Jul 13, 2022, 8:15 am
Last edit by: moondog
The "FT People on WeChat" group
Our group chat is comprised of FT members and friends of FT members. We talk about pretty much anything except for politics (because Papa Bear has the ability to watch over us). The group has its own QR code, but it has a short shelf life (e.g. about 5 days), so I'm not including it here. The easiest way to join is to add me as a contact (moondogsh) and let me put you in the group.
Contacting Tencent Customer Support
If you want to get in touch with Tencent customer service (e.g. to update your passport number or change your name format so it aligns with your bank accounts), most web resources will advise you to simply message the "WeChat Team" contact. It is extremely difficult to get a human response when using this approach. Calling them also results in a bot experience.
However, the following drill works as of July 2022 (specific menu options can always change, of course; the key is getting yourself to step 5 below):
1. Dial 95716 (or +86 4009100100 from outside of China)
2. Select option 1 for personal accounts
3. Enter your connected phone number followed by #
3. Select option 2 for other questions
4. The bot will ask you to describe your issue using voice; just speak to it in English; it won't understand and will ask you to repeat 3-5 times before giving up
5. Now, the bot will give you ~8 menu options; through trial and error, I can state that option 7 is good for immediate transfer to a human (some of the others might work as well)
6. When the representative picks up, you definitely need to speak Chinese, but your request is presumably fairly easy to convey, and their responses are also pretty simple
7. They might want to move the conversation over to WeChat; this is okay because they will send you an invite to a special customer service queue, which is only ~60% automated
Our group chat is comprised of FT members and friends of FT members. We talk about pretty much anything except for politics (because Papa Bear has the ability to watch over us). The group has its own QR code, but it has a short shelf life (e.g. about 5 days), so I'm not including it here. The easiest way to join is to add me as a contact (moondogsh) and let me put you in the group.
Contacting Tencent Customer Support
If you want to get in touch with Tencent customer service (e.g. to update your passport number or change your name format so it aligns with your bank accounts), most web resources will advise you to simply message the "WeChat Team" contact. It is extremely difficult to get a human response when using this approach. Calling them also results in a bot experience.
However, the following drill works as of July 2022 (specific menu options can always change, of course; the key is getting yourself to step 5 below):
1. Dial 95716 (or +86 4009100100 from outside of China)
2. Select option 1 for personal accounts
3. Enter your connected phone number followed by #
3. Select option 2 for other questions
4. The bot will ask you to describe your issue using voice; just speak to it in English; it won't understand and will ask you to repeat 3-5 times before giving up
5. Now, the bot will give you ~8 menu options; through trial and error, I can state that option 7 is good for immediate transfer to a human (some of the others might work as well)
6. When the representative picks up, you definitely need to speak Chinese, but your request is presumably fairly easy to convey, and their responses are also pretty simple
7. They might want to move the conversation over to WeChat; this is okay because they will send you an invite to a special customer service queue, which is only ~60% automated
wechat（微信）
Jun 15, 2015, 8:26 pm
#136
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: China and Canada
Posts: 1,886
Jun 15, 2015, 9:35 pm
#137
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: SIN / SFO
Programs: UA GS, SQ PPS, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond, Accor Gold
Posts: 1,215
So after a long and drawn-out process and speaking with multiple CSRs, it seems that WeChat cannot accept foreign credit cards for purchases other than mobile topups. I know several of you have stated you can do it, but all Web research shows it's not possible, and we had 3-4 representatives try to help set it up, only to confirm at the end that it cannot be done.
What cards have you had success using? Maybe it's somehow relegated to a few individual banks?
What cards have you had success using? Maybe it's somehow relegated to a few individual banks?
This is a purchase that wasn't even initiated from within WeChat; I just scanned the QR code, picked my Visa off the list of options, and hit pay. Same process for train/plane tickets—I just don't have any screenshots of those handy. Only thing I believe you can't use foreign cards for is P2P payments, but I haven't tried recently.
The card I used for that payment was a Chase card; I've also used a Mitsubishi UFJ Visa card and a Rakuten Bank issued card (both Japanese). I'm afraid Tencent support don't know their own product's functionality...
Now, if anyone knows how to get Alipay to work with foreign-issued cards for things other than Taobao purchases, I'd love to know...
Jun 16, 2015, 12:27 am
#138
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Shandong/WV
Posts: 158
I just bought a new 乐视网 subscription a little bit ago and paid for it with my US-issued Visa card:
This is a purchase that wasn't even initiated from within WeChat; I just scanned the QR code, picked my Visa off the list of options, and hit pay. Same process for train/plane tickets—I just don't have any screenshots of those handy. Only thing I believe you can't use foreign cards for is P2P payments, but I haven't tried recently.
The card I used for that payment was a Chase card; I've also used a Mitsubishi UFJ Visa card and a Rakuten Bank issued card (both Japanese). I'm afraid Tencent support don't know their own product's functionality...
Now, if anyone knows how to get Alipay to work with foreign-issued cards for things other than Taobao purchases, I'd love to know...
This is a purchase that wasn't even initiated from within WeChat; I just scanned the QR code, picked my Visa off the list of options, and hit pay. Same process for train/plane tickets—I just don't have any screenshots of those handy. Only thing I believe you can't use foreign cards for is P2P payments, but I haven't tried recently.
The card I used for that payment was a Chase card; I've also used a Mitsubishi UFJ Visa card and a Rakuten Bank issued card (both Japanese). I'm afraid Tencent support don't know their own product's functionality...
Now, if anyone knows how to get Alipay to work with foreign-issued cards for things other than Taobao purchases, I'd love to know...
Are the cards and the WeChat both in your name?
Jun 16, 2015, 5:02 am
#139
Join Date: Jun 2014
Programs: SPG Gold, IHG Plat, Marriott Silver, Hyatt Plat, *A Gold, AA Plat
Posts: 32
I have also used it to add money to my mobile phone each month. Using a visa. I can't send money to a friend using it. Only could use a Chinese bank card to send to a friend.
Jun 16, 2015, 7:50 am
#140
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Shandong/WV
Posts: 158
Jun 16, 2015, 8:02 am
#141
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Asia
Programs: Krisflyer, Enrich, Marco Polo, Accor, HHonors, IHG
Posts: 610
wechat（微信）
Wechat really is leading the field. Makes whatsapp looks dated and amateurish. You can't even hold a whatsapp call for more than 15 minutes before the call drops.
Jun 16, 2015, 10:10 am
#142
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 10,224
I agree. I wish it would catch on outside of China. It's so much better than whats app. It could become China's first big online export if more people were aware of its functionality.
Jun 17, 2015, 9:35 pm
#143
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: SIN / SFO
Programs: UA GS, SQ PPS, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond, Accor Gold
Posts: 1,215
Jun 23, 2015, 7:04 am
#144
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 42,031
I'm not sure if this is a new feature, but I just noticed today that it's now possible to buy data in isolation via mobile top up (e.g. y30 for 500 mb). This is useful to me because I am on unicom set b and usually (but, not always) use up my data quota by the 15th of the month.
Jul 22, 2015, 11:58 am
#145
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: SFOSJCOAK
Programs: AA-EXP & 1MM+, AS, MR-LTT, HH Gold
Posts: 7,581
Need help with WeChat
Didn’t see this thread until now when I ran into some problem with WeChat. My mobile phone died (failed to power up; yes, I checked battery, plugged it in etc….) at the beginning of a month long trip to China!
Now I get a new phone (same phone # and service provider) and couldn’t log on to my previous account. When typed in ID/Name (which I used my phone #) and password (which I believe was correct), I was asked to identify (from some photos/pictures) 2 people whom I wechatted with, from a screen that showed only about 1 dozen images, and that I could try 2 times per day. I think this might take years!!! I did not proceed with it.
Here are some questions:
1. Can I set up a new account from a new device but has the same previous phone #?
2. Can I install WeChat on Windows 8.1? (Is BlueStacks Android Emulator reliable? or necessary?)
From moondog’s first post:
Can you explain how to switch back and forth your phone & pc using the QR code? I am real tech challenged here! You run WeChat on your pc?
Now I get a new phone (same phone # and service provider) and couldn’t log on to my previous account. When typed in ID/Name (which I used my phone #) and password (which I believe was correct), I was asked to identify (from some photos/pictures) 2 people whom I wechatted with, from a screen that showed only about 1 dozen images, and that I could try 2 times per day. I think this might take years!!! I did not proceed with it.
Here are some questions:
1. Can I set up a new account from a new device but has the same previous phone #?
2. Can I install WeChat on Windows 8.1? (Is BlueStacks Android Emulator reliable? or necessary?)
From moondog’s first post:
Can you explain how to switch back and forth your phone & pc using the QR code? I am real tech challenged here! You run WeChat on your pc?
Jul 22, 2015, 11:23 pm
#147
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 42,031
Aug 7, 2015, 6:15 pm
#148
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 42,031
Aug 8, 2015, 5:38 am
#149
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: PEK and BOS
Programs: BA - Blue
Posts: 4,530
tb