VIP CBFSMS from CardBoardFish

vip.cbfsms.com is run by CardBoardFish. Unlike our free services, you either need a credit/debit card or a promotion code (or both in some cases) to open a VIP account, which offers you a priority SMS service. VIPSMS is entirely separate from CBFSMS.com and offers a superior level of service and support. CardBoardFish is registered under the Data Protection Act 1998. top

What is your postal address?

CardBoardFish
PO Box 197
Whitstable
CT5 3YB
United Kingdom top

How can I email you?

Members must use the contact form within their accounts. If you cannot access your account, or do not yet have one, click here to contact support. top

I no longer want my account, what should I do?

If you no longer require your VIP SMS account, then you should email support from within your account and inform them you would like to terminate your membership. Refunds cannot be issued for any remaining credits on your account under any circumstances. If you plan not to use your account for a period longer than three months then you must notify us prior to doing so, or your account and any remaining credits may be lost. top

Who will bill my credit/debit card?

vip.cbfsms.com uses the payment facilities of WorldPay, who will bill your credit/debit card on our behalf. Your purchase is first authorised, which will deduct the purchase price from your available balance/credit. We then check that all the details you provided match exactly with those held by your card issuer. If the details do not match we will not complete the authorisation and your money will be returned in approximately five working days. If the details match, your account will be accepted and the authorisation will be completed by WorldPay. Should you have any queries regarding using your credit/debit card then please contact us. top

How much do credits cost?

You can find out all the latest pricing information at our Pricing page. Pricing is subject to change at any time, however, pricing changes will normally not affect credits you have already purchased. top

Can anyone have a VIPSMS account?

Your application will be personally reviewed by a member of our trained VIPSMS Applications Team. The application will be accepted or declined depending on the information you supplied. VIPSMS reserves the right to decline applications without providing a reason. VIPSMS is a consumer service only and must not be used for business use under any circumstances - no tax invoice will be supplied. If you have a business requirement, click here to email details to our Corporate Sales team. top

How do I sign up for a VIP account?

Click Here to sign up for an account now. By signing up, you agree to the terms and conditions found here. You are required to enter all of the information requested, and ensure it is correct and accurate. If at a later date this information should become inaccurate, you must contact us immediately. You will also require a credit/debit card, promotion code, or both. If your account application is in any of the following special circumstances, please reply to the confirmation email you receive with further information: Account and payment card in different names, payment card does not have a security code, payment card is within two months of valid-from or start dates. top

Do I have to pay for my VIP account?

Your VIP account is free, but you are required to make an initial purchase of no less than 300 credits in order to sign up. All or part of payment may be covered by a valid promotion code. There are no monthly charges and your SMS messages have no expiry providing you log in at least once every three months. Future topups from your account are also for a minimum of 300 credits. top

What is a Promotion Code?

From time to time, CardBoardFish may run special offers requiring you to enter a promotion code during signup. Details of the benefits of a promotion code will be indicated to you by the provider. For example, you may have won a competition and been given a promotion code as your prize. Please note that Promotion Codes offering monthly credits will only increase your credit balance if you are below the given threshold - your credits will not accumulate. top

Will my credit/debit card information be safe?

During signup and every time you top up your account you are redirected to our secure server called CBFServer. While you are connected to this secure server, you will see a golden padlock in the status bar of your web browser, guaranteeing that no one else has access to your information. We personally review every account before processing your credit/debit card information and giving you access. Our Fraud Prevention System and contacts with law enforcement agencies helps prevent online fraudsters from using stolen card details to open VIPSMS accounts. top

Do I have to pay by credit/debit card?

Yes, unless your promotion code does not require an initial purchase, you will need a credit/debit card to sign up. You will also need a credit /debit card for purchasing additional credits from within your account. We recommend that you use a credit card (rather than a debit card) when purchasing online, as they offer a higher level of protection from overcharging and misuse. top

Where are your Terms and Conditions and Privacy Statement?

Please click our Privacy Statement or Terms and Conditions to view now. You will also find links to these on vip.cbfsms.com for easy access any time. top

Why can't I access my new VIP account?

Unless your Promotion Code covers your initial purchase, you will have to wait for your account to be reviewed and approved before you can access it. This will take up to 24 hours. If your credit/debit card is declined, your information is incorrect, or we are unable to offer you an account for any other reason, you will receive a decline email. Otherwise, you will receive an acceptance email, notifying you that you now have access to your account. top

How do I send a text message?

In your account, click Send SMS. In the recipients box you need to enter the numbers or nicknames of the recipients, separated by commas. You can enter a maximum of 50 at any one time. You should enter the numbers in international mobile format, starting with the country code, for example 447870123456 where 44 is the country code, or specify nicknames from your Phonebook. You can also click the "PhoneBook" button and select contacts to add from there. Using the Phonebook will not lose your message - you can add contacts at any time. However, clicking "Send from your own mobile number" when your account is unverified will lose your message, so make sure you verify a number first if you require one. Selecting Anonymously will not put any origination details on the text message, but you are reminded that all SMS messages are logged to your account and will be passed to law enforcement agencies where necessary. If you opt for online replies, the message will originate from one of our own reply numbers. Click here for more information on replies. top

How do I know how many SMS I have remaining?

When you first log in you will be told how many credits you have left. You will also be told how many credits you have remaining on the Send SMS screen. Your account is automatically set up to prevent you from sending more SMS messages than you have already paid for. top

What is my Phonebook

Your Phonebook is for storing names and telephone numbers of people you want to text message from your account. Set up nicknames in your Phonebook so you can text recipients directly by name. Nicknames, which are case insensitive and can only contain letters, numbers hyphens and underscores, also display on Sent SMS and in your Inbox, making it easy to manage communications with all your contacts at once. Use the "Sent" and "Rec'd" links to view all sent and received messages from a single contact. Please enter mobile numbers in international mobile format, starting with the country code. You can edit or delete entries by selecting the appropriate tick boxes and clicking either "Edit" or "Delete". To select everyone in your Phonebook click the tick box at the very top. Remember, with VIPSMS you can text up to 50 recipients at once (strictly no marketing/SPAM/unsolicited messaging)! top

How can I buy more credits?

Clicking "Topup" will open a new browser window connected to the secure CBFServer for you to make payment. Enter your credit/debit card details and the amount of SMS you would like. You will then be asked to confirm the information you have entered. Topups will normally be applied within 15 minutes but can take up to 24 hours. You will receive an email informing you whether your transaction was accepted or declined. top

How can I contact you?

In your account, click Help. You will see links to the FAQ, coverage, and vip.cbfsms.com which you should check before submitting a request. In your request, include any error messages you have experienced and a full and detailed account of the problem. If you do not do this, helping you will take longer. If you write to us, please include a telephone number and email address. top

Where do I check the delivery status of my messages?

The Sent SMS section provides you with a complete log of all messages sent from your account. Each SMS will be marked with a D for delivered or a ? for unknown. You should note that unknown does not mean the message was not delivered. Delivery confirmation is entirely reliant on the destination network. top

Where do I check for Online Replies?

Once you have sent a text message to a recipient using the "Allow replies to Inbox" option on the Send SMS page, any texts they send back to the VIPSMS reply number (a normal UK mobile number) will appear in your Inbox. If you have unread messages in your Inbox, VIPSMS will notify you at the top of each page. It's quick and easy to keep in touch with VIPSMS - and with our Online Replies feature you don't need your own mobile phone! top

How can I change my password?

The Configure area allows you to change your password from the one you originally set. Make sure your password is memorable and not too easy for someone else to guess. If you need to contact support about a password problem, you must do so from the email address registered to your VIPSMS account. top

I have a mobile phone - how can I send from my number online?

In Configure, or on the Send SMS screen, you can access the Verify section of your account. Once you have received a special code on your mobile phone, which you enter in online, you can then select to send from your own mobile number in the Send SMS section. This feature is only available to users who have a mobile phone and can receive text messages themselves from the service. UK users must verify their mobile number by texting a special code to VIPSMS when requested. If after doing this you do not receive your code, or the code you received does not work, please contact support. No refund or discount is given to users who do not have access to this feature. top

An SMS message from my account was not received, why?

All SMS messages that you are charged for leave our network correctly on their way to the destination number. However, it is the responsibility of the destination network to deliver the message. Unfortunately, if your SMS message is not received on the desired handset then there is nothing we can do, even if the network is on our coverage list. No refunds are given for unreceived SMS messages. Please notify support if messages to a UK mobile phone number, or other mobile phone number that has worked with VIPSMS previously, are not being received. Note: Delivery confirmations are only provided as a guide. top

How much does it cost to verify my mobile number?

Every time a text message containing a code is sent from your account to your mobile phone, you will be charged the normal rate of one credit. If, for whatever reason, the verification process does not work for your mobile, please contact support. UK customers note: We cannot verify your number until you have sent in your text as requested. top

I have topped up my account, where are my credits?

Credits are only issued once your card has been authorised and details checked. This can take up to 24 hours, and you will receive an email when the process is complete. top

Can I get replies to my SMS messages?

You can either receive replies online or directly to your mobile phone. If you verify your mobile number, then replies to messages sent from it will arrive on your phone (subject to the senders network coverage) as normal. This means you can text cheaply and easily online, and then get the replies on your mobile wherever you are! If you opt to receive replies online, your mobile number will not be disclosed to the recipient of the message. Instead, you will use one of our pool of shared numbers. Your VIPSMS account will continue to use the same number every time you text the same recipient. Once you have texted a number with online replies enabled, the recipient can store that number and use it to text your VIPSMS account indefinitely. Replies can be received direct to your online VIP inbox from the UK, Germany, France, Spain, Italy and the Netherlands. top

Do unreceived/unconfirmed messages still use my credits?

Yes. Every message that originates from your account uses a credit (extended messages use multiple credits). No refunds will be given. Please take this into account if you experience a problem - contact support in the first instance with full details of the problem so we can carry out tests without consuming your credits. top