When cancelling a credit card, destroy it at your end

I am a salaried person and have a lot of loans and credit card obligations from a very long time. Please provide me your details, as I require urgent counselling. — Milan Chandak
Abhay Credit Counselling is a trust created by Bank of India. The service is provided absolutely free. The counsellors are available on Friday, Saturday and Sunday between 6 pm and 8 pm. Walk in on any of the days stated at the following address:
Abhay Credit Counselling Centre
61 A, Sadanand, 1st floor,
Above Bank of India,
Gokhale Road North
Dadar, Mumbai 400028.
Contact: V N Kulkarni / Peter Fernandes / Ashok Kargutkar
Tel: (022) 24221843
email: abhaycenter@gmail.com

Barclays recently imposed a non-usage charge for Rs555 on my credit card, although at the time of signing-up, they said it was a life-long free card without any hidden charges. I have emailed to them to reverse the charges and cancel the card, but they are delaying the matter on some pretext or other. Please guide. I fear my credit rating will be affected. — Debashish Biswas
As per Barclaycard’s ‘most important terms and conditions’, the joining and first year fees only are nil. Check whether it is non-usage charge or annual fee. The bank must have sent you the terms and conditions with the card.
Please confirm that the bank had given in writing that it would not levy any further charges towards renewal. If so, then you have a valid case, else there is no ground.

For cancelling the card, you need to inform the bank that you have destroyed the card at your end.

As an additional proof, cut the card into four pieces and take a photo copy by keeping the pieces of cut card at a distance and then send a copy for their information.

The writer is chief counsellor, Abhay credit counselling, a trust sponsored by Bank of India. He will answer credit card and loan queries and can be contacted at dnadebtqueries@gmail.com