City cracks down on credit cards

Incessant calls offering lifetime free credit cards, loans, receiving unsolicited cards and bank notices to pay for them, threat calls from recovery agents have made Mumbaikars wonder if banks are still the trusted institutions they used to be, or just a money-making corporate out to milk people.

Credit card horror

On Friday DNA reported the story of Anil Bagwe, who was harassed by recovery agents of the State Bank of India.

A month after he received the card, Bagwe was sent a bank draft of Rs6,000 towards a loan he never asked for. After that, he got a call from a recovery agent who threatened Bagwe to deposit the draft and pay interest.

The agent threatened to kidnap Bagwe. The call was traced to SBI's recovery wing in Gurgaon, Haryana. Akshay, a customer care officer of the bank, said that he had no information about the matter.

In a recent development, an international bank cancelled the registration of its recovery agency following complaints of verbal abuse and threats issue to a credit card holder. The police official handling the case said that the bank took the decision following their filing a watertight case against the accused. The investigating officer said that such white-collar crimes are not isolated incidents and that they often receive such complaints.

Harassed by Citibank

Dhiren Bhatt

For the past one month, I have been getting calls on behalf of Citibank on my residence number. The call is referred to my father and is either offered loans, insurance or credit card. Despite repeated refusals, the calls continue.

I traced the number to 91-22-67092600. None of my family members have an account with the Citibank. I even spoke to one of their staff, Ms Vijayalakshmi, of Chennai branch and requested her to put an end to the annoying calls. But nothing came out of it.

If the bank continues with its ways, I plan to take the matter up with the police and take it to task.

I work in the marketing department of a media organisation and am familiar with the deadlines and heavy target that builds up your work pressure. But we take care not to harass or annoy a customer. One should learn to take customers refusal and move ahead.

Now they send cards in plain envelopes

UN Yadav

The HSBC bank, Mumbai has been harassing us for the past one year, sending unsolicited credit card in the name of my daughter. I fail to understand why is she being repeatedly sent the card when none of my family members have an account with the HSBC.

On number of occasions, we refused to accept the card that was sent in an envelope with the HSBC logo. These guys then found a novel way to counter that. This time they sent the card in a plain envelope with no mark or logo of the bank. Not knowing that the envelope has been sent by the bank and that it contained a card, we accepted the courier.

When I phoned the bank and asked for an explanation, they said that my daughter would have to send them a written request to cancel the card. They were not ready to tell me why it was sent to her and why she should make a formal request to cancel the card when she had not asked for.

This I feel is a deliberate attempt by the banks to harass innocent citizen and dupe the gullible.

What the rules say

Unsolicited cards should not be issued. In case, an unsolicited card is issued and activated without the consent of the recipient and the latter is billed for the same, the card issuing bank shall not only reverse the charges forthwith, but also pay a penalty without demur to the recipient amounting to twice the value of the charges reversed.

The same applies for unsolicited loan or credit facilities.

And you thought being a student could get you off their list...

Students, no excuse

These telemarketing calls get on to my nerves. They don't even spare us students. When you are resting in the afternoon or in college during the day or for that matter any hour of the day. It is hard to explain to them that I don't wish to take a loan or a credit card or a debit card or any card they have to offer.  These people are incredibly pushy. I often avoid their calls by saying that I'm under 18. But even that does not deter them. Once a telemarketing executive told me to take a credit card in the name of my parents. What am I supposed to do to fend these calls off, when even the most genuine excuses don't work? — Pooja Kadam. Vile Parle

Calls refuse to cease

I get regular calls from a bank to take their credit card. When I explained to them that I didn't need one, they were not put off. They call again, not immediately but they do. Now I tell them that I'm busy or in a meeting and cannot take their call. I ask them to call me later and they actually do call. I have told them that I already have a credit card with another bank but it doesn't serve as a dampener. — Sejal Deshpande. Andheri

Cell firms to blame

It seems that the Citibank has a tie up with Hutch. They call me up at all odd hours and offer me a credit card because I have a post-paid hutch connection. Telling them that I don't want such a thing has been of no use. They are the breeds of the most persistent individuals I have ever come across. They are not ready to give up at all. — Adityan K. Andheri

Intrusion of privacy

I have received many calls offering credit cards and telling them that I am just 16 does not work. They call you insistently if you tell them you can't receive their call at that moment.  Earlier I used to tell them nicely that I didn't want a credit card or anything, but now I'm downright rude. I bang down the phone whenever they call, despite having told them that I don't want anything that they have to offer. Do we have any privacy left of not? — Mamta Mody. Walkeshwar

A cat-n-mouse game

I used to find these calls funny, but not any more. I have since then graduated to a variety of excuse, but none seems to work. When I tell them that I am 15, they ask for my parents. When I say  they are out, the caller asks for their cell numbers. Then I say that my parents don’t have phones and bang down the phone. I have told them that I have a credit card, but they refused to listen. And if you disconnect their call, they call you again and ask you to listen to what they have to say. And, the cat and mouse game starts again.— Leena Mulchandani. Colaba