[Resolved]  HDFC Bank — Reporting to Media inefficiency and exploitation by HDFC; HDFC Credit Card : [protected]

Address:

Bangalore, Karnataka

Hi,

In brief, I was issued joining fee free of cost credit card in August 2004 but HDFC billed me joining fee. Later on, they reversed the charges but to levy it again, partially. Since the same was disputed from the very beginning and not paid for, HDFC continued to bill me finance charges for non payment of the finance charges of previous months. However, they had been reversing finance charges partially, clearly indicating my strong protest against the same. I had been paying my monthly outstanding in full, in the next month and lastly, closed card in June 2005. However, they are continuing to bill me finance charges till date i.e. Mar 2010 and are showing some Rs 31000+ and have put my name in CIBIL. I have proofs of the same and consequently, my creditability is affected.

Attached herewith is chain of mails and statements. The sequence of events is self explanatory and clearly shows that I never kept any merchant transaction outstanding and paid in full in subsequent month.

Accordingly, I am planning to launch consumer court case for claiming damages resulting from misdeeds of HDFC. Further, I request you to highlight the matter in media and make general public aware what HDFC is doing in name of CIBIL. This is sheer exploitation and needs to be stopped.

I am willing to provide additional evidences of HDFC exploitation, if required.

Kind Regards
Gagan Hora
[protected]

From: GAGAN HORA [mailto:[protected]@hotmail.com]
Sent: April 03, 2010 1:47 AM
To: 'Bheemaiah.[protected]@hdfcbank.com'
Cc: 'customerservices.[protected]@hdfcbank.com'
Subject: RE: HDFC Credit Card : [protected] and reporting to Media inefficiency and exploitation by HDFC

Dear Bheemaiah,

I have dealing with HDFC on resolution of the issue pertaining to closed card: [protected] for over two years and it seem to be falling on deaf ears. By stating that I have some Rs 31000 odd outstanding does not help. If you continue to bill me for a card closed in 2005 till 2010, you can show lacs as outstanding charges. Your aim is to arm twist to extract some money out of discerning customers. However, I am now going to take HDFC to task. I am going to report matter in a full-fledged manner to media through appropriate channels and further initiate consumer court case for claiming damages for putting my name in CIBIL and thereby affecting my creditability. Now I have copies of CIBIL report and written evidences of its impact on my creditability.

I have attached copy of my previous mail which already provides details as to why nothing is outstanding. However, no sensible explanation has ever been provided except for HDFC statements which continue to bill for finance charges. Now, HDFC needs to explain it in media as well as consumer court, as to how they have arrived at this outstanding and further, I will provide threatening recorded calls by HDFC goons recorded by me with full details of call dates, calling number and time.

To reiterate, I will explain the sequence of events and why no charges are lawfully due, as follows:

1. The card was issued in July/ August 2004 and it was issued free of cost by DSA who got my application filled. If your DSA misrepresent the facts by telling a lie that card is free when it is not, then principal i.e. HDFC is responsible for act of agent as per contract act 1872. Further, subsequent statements clearly indicate dispute pertaining to joining fees .

2. In the statement of Sep 2004, joining fee of Rs 2160 levied is reversed fully, clearly indicating my protest and agreement of HDFC that the card is free card. I had merchant transactions of 1050.50 and paid in full Rs. 4151 towards August charges. This joining charge is root cause of later finance charges and dispute.

3. In the statement of Oct. 2004, surprisingly, HDFC bills me again for membership charges of 2160 but provides credit of Rs. 1350 against the same. This credit does not appear to be any specific % credit and sounds like a very arbitrary amount. On this disputed net amount of Rs. 810, HDFC bills me finance charges in subsequent months !! There is no merchant transaction or any lawful charges on my account, in this month. Accordingly, nothing is lawfully due.

4. In the statement of Nov 2004, I had merchant transactions of Rs. 5947.32. Although, joining fee of Rs 810 was wrongfully billed in Oct 2004 but non payment of the same results in levy of finance charges of 251.23. Accordingly, I was legally supposed to pay Rs 5947.32 only.

5. In the statement of Dec 2004, I had merchant transactions of Rs. 8004. I paid in full merchant transactions of previous month i.e. Rs 5947.32. Futher, there was refund from IRCTC towards cancellation of ticket resulting in extra payment. My total credits were Rs 6779 and accordingly, lawful outstanding after excess credit was Rs. 7172.32. However, HDFC billed me 343.37 towards previous outstanding finance charges.

6. In the statement of Jan 2005, I had merchant transactions of Rs. 32,254.76. I paid full payment of merchant transactions of previous month i.e. Rs 7174. Accordingly, lawful outstanding was Rs. 32,254.76. HDFC did not bill me any finance charges in this statement!

7. In the statement of Feb 2005, I had merchant transactions of Rs. 12789.5. I paid full outstanding of merchant transactions of previous month i.e. Rs 32255. Accordingly , lawful outstanding was Rs. 12789.5. However, HDFC billed me finance charges of Rs. 1550 but reversed previous months’ finance charges partially for Rs. 602.56. This clearly outlines double standards of HDFC. While they accept my dispute of joining fee and consequently, wrongful levy of finance charges and reverses the same but at the same time levy finance charges on outstanding finance charges during the current month for Rs 1550!!

8. In the statement of April 2005, I had merchant transactions of Rs. 3737. I paid full outstanding of merchant transactions of previous month i.e. Rs 12790. Accordingly, lawful outstanding was Rs.3737. In this statement HDFC reverses previously levied finance charges partially to the tune of Rs 799.71 clearly indicating my persistent strong protests and consequently, HDFC agreement to the same.

9. In the statement of May 2005, I had merchant transactions of Rs. 342. I paid full outstanding of merchant transactions of previous month i.e. Rs 3737. Futher, there was refund from Airline cancellation resulting in extra payment for Rs 1441. My net excess payment/ credit was Rs 1101.42 and accordingly, lawful outstanding after excess credit was Rs. 0 (I had to recover Rs. 1101.32). However, HDFC appropriated the excess credit towards the finance charges previously billed!!

10. In the statement of June 2005, I had merchant transactions of Rs. 6507.4. Since there was excess credit already, I was not supposed to make any payment. Accordingly, lawful outstanding after excess credit was Rs. 5405.98. However HDFC billed me finance charges again on previous outstanding finance charges for Rs. 390.2

11. In the statement of July 2005, I had closed my card and submitted application along with payment towards previous months merchant transaction outstanding of Rs. 5405.98 by making payment of Rs. 5409. It was getting too much to handle HDFC dispute month after month. Accordingly, I had paid Rs 3.02 extra. There is no lawful outstanding

12. Post my closure of card, you people continue to bill me for yearly charges and finance charges for non payment of finance charges, thereby accumulating some Rs 31000.

I have spoken to several managers of HDFC and all agree orally to my plea, but state that HDFC management rules prohibit them to make any consideration, even in lawful cases. HDFC believes in the philosophy of extracting money by putting customers’s name in CIBIL, thereby arm-twisting them for clearance of their name from CIBIL.That’s why HDFC has maximum number of consumer complaints. Its the worst bank to deal with.

Now as stated above, I have initiated steps to report this matter in media and also seek damages through consumer court, I would like to have a sensible reply / corrective action of clearing wrongful outstanding and clearing my name from CIBIL


Kind Regards
Gagan Hora
[protected]