| Address: Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh |
Some time in 2006, someone came to me and told me that he is working for Standard Chartered Bank as marketing executive and wanted me to take their bank's credit card. It is free for life. So, I agreed and gave him all the required documents. And promptly, within a week I received the card. I was told that there are collection centers in vizag and so I just have to drop in a cheque for payments. I did not use the card for a long time. And one day I receive a call from Standard Chartered Bank, offering me an interest free loan of Rs.34,000/-, which I can pay in installments. If it is interest free, what is the problem, I agreed. I received a cheque for Rs.34000/-. Fine. But when I wanted to pay the first installment, I came to know that there are no collection points in Vizag. I had to send a cheque to Hyderabad. I sent a cheque for the first installment well in advance of the due date. Then started the problem.
The next statement had:
1. The next installment
2. Late Payment Charges
3. Interest on late payment
4. Out station cheque collection charges
5. And taxes on outstanding.
I then rang up the bank, and I told them that the problem of non availability of collection centers at Vizag and the date of my cheque, which was presented late by them. I was told that this anomaly would be rectified in the next month's statement. So I was asked to pay only the installment amount, which I did.
It was the same story again. The next statement had:
1. The next installment
2. Unpaid amount from previous bill.
3. Late Payment Charges
4. Interest on late payment
5. Out station cheque collection charges
6. And taxes on outstanding
Again I was assured by the Bank that it would be rectified.
I was worried, so I paid all the remaining balance of the loan (Rs.17834.00) and returned the credit card and asked for cancellation of my account. This cheque was sent for collection almost a month after I had sent them. I did not receive any acknowledgement of cancelling the card. But to my surprise, the statements kept on comming and each time the amount increases many folds towards Unpaid amount, Interest on outstanding etc. I just ignored them, with a view that it would be corrected at their end, because I returned their card and cancelled my account.
But the problem now is, I applied for enhancement of my loan in our Bank at Vizag and they downloaded my CIBIL rating, which said that I have been "written off" for an amount of 15282/-. Which means that I had cheated them. And my bank wants me to rectify that and only then would they be able to sanction my loan. I don't know what to do. I have nothing with me now. I don't even know that credit card number. I don't know whom I should talk to. I am prepared to settle with that bank, but I don't know how. There is no branch of that bank in Visakhapatnam.