Jul 13, 2004 05:33 PM
6786 Views
(Updated Jul 13, 2004 05:33 PM)
One of the biggest cheaters in the banking history, especially when it comes to Credit Cards. This bank can use any trick on their sleeves to push up the sales of their credit cards. I was one of the victims. My story starts from the day I got a call from an ICICI bank agent that I am eligible for a free upgrade to gold card, for the past 21/2 years I have been using a silver card and never had paid a single penny in interest or defaulted on any of my payments and also I didn't got any revision on credit limit on the upgradation.
Ok so when I received this offer for free upgrade I gave my consent, thinking that its due to my past transaction. But it was not so... Aloha boy bingo in the next statement their was an upgrade fees showing in the statement. When I called up the Call center and spoke to an agent, they informed me that the actual fee is 1500 for a gold card but as a promotional offer they are charging 300. But when I said I was told it was a free upgrade, he faigned ignorance, when I expressed my desire to speak to a senior, the request was turned down by saying that no seniors are around. I also wrote to them using email but none of them gave any satisfactory answer.
The questions which arises are 1. ICICI bank uses fraudlent means to push up the sales of their credit cards. 2. Concealing of important information from the customer. 3. Faigning Ignorance by the call center agent (AHA ignorance is Bliss...) 4. Lousy third grade customer service. 5. trying to extract their pound of flesh from customer who have never defaulted. and many many more I am giving the texts of the emails exchanged by me and ICICI bank on this regard.
From: abdullah abdullah Date: Saturday, July 10, 2004 11:02 PM To: info@icicibank.com (info@icicibank.com)
Subject: Credit Card
Hi, I used to hold a silver card (ordinary) card no. 5176 3700 0594 8009, which was subsequently upgraded to a gold card, the card number is 4477 4701 8206 5004 in the name Abdullah Mohammad. The sales girl who called me up for this offer gave the picture that this upgrade will be free of cost, whereas in actual I have been charged an amount of 300, which in my opinion is unjustified and amounts to concealing information from the user in order to push him to upgrade.
I have for the past two years have been quite happy using the silver card upgrading to a gold card didn't bring me any new facilities, except insurance, which one of your call center agent so proudly informed me about...I think they are more interested in pushing the insurance coverage...God save the insurance companies..they have serious competition coming from credit card companies.
Anyhow I have never defaulted on any of my payments since I held a credit card, but now it seems I have default on one. What I want is that the upgrade fees should be waived of altogether as the upgrade fees was concealed from me at the time of making the initial offer. I have spoken to call center agents and when the matter was not resolved, my desire to speak with a senior manager was turned down by saying that no senior manager is around.
I fail to understand what kind of a call center you run, only staffed by lousy agents, which again amounts to very lousy customer service. I request you to do the needful ASAP as my due date is 11th July, and I in under any circumstances donâ??t want to pay over and above the actual bill. Did I make myself very clear? Regards, Abdullah Dear Mr. Mohammad, We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused to you.
As per your request, we would like to inform you that, annual fee of Rs. 300.00 is charged for your Gold Credit Card. Actually for the Gold Card annual fee of Rs. 1500.00 will be charged. Should you need any further assistance / clarifications, please write back to us. We will be glad to assist you. Regards, Aruna K Customer Service Officer Date: Monday, July 12, 2004 07:55 PM To: ICICI Bank Customer Care (customer.care@icicibank.com) Subject: Re: RE:Credit Card Dear Aruna K, Thankz for your oft repeated information, that the actual cost of a gold card is INR1500 and I have only been charged INR300. But that doesn't answer any of my questions. 1. The practice of concealing information from the customer 2. Using unfair means to push the sales up on ICICI banks part 3. and last but not the least the waiver of fees which I requested. Hoping to hear from you soon.
Regards, Abdullah Subject: RE:{ICICICARE#008-419-290}Credit Card Date: Tue, 13 Jul 2004 15:05:23 IST
Dear Mr. Mohammad,
We thank you for writing back to us. As per your request, we regret to inform you that, we will be unable to process your request for waiver of annual fee on your Credit Card account.
Alternatively, to reconfirm the same, may we request you to call up the 24 hours ICICI customer service center on 1900 333 499, and our customer service officer will be glad to do the needful for you on priority. Should you need any further assistance / clarifications, please write back to us. We will be glad to assist you. Regards, Aruna K Customer Service Officer
This is my newest mail: Dear Aruna K, Thanks, for your inability to do anything.
The two mails which I received from ICICI bank has been silent on concealing of vital information from the customer, which under any circumstances amounts to cheating and using fraudulent means to push up the sales. If this has not been the case, Your Bank shouldn't have remained silent on this issue; this further implies that it is a very rampant practice used by your agents to push up the sales. Also your mails failed to answer why I was not put through to a senior manager when I expressed a desire to speak to one. I very regretfully have to say that this has been a very unpleasant experience. I have been a regular user of credit card for the past 2 1/2 years, and never once I have defaulted on any of my payments. But it seems this time around I am being forced to default. Anyhow I will try to make this matter public and use whatever means are at my disposal to highlight fraudulent/cheating practice used by ICICI bank. Regards, Abdullah Note: I will keep you all updated with their lousy customer support and instances of cheating.
Pros : Nil
Cons: Cheaters, Uses fraudlent practices, Concealing Vital Information in order t
