[Resolved]  SBI Cards — SBI Cards' Tactic to avoid payment receipts to rob money from sincere customers.

THE TRAIL OF COMMUNICATION TO & FROM SBI CARDS :

30.12.2007
Submitted Cheque no 375287 Rs. 3400/- only (BANK OF BARODA Branch Name T. T. NAGAR, BHOPAL) dtd 30.12.2007

02.01.2008
Letter from SBI Card Received on 14.1.2008



14.01.2008
Contacted SBI Card Customer Care. Requested for the cash back reversal amount & details with return of the cheque with banker’s remarks for refusal (the request no.[protected] dtd 14.01.2008 4.45 pm).

- NO RESPONSE

30.01.2008
The cheque no. 375289 (Bank of Baroda, T T Nagar Branch, Bhopal) Rs. 8905.83 dated 30.01.2008 submitted with the following note.-

1. Please explain why the 5% cash back reversal amount has not been credited to the account ?
2. This cheque is against the transactions till 10.01.2008
3. The payment against the SBI Card statement dated 10.12.07 had already been submitted vide cheque no. 375287 (BOB TT Nagar BPL Br) dtd 30.12.2007 (Refer to the request no.[protected] dtd 14.01.2008 4.45 pm). In case of any problem please return the original cheque with the collection branch’s remarks if another cheque is required.

- NO REPLY

02.02.2008
Letter from SBI Card Received on 11.1.2008



11.02.2008
The following complaint faxed to the VP – Customer Service :

URGENT PLEASE
11.02.2008

To

Mr Manish Dewan,
VP – Customer Service,
SBI Cards & Payment Services Pvt Ltd,
DLF Infinity Towers, Tower C, 12th Floor,
Block 2, Building 3, DLF Cyber City,
GURGAON – 122 002 (HARYANA) INDIA
FAX :[protected] ; 3992476
Email : feedback.[protected]@ge.com

Subject : Complaints against.-

(1) Cash back scheme amount reversal.
(2) Payments dated 30.12.2007 & 30.01.2008

Reference : Your letters dated 02.01.2008 & 02.02.2008

Sir,

I wish to lodge a complaint against the negligence on the part of SBI Card in consumer grievance redressal.
(1) The SBI Card failed in “Cash back” scheme amount reversal till now. The amount to be reversed is more than Rs 1500/=

(2) I’ve been a SBI Card user for almost 8 years and have never lagged in promptly submitting the payments every month ( may also be verified through your own records ). It’s for the first time that controversy is being created about the cheques submitted during the preceding 2 months for unjustified & mutually contradictory reasons. However, the facts about the payments are as follows.-

i ) Your letter dtd 02.01.2008 stated that the cheque no 375287 received by you dtd 30.12.2007 for Rs 3400/- could not be banked as the Bank & Branch details’re missing.

The fact is that the Bank as well as Branch names are prominently printed in the cheque itself as follows.-

Bank Name : BANK OF BARODA
Branch Name : T. T. NAGAR, BHOPAL

Further, though my SBI Card no is [protected], yet my SBI Card A/C No mentioned in the letter was [protected] ?

ii ) Your 2nd letter dtd 02.02.2008 again stated that the cheque no 375289 received by you dtd 30.01.2007 for Rs 8905/83 could not be banked as the Bank & Branch details’re missing.

The fact is that in this cheque also the Bank as well as Branch names are prominently printed in the cheque itself as follows.-


Bank Name : BANK OF BARODA
Branch Name : T. T. NAGAR, BHOPAL

Further, though my SBI Card no is [protected], yet my SBI Card A/C No mentioned in the letter was [protected] ?

Further, when I personally enquired the branch ( BANK OF BARODA, T. T. NAGAR, BHOPAL ), I came to know that neither of the cheques mentioned ever presented to the branch for payment by SBI Card, and there’s no reason to deny the same by BOB T T Nagar Branch Bhopal as there’re sufficient fund in the account ( SB A/C Old No : 8831; New No : [protected] ).

Thus, it’s self evident that the person(s) handling the SBI Card payment cheques is/are either not even able to read the Bank & Branch names in the cheques mentioned, or seemingly more interested in SBI Card’s earning through the tactics of imposing interest & penalty amount by declaring the customer defaulter instead of accepting the promptly submitted payments.

Even after repeatedly lodging the complaints with customer care ? (Req. No.[protected] the attitude remained most reluctant. However, if SBI Card doesn’t want cheques of Bank of Baroda due to their own problems, the duplicate cheques of the Bank preferred by SBI Card may be considered subjected to the RETURN OF THE ORIGINAL CHEQUES OF BANK OF BARODA WITH COMMENTS OF THE BANK OF BARODA T. T. NAGAR, BHOPAL BRANCH FOR DENYING THE PAYMENT at the earliest please.

Further, if the matter is not solved by SBI Card with due apologies within 3 days, I’ll have no way except to decide to terminate the SBI Card !

With regrets,

Dr ALOK GUPTA
( SBI Card No : [protected] )
M-34, Old Subhash Nagar,
BHOPAL – 462023 ( M P )

Phone(s) : [protected] ;[protected]
Email : [protected]@yahoo.co.in

12.02.2008 :
The same complaint sent by email to the VP – Customer Service with copy to AVP – Customer Service

COMPLAINT
alok gupta <[protected]@yahoo.co.in>
AddTuesday, 12 February, 2008 9:31:55 PM
To:feedback.[protected]@ge.com
Cc:head.[protected]@ge.com
To SBI Card 11febo8.doc (48KB)

To

Mr Manish Dewan,
VP – Customer Service,
SBI Cards & Payment Services Pvt Ltd,
DLF Infinity Towers, Tower C, 12th Floor,
Block 2, Building 3, DLF Cyber City,
GURGAON – 122 002 (HARYANA) INDIA
Email : feedback.[protected]@ge.com

Subject : Complaints against.-

(1) Cash back scheme amount reversal.
(2) Payments dated 30.12.2007 & 30.01.2008

Reference : Your letters dated 02.01.2008 & 02.02.2008

Copy to :

Mr. Ajay Bharti
Ast. Vice President- Customer Services
PO Bag 28- GPO, New Delhi-110001
head.[protected]@ge.com

26.02.2008 :
Reply from SBI Cards :

RE:'CaseID=[protected]'COMPLAINT
feedback.gesbi <feedback.[protected]@ge.com>
ViewTuesday, 26 February, 2008 10:09:30 AM
To:alok gupta <[protected]@yahoo.co.in>

26 February, 2008

Dear Mr. Gupta,
Thank you for writing to SBI Cards.

This is with reference to your communication dated February 12 2008.
Offer Related: We would like to assure you that we have taken a note of your queries and we shall get the same resolved at the earliest. We shall revert to you on the status of the same.
Charges: We would like to inform you that we have credited Rs.393.26 towards late fee and Rs.337.08 towards un bankable invalid fee and the credit for the same will be reflecting in your statement dated March 10, 2008.

We sincerely regret the inconvenience caused to you in this regard.

In case of any further queries on the SBI Card, we would request you to reply at feedback.[protected]@ge.com using the same subject line or call our 24 hours, 7 days a week, at our local Helpline number 39020202 or[protected]for BSNL and MTNL users).

If you are not satisfied with the response, you can write in to AVP, Customer Service, head.[protected]@ge.com using the same subject line. You will receive a response within 3 working days.

Yours sincerely,
Manager - Customer Service

12.03.2008 :
Reminder of the complaint

Complaint Reminder (24th)
alok gupta <[protected]@yahoo.co.in>
AddWednesday, 12 March, 2008 1:23:26 PM
To:feedback.[protected]@ge.com
Cc:head.[protected]@ge.com

12.03.2008 :
Reply from SBI Cards :

'CaseID=[protected]'Complaint Reminder (24th)
HeadCards <head.[protected]@ge.com>
ViewWednesday, 12 March, 2008 1:21:11 PM
To:alok gupta <[protected]@yahoo.co.in

Dear Sir / Madam,

Thank you for writing to SBI cards.
We acknowledge the receipt of your email and we shall revert to you with in 3 working days .
Incase you have missed to provide us with your SBI Card Account / Card number in the communication sent by you. We would request you to provide the same to enable us to process your request at the earliest.

Warm Regards,
SBI Team

24.03.2008 :
Reminder of the complaint

'CaseID=[protected]'Complaint Reminder (26th)
alok gupta <[protected]@yahoo.co.in>
AddMonday, 24 March, 2008 3:32:37 PM
To:head.[protected]@ge.com
'CaseID=[protected]'Complaint Reminder (26th).eml (36KB)




11.04.2008 :
Reply from SBI Cards :

'CaseID=[protected]'Complaint Reminder (24th)
feedback.gesbi <feedback.[protected]@ge.com>
ViewFriday, 11 April, 2008 11:05:18 AM
To:alok gupta <[protected]@yahoo.co.in>

11 April, 2008
Dear Mr. Gupta,
Thank you for writing to SBI Cards.

This is with reference to your communication dated March 24 2008.

Payment Related: We would like to assure you that we have taken a note of your complaint and we shall get the same resolved at the earliest. We shall revert to you on the status of the same.

Offer Related: Please note that we have credited Rs.1500.00 towards 5% cash back offer ( maximum cash back is of Rs.1500.00 only) and the credit for the same is reflecting in your statement dated April 10, 2008.

In case of any further queries on the SBI Card, we would request you to reply at feedback.[protected]@ge.com using the same subject line or call our 24 hours, 7 days a week, at our local Helpline number 39020202 or[protected]for BSNL and MTNL users).

If you are not satisfied with the response, you can write in to AVP, Customer Service, head.[protected]@ge.com using the same subject line. You will receive a response within 3 working days.

Yours sincerely,
Manager - Customer Service

15.04.2008 :
Reminder of the complaint

Fwd: RE:'CaseID=[protected]'Complaint Reminder (24th)
alok gupta <[protected]@yahoo.co.in>
AddTuesday, 15 April, 2008 12:17:01 AM
To:head.[protected]@ge.com
Download All | Fwd: RE:'CaseID=[protected]'Complaint Reminder (24th).eml (16KB); To SBI Card 11febo8.doc (48KB)


25.04.2008 :
Reply from SBI Cards :

'CaseID=[protected]'Complaint Reminder (24th)
HeadCards <head.[protected]@ge.com>
ViewFriday, 25 April, 2008 12:06:27 PM
To:alok gupta <[protected]@yahoo.co.in>

Dear Mr. Gupta,

This is with reference to your communication dated April 15, 2008 regarding your SBI card account.

We wish to share with you that we have already given the reversals towards the 5 % cash back of Rs. 1500.00. The same is reflective in your statement of account dated April 10, 2008.

We would like to share with you that we have received the cheque number 375289 and 375287 bearing an amount of Rs. 3400.00 and Rs. 3584.5 sent by you respectively.

Please note that cheque sent by you was not presented to your bank as the instrument issued did not contain the bank and branch details, and being an invalid cheque it is retained with us and is non-returnable.
We would also like to share with you that the cheques received from customer are classified as "Unbankable Invalids" due to following reasons:
*Bank, Branch details are missing on the cheque
*Outstation cheques
*Date / Amount / Saving Bank A/c number / SBI Card Number or SBI Card Account no. is not mentioned on the cheque.
*Post Dated Cheques (More than 30 days)
*Non - MICR Cheques
*Cheque is older than 6 months
*Bank Permanently closed
*Cheque is not a clearing member
*Unsigned Cheques
*Cheque Out of date (PDC more that 30 days and Cheque is older than 6 months)
*Mutilated Cheques
*Amount in words & figures differs

We also wish to inform you that your SBI card account number [protected] and your SBI card number [protected] are two different numbers. The information on your account can be accessed using either of these numbers. However, you are advised to send in your payments in favour of your SBI card number.

Further, please note that we have reversed Rs. 337.08 and Rs. 393.26 towards payment dishonor charges and late payment charges respectively. Credit for same is reflecting in your statement of account dated March 2008.

We regret that your issues were not adequately and promptly responded in the past. Please accept our sincere apologies for any inconvenience caused to you.

Please feel free to contact us should you require any further assistance or clarification.

We assure you the best services at all time.

Yours sincerely,

AVP- Customer Service

13.04.2009:
Reminder of the complaint

'CaseID=[protected]'Complaint Reminder (30th)
alok gupta <[protected]@yahoo.co.in>
AddMonday, 13 April, 2009 8:55:01 PM
To:head.[protected]@ge.com
Cc:feedback.[protected]@ge.com
Download All | To SBI Card 11febo8.doc (48KB); ToSBI Card 11feb08.doc (65KB)

----- Forwarded Message ----
From: alok gupta <[protected]@yahoo.co.in>
To: head.[protected]@ge.com
Sent: Tuesday, 15 April, 2008 12:17:01 AM
Subject: Fwd: RE:'CaseID=[protected]'Complaint Reminder (24th)

17.04.2009 :
Reply from SBI Cards :

'CaseID=[protected]' 'CaseID=[protected]'Complaint Reminder (30th)
HeadCards <head.[protected]@ge.com>
ViewFriday, 17 April, 2009 1:02:12 PM
To:alok gupta <[protected]@yahoo.co.in>

Dear Mr.Gupta,

This is with reference to your communication dated April 13, 2009 regarding your SBI card account.

We would like to inform you that we have credited Rs.1500.00 towards cash back on your card account and the credit for the same is reflecting in your statement dated April 10, 2008.

We would like to inform you that we have received your cheque number 375287 and 375289 for Rs.3400.00 and Rs.8905.83. However, we are unable to send the same for the presentation as the bank, branch details are missing.

We would like to share with you that the cheques sent by the customer and invalid are not presented to the bank for clearance. The invalid cheques are non-returnable to the cardholders.

Further, we are looking into your concerns regarding the copy of the said cheque. We will revert to you on completion of our investigations. Please bear with us in the interim period.

We would like to inform you that the Account number and the Card number are two different numbers. The information on your account can be accessed using either of your SBI card number.
Please note that 4317 XXXX XXXX 9772 is your SBI card account number.

We assure you the best services at all time.

Yours sincerely,

AVP- Customer Service

17.04.2009 :
Request to reply the cheques:

Re: 'CaseID=[protected]' 'CaseID=[protected]'Complaint Reminder (30th)
alok gupta <[protected]@yahoo.co.in>
AddFriday, 17 April, 2009 6:47:52 PM
To:HeadCards <head.[protected]@ge.com>

Dear Sir,

While sending the photocopies of the cheques, please do mark / highlight the areas where the bank, branch details are missing, along with the remarks of the bank to justify the return so that I may take stern action against the bank to claim due compensation for the financial loss as well as mental harassment. These documents're required by the consumer form / banking ombudsman. Because as per the bank, neither of the cheques referred by you were ever presented to the bank for clearance, nor there are any remote chances of the missing bank & branch details. Though if it's, this blunder demands gross public attention through the media coverage too. It was also no less surprising that all the other cheques issued from the same cheque book were cleared by the bank without any problem.

Please send the above referred documents as the earliest so that the legal procedure may be helped out to resolve my complaint timely.

Alok Gupta

27.04.2009 :
Reply from SBI Cards :

'CaseID=[protected]' Re: 'CaseID=[protected]'Complaint Reminder (30th)
HeadCards <head.[protected]@ge.com>
Monday, 27 April, 2009 1:37:10 PM
To:alok gupta <[protected]@yahoo.co.in>

Dear Mr.Gupta,

This is with reference to your communication dated April 17, 2009 regarding your SBI card account.

We would like to inform you that we have taken note of your complaint and we shall get the same resolved at the earliest. We shall revert to you on the status of the same.

Please feel free to contact us should you require any further assistance or clarification.

We assure you the best services at all time.

Yours sincerely,

AVP- Customer Service

30.04.2009 :
Reply from SBI Cards :

“CaseID=[protected]' Re: 'CaseID=[protected]'Complaint Reminder (30th)
HeadCards <head.[protected]@ge.com>
ViewThursday, 30 April, 2009 5:36:09 PM
To:alok gupta <[protected]@yahoo.co.in>

Dear Mr.Gupta,

This is with reference to your communication dated April 17, 2009 regarding your SBI card account.
We would like to inform you that the copy of Bounce cheque number 375289 and 375287 has been dispatched and same will reach shortly to your mailing address.
Please feel free to contact us should you require any further assistance or clarification.

We assure you the best services at all time.

Yours sincerely,

AVP- Customer Service

- Copies of the cheques (nos. 375287 & 375289) received by mail without banker’s remarks.








Undated
Arbitration Notice reeived on 31.08.2009









31.08.2009
Letter sent by FAX to VP-Customer Service:

MOST URGENT PLEASE
31.07.2009

To

Mr Manish Dewan,
VP – Customer Service,
SBI Cards & Payment Services Pvt Ltd,
DLF Infinity Towers, Tower C, 12th Floor,
Block 2, Building 3, DLF Cyber City,
GURGAON – 122 002 (HARYANA) INDIA
FAX :[protected] ; 3992476
Email : feedback.[protected]@ge.com

Subject : Harassment of SBI Card customer by contradictory actions by SBI Cards.

Reference : Case ID[protected] ;[protected]

Sir,

The trail of communication to & from SBI Cards reflects that though SBI Cards not only expressed regrets & apology, the penalty charges’re also reverted, yet remained reluctant in returning the cheques with banker’s remarks along with issue of the revised bill/statement. Further, it took 16 months to even send the photocopy (instead of original) of the cheques in question, lacking banker’s remarks indicating that they’re never presented to the bank for collection.

Then, while on one hand SBI Cards assured me of reverting on completion of the investigations & requested to bear with them during this interim period, I’m served the legal notice instead on the other hand. This undated notice of Intention to Proceed Ex-Parte from the Sole Arbitrator (Arb. Case No. SBI LOT-3 (SG-JUNE-09)-930 of 2009) refuses to entertain any correspondence by letter/telegram even & compels to appear physically at such a short notice on 07.08.2009 for the Arbitral proceedings. This also mentioned of a never received notice dated 18.06.2009 also (the fact may be cross checked with the courier also).

I’m astonished with this contradictory behavior of SBI Cards. I don’t know if SBI Card could realize the problem of leaving out station on short notice for a medical professional committed for his clinical duties in a large medical setup.

To summarize, the mutually contradictory statements by SBI Cardsare as follows.-

Confusion in the status of repayment by the customer :

As far as the repayment by the cheques is concerned, SBI Cards expressed 3 types of mutually contradictory statements as follows.-

1. The cheques received but could not be presented to the bank due to missing bank & branch details, hence under category ‘Invalid Bankable’ as reflected in the letters dated 2.1.08, 2.2.08; emails dated 25.4.08, 17.4.09.
2. Seemingly genuine therefore Bankable Invalid Fee as well as Late Fee reverted vide emails dated 26.2.08, 25.4.08, hence regrets & apologies as expressed in email dated 25.4.08.
3. The cheques received were bounced, as stated in email dated 30.4.09 followed by photocopy of the cheques instead of original – without banker’s remarks.

Contradiction in what’s said and what’s done by SBI Cards :

Regrets & apologies - as expressed by SBI Cards in email dated 25.4.08

SBI Cards will keep me informed on the time – email dated 13.4.09

SBI Cards will revert on completion of the investigations – vide emails dated 17.4.09, 27.4.09

SBI Cards requested me to bear with them in the interim period – as expressed in emails dated 17.4.09, 27.4.09

BUT

SBI Cards deliberately delayed the matter to justify the exorbitant interest and penal charges with legal proceedings.

It’s therefore requested to please go through the factual evidences to decide whose misunderstanding or fault it was and who’s going to suffer ultimately? I’ll be obliged if you could please intervene in the said proceeding & issue a revised bill/statement (which would have been as simple as follows.- Amount of the unbanked cheques – Cash back offer credits i.e. Rs 3400 + Rs 8905.83 – 1500 = Rs 10805.83 only) so that I could make the payment to close this otherwise unpleasant chapter.

With regrets,

Dr ALOK GUPTA
( SBI Card No : [protected] )
M-34, Old Subhash Nagar,
BHOPAL – 462023 ( M P )

Phone(s) : [protected] ;[protected]
Email : [protected]@yahoo.co.in

Enclosures :

1. Trail of communication TO & FROM SBI Cards
2. SBI Cards Letter dated 2.1.08
3. SBI Cards Letter dated 2.2.08
4. Photocopy of Cheques
5. Photocopy of the Notice of Arbitration case no. SBI LOT-3 (SG-JUNE-09)-930 of 2009

Copy to :

Mr. Ajay Bharti
Ast. Vice President- Customer Services
PO Bag 28- GPO, New Delhi-110001
head.[protected]@ge.com


- NO REPLY FROM SBI CARDS

02.08.2009
Same letter sent by email to VP-Customer Service & AVP-Customer Service.

- NO REPLY FROM SBI CARDS

07.08.2009
I Reached Delhi to attended the Arbitration Proceedings at the address( in the chamber of the Sole Arbitrator Adv. Sh. Sandeep Gupta, 496, Civil side, Tis Hazari Court, Delhi) at 4 pm. Counsel of SBI Cards Adv Narayan & a person from SBI Cards (name not disclosed) also attended late at 4.45 pm. With their aggressive approach, they constantly tried to dominate the others by not listening anyone.

Further, I was surprised to know that even the essential documents, like Claim Statement, Credit Card Agreement etc were not presented there even before the Sole Arbitrator & were not available for a glimpse even. Hence, in spite of demand, their copies were not provided to me. On the contrary, I had to produce every document I had concerning the matter & had to hand over to them.

The Arbitrator as well as the counsel along with the person from SBI Cards seemed convinced with my evidence based genuine representation. They agreed to settle the case on the principal amount of the cheques i.e. Rs 3400 + Rs 8905.83 only waiving off any interest or penalty what so ever. A far as the deduction of the 5% cash back of Rs 1500 (which should have been credited to my account by SBI Cards by 31st Oct’07) & the travel expenditures, the SBI Cards personnel said that this was beyond their power (again surprising). Instead of receiving the payment amount before the Arbitrator, the SBI Cards people further lingered on the procedure. They said that a letter of settlement will be sent to my address within a week following which a representative from SBI Cards will personally receive the payment in cash or Demand Draft only. Even on my request, neither the copy of settlement nor of the Arbitral Proceedings was provided to me.

This also reflects that as before SBI Cards people are more interested in deliberately delaying the matter to fetch money by other means instead of receiving the genuine & justified dues.