HDFC Bank — credit card

Address:

QR NO 1R 73 ROAD NO 1 UNIT 9, PO BHOINAGAR, BHUBANESWAR, 751022

Dear Sir/Mam,

I, Subhasis Mohapatra am a credit card holder with your bank since the year 2015. I was given this card enrolment form by one of your representatives who was distributing and enrolling people, right outside my office building at that time of car purchase. I have used the card and was regularly paying back the bank for quiet some time as the records would show.

However, I have lost jobs since 2018 and my financial condition has been very bad since then. I have a family of 3...my father(BP & Nero patient declared unfit by doctor & Doctors also advised not to give him more tension), my mother is housewife. We lost our house on Foni cyclone at puri. My parents stay on tent house at village. I don't have a house in Bhubaneswar, hence I'm staying in my uncle's house since the year 2005.

I have been earning just 5000 rupees per month since 2018...sometimes not even that. I have been trying to get myself a better paying job since then, in order to be able to pay back the bank.

I do want to repay all the amounts owed to the bank. However, I am not able to pay anything now. I have informed this to various customer care representatives and collection agencies as well.

However, we have some serious issues faced by me, my family, my neighbors due to your collection representatives. They call and visit my uncle's house rigorously which is a cause of concern to me. I may have lost this home also.

Below mentioned are some rules sent to me by my father's lawyer for my reference.

RBI Rules:
(iii) Fair Practices in debt collection

(a) In the matter of recovery of dues, banks / NBFCs may ensure that they, as also their agents, adhere to the extant instructions on Fair Practice Code for lenders (circular DBOD. Leg. No. BC. 104 /09.07.007 / 2002–03 dated May 5, 2003) as also IBA’s Code for Collection of dues and repossession of security. In case banks / NBFCs have their own code for collection of dues it should, at the minimum, incorporate all the terms of IBA's Code.

(b) In particular, in regard to appointment of third party agencies for debt collection, it is essential that such agents refrain from action that could damage the integrity and reputation of the bank / NBFC and that they observe strict customer confidentiality. All letters issued by recovery agents must contain the name and address of a responsible senior officer of the card issuing bank whom the customer can contact at his location.

(c) Banks / NBFCs / their agents should not resort to intimidation or harassment of any kind, either verbal or physical, against any person in their debt collection efforts, including acts intended to humiliate publicly or intrude the privacy of the credit card holders’ family members, referees and friends, making threatening and anonymous calls or making false and misleading representations.

Like I have already suggested, I do want to pay, however, I need help from you as a bank officer in stopping such maligning and disturbing incidents. I'd like to get this sorted out and would like to start paying my card from December 2019.

Kindly suggest the actions taken against the collection agencies and the agency and also help me pay you back.

Anticipating cooperation from you.

Thank you.

Subhasis Mohapatra
mail; [protected]@gmail.com