[Resolved]  ABN AMRO Credit Card — The pain and anguish of an ABN Amro credit card customer

Ok…so here I start a long story which started in Mar07 and just shows the pathetic state of affairs in ABN Amro bank and the pain, anguish and trouble a customer goes through due to stupid banks (to be read as ABN Amro) and appalling call centres of these banks

It all started in Mar07 when I had no clue that one transaction with the bank will make my life hell for the following 2 years. In Mar07 I decided to use the ABN Amro credit card to book US air tickets worth Rs 125, 000 (till date I repent doing this transaction with ABN Amro).

In April 2007, I was travelling for pretty much the entire month. However, I decided to make an early payment (10 days before the due date), knowing that the amount was big and wanted to ensure that the payment does not get delayed. I was in Gurgaon then so decided to call up the customer care to figure out if I can make payment in Gurgaon without much problems.

I spoke to a customer service executive, who surprisingly didn’t know the wherabouts of any ABN Amro ATM centres where I could drop the cheque. I informed the call centre person that I resided in Mumbai and if I make a payment in Gurgaon would the outstation cheque would take longer to clear. To this the customer care executive promptly replied that the cheque would take the normal 3 – 4 working days to clear despite being an outstation cheque.

Finally from some other sources I was able to find a ABN Amro ATM and deposited a cheque therein. As I turned around to leave the ATM centre, there was a board therein which stated “OUTSTATION CHEQUES TAKE 21 DAYS TO CLEAR”. I was stunned. I called back the call centre and this time round the other executive mentioned that outstation cheques would take 21 days to clear.

Just a day before the due date I landed in Mumbai and called the Mumbai call centre and gave him a background of the entire incidence that had happened and asked him a way out. To this the smart (pun intended) executive replied that why don’t I deposit cash payment of Rs 125, 000 so that I don’t have to make late payment fee. I was shocked the hear the same and informed him that we are talking of few lakhs here and not thousands. He again suggested that I make a cheque payment of the same amount again and after 2 months the bank would refund a DD against the excess payment made. I again reminded him that we are talking of few lakh of rupees and I don’t intend to fund the bank with my hard earned money!!!

Finally I agreed to cancel my earlier cheque deposited in Gurgaon. Make an immediate cash payment of Rs 6, 500 (minimum amount) and drop a cheque for Rs. 118, 500. All this, I did at 11.30 pm in the night to undo a [censored] up the bank did in the first place.

In this intermediary period, I had received a call from the bank to issue a titanium card if I purchase a holiday package worth Rs 4, 000 (call World Is Yours offer) promoted by ABN Amro. I had initially agreed to the same (this was before the devastating call centre experience). Post my experience, I called up the call centre and informed that I do not intend to buy the World if Yours offer. To this the executive informed that then I would not be eligible for a Titanium Card. I gladly agreed that I do not need the titanium card and the World if Yours offer. He asked me to cut the new credit card once I receive it. I did as instructed and hoped I had seen the end of my experiences with ABN Amro Bank. However, it wasn’t to happen.

I saw my next statement where the World if Yours offer charges were charged and not reversed. I called the call centre again and they mentioned that I would have received some gift vouchers and I would have to return the same for the charges to be reversed (I still wonder why the initial conversation on cancelling my titanium card had no reference of the same!!)

I informed them that I hadn’t received any gift vouchers…wrote mails for the same ….and they finally agreed to reverse the charges.

I saw my next statement to see some Rs 900 being reversed and the balance amount o/s and interest and late payment fee being charged on the same. Thereafter started a series of call which hasn’t ended till date.

I called the customer care frantically over the next few days to figure out the same …explaining my case and what had happened. Surprisingly, no customer care executive in ABN Amro notes anything in the system about the call with customers…coz everytime everyone calls and asks the same questions without absolutely no background of the case….Basically they take it for granted that the customer has all the time in the work to answer and explain it to every of their pathetic customer service executive!!!...who is bothered about customer service here!!!

Over the past 2 years, I have explained my case to around 30 – 50 customer service executives. I have asked them to provide me with an email id so that I can send across my credit card statements to show that all payments against my purchases have been made and the amount o/s is only towards the World if Yours offer (plus interest and late payment fee on the same) which I have not utilized.

I have been asked 100s of times to make payment….the amount o/s is small and I can make the payment…but I believe the question here is of principles and not of the amount involved. Why should I make payment for an amount I have not utilized?? I have asked the customer service guys several times for an email address where I can email the credit card statements which shows that all payments against my purchases and cleared and amount o/s is totally towards the ‘World is yours offer’ which I have not used and has not been reversed fully. But no one has ever provided an email address or even a fax number (not sure if they really want the problem resolved)

I have a year back cut and thrown away the ABN Amro credit card and have vowed to myself never to use any services of the bank

Today I use credit cards of 6 other banks and trust me all these banks put together have not been able to match even 10% of the frustration and anger caused by ABN Amro (we have a clear winner here, don’t we!!!).

Even today I receive calls from ABN Amro call centres an collection agents…threatening me…lol
In a last ditch effort I ask the bank to please have a look at the credit card statements and free me of the trauma and ordeal I have been going through over the past two years. Hope someone in the bank has some brains on their shoulders and some heart to think about the customers…