[Resolved]  HDFC Bank — Deduction of Penalty Charges without any Intimation

Address:

Bangalore, Karnataka

I am Rajeshwari G. I had a salary account at HDFC bank at Whitefield in Bangalore. My account numbers was[protected] and was opened in 2005. Due to change in job, I had to shift to some other company. I was not able to close my HDFC bank account as I had given HDFC bank account details for refund of Amount to Income Tax department. Meanwhile the bank started deducting penalty charges for not retaining the minimum balance in my salary account. I was not given prior intimation of the requisite minimum balance or the deduction charges by the Bank at my address, on my contact number or on my e-mail id. The bank has not sent any statements to our communication address and any intimation.

Meanwhile the amount was transferred to my HDFC bank account. I got intimation of the release of amount from the Income tax department amounted Rs. 10370/- in 2010.

The bank kept on deducting the maintenance charges, eating into my hard earned income and as on 22nd Feb 2010, when I had presented a cheque of Rs. 9000/- for transferring the amount to a different account, then HDFC has returned the cheque saying Insufficient funds. This deduction of charges has happened without any intimation through any of the sources. Only when the cheque has returned, I got to know that the Bank has deducted the charges. Even the other bank where I had deposited a cheque had deducted some charges towards return of cheque and this is the 1st time which has happened with me, where the cheque has returned saying insufficient funds.

I feel duped and I am at loss of words to explain my deep feeling of disgust of having associated myself with a Bank of such malafide intensions, which searches for opportunity to cheat a customer.

Even now, the bank is deducting Penalty charges if we are not doing any transaction and that too without any intimation. When my father visited the bank to close my account today (8th June 2011), the HDFC is asking to settle the penalty charges of around Rs. 760 to close the account. Till now for the last 2 yrs, almost close to Rs. 3000/- has been deducted as Penalty charges. Finally I had to close this account as I did not want unnecessary penalty charges to be deducted and the bank is benefitted.

I am raising this complaint as it is the fault of the Bank for deducting this charges without any intimation.

I have a feeling that, the Bank under question has destroyed the very foundations, on which it gives service to the customers. To say the least, the bank could have at least sent quarterly letters to my permanent address about the deductions or give a call and let us know so that we can plan accordingly. It was making without my knowledge. It is acceptable that the Bank is here to make profits. With this experience in Private Banks, I have decided not to have accounts with the Private Banks.