain.

It is registered in the name of a sole trader at a residential address.

The Birmingham address given on the website is an office building with a number of companies in it according to Google (this firm don't appear)

The one positive thing that I have found about them is that they are registered with the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC). With the site being listed on a Government website, I do not think that they can be regarded as a fake site.

My opinion is that they are charging a lot of money for something that could possibly be done without the need of their services (my wife sorted out her own UK visa on her own - so it is possible).

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 01 Dec 2011 Posts: 8

Oh well done you! Got so much information so quickly! Thank you so much!

So you think they do deal with visas and Home Office then? And it is more or less safe to go ahead and deal with them? Since i paid and instructed them to do it i might as well carry on with them what do you think?

Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2011 9:13 pm

Yes, they are listed on the OISC site as an adviser who is regulated by them.

OISC also have a complaints service, where you can complain if you don't get the service that you paid for.

I think you would have difficulty at the present time getting a chargeback from your credit card as they will argue that you have paid for a service that they are providing.

If things did go wrong and you made a complaint to the OISC, then you might have a case for a chargeback, but I must admit that it's not an area that I'm an expert in - if this did become the case then I would recommend having a chat with the Citizen's Advice Bureau.

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 01 Dec 2011 Posts: 8

Oh well, at least they are registered, I was already thinking that it was a complete scam. I was freaking out.
They are probably overcharging for the service and overselling it. I was a bit of a mug to go for it, frankly speaking, but at least it will teach me a lesson if nothing else.

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 09 Jan 2012 Posts: 4

Hi

I am having the same issues with this company since I made my payment and want to know if you made any progress

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 01 Dec 2011 Posts: 8

Hello!

I am still in the progress of getting my money back. I made a complaint to OISC (and i urge you to do the same, you can find the complaint form on their website) and I got a lot of help from the Trading Standards guys in drafting the official complaint letter to UK Visa and Immigrationa and to the credit card company. So I am waiting on that.
If I don't get a reply from them within time frame specified, I will be going to court, I am not going to let it go. They infringe your rights in so many ways, it's unbelievable! I am appalled that these people are still allowed to trade! Please leave reviews on the internet about your experience to stop people from using this company! Let me know if you need more information.
What's your situation? What have you attempted?

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 09 Jan 2012 Posts: 4

Thanks for the reply I will lodge a complaint and do everything I can to get them stoped and get my money back GBP2600.00. I am applying for immigration visas for my family as I am setting up a business in the UK from South Africa.

They were very keen to help and give all the advise you needed but once you paid they just disapeared and you can't get any answers from them they don't reply to e mails and I can't even get to speak to them by phone.

They are definitely a big scam and should be stopped.

Should I just complete the complaint form or should I phone somone at the oisc

Is the complaint form available for electronic online completion or should it be printed and faxed to them

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 01 Dec 2011 Posts: 8

If you go to the Office of Immigration Services Commisioner website, you can get a complaint form downloaded from there, which will give you all the instructions. I think you will have to post a hard copy there with all the evidence attached. (emails, receipts, etc) Explain the whole situation to them in all the details.
You can also go to the Trading Standards Institue website and by your postcode find a local branch and email them also. They will be able to advise you more.
There are other people, who have become victims, that you can find on the internet via different review websites. I invite everyone to make a joint court case against those people if we are not able to get our money back through OISC!!
Keep me updated!

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 09 Jan 2012 Posts: 4

Thanks for the update I will keep you informed on my progress

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 09 Jan 2012 Posts: 4

Hi Something must have happened as they have been contacting me on several occasions in the past two days to get my documents and assist with the speedy processing of my application.

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 31 Jan 2012 Posts: 7

hi, im new here. just read everything you guys talking uk visa and immigration here.
i just made the biggest mistake as well. i just agreed to paid them £600 to help me with my paper work. i paid with debit card so theres no way i can get the money back. i read a lots of review about them and it seem like they are real but after reading this i get really worried. please let me know how your case going? should i continue with them?
thank you

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 02 Feb 2012 Posts: 9

i pay them money in birmingham to help my visa application and they are so terrible i complain every day maybe 4 times every day and now i have my money returned all of it. I am afraid that maybe they will take my identity cos they have all my details and necessary documents. I look to another compalints on qype.com and some other prople post that they have money back. i report them to OISC

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 31 Jan 2012 Posts: 7

Oh my god, seriously I am going to ask for my money back now. They said they are going to minus 350 for administration fee and stuff. I am not gonna let that happen and will write the complaint to IOSC
That is a scam

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 02 Feb 2012 Posts: 9

[quote="scamstop69"]Hi Something must have happened as they have been contacting me on several occasions in the past two days to get my documents and assist with the speedy processing of my application.[/quote]

Good news, hope all goes well.

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 31 Jan 2012 Posts: 7

I already signed the client care letter. You think I can still get my money back because I really don't want to submit my document online. And don't want to send my passport to them either because I didn't see them face to face. I really don't want to lose my money either.

Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2012 9:34 pm

You can do the visa extension thing yourself rather than paying some company to do it for you. Those outfits that charge you to set up limited liability companies and do your tax returns and bank accounts are a total rort too, but a legal one.

I used to work in expatriation in the UK for a major company and we used a great agent that was totally legit and awesome. I just wish I could remember the name of the company.

Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2012 6:12 pm

I picked these people up yesterday on Tagged and posted to Scamwarners. http://www.scamwarners.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=32681
I had PM after. I will follow up with posting those.
I add a lurid large note in text here.

Quote:

I found this site on Tagged, I don't believe the firm advertises this way, Especially when part of the text is just bad There is a problem somwhere and I don't see what.

http://www.tagged.com/profile.html?uid=5461615770
UK Visa I
Top Line
UK Visa & Immigration facilitates visit visas for all proposes ranging from UK general visit to business visit visas and tourist visas to academic visit visas. http://www.qype.co.uk/place/2010247-UK- ... ion-London
Last Active: 10 days ago
Profile Views: 3 times
Profile Skin: Default
Tagline: uk visa, uk immigration, uk visa immigration, visa services, visa immigration, tier 1 visa, visas immigration, uk immigration services
Member Since: December 15, 2011
Gender: Male
Location: Birmingham, United Kingdom
Age: 25
About Me

Interests:
uk visa, uk immigration, uk visa immigration, visa services, visa immigration, tier 1 visa, visas immigration, uk immigration services, marriage visa uk, immigration services uk, visa advice, tier 2 visa, work visa immigration, visa uk immigration, uk visa and immigration, british visas and immigration

COMMENT.

UK Visa I UK Visa & Immigration facilitates visit visas for all proposes ranging from UK general visit to business visit visas and tourist visas to academic visit visas. http://www.qype.co.uk/place/2010247-UK- ... ion-London

JOURNAL ENTRY

UK Visa & Immigration facilitates visit visas for all proposes ranging from UK general visit to business visit visas and tourist visas to academic visit visas.
Urgent UK Visa Immigration Assistance

Leading Immigration Consultancy in UK, UK Visa & Immigration helps to get UK visa whether it's for visiting, studying or family from all around the world.
Visit site:http://www.ukvisaandimmigration.co.uk

http://www.qype.co.uk/place/2010247-UK- ... ion-London
The address is a block of Office spaces that are for rent. May be a real address used by real firm.
259-269 Old Marylebone Road, London NW1 5RA
020 3511 2009
Links to ads in an Escort agency site and to here
http://www.falkirkherald.co.uk/findit?a ... id=2010247
Owner description:

Helping clients to get ther UK Visa in a timely manner, the company provides individuals with an expert immigration service. With in house consultation and expert qualified staff, the service is designed to ensure clients get their UK Visa, problem free.

http://www.ukvisaandimmigration.co.uk/

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