Sep 10, 2010 04:43 PM
18269 Views
Review: I have been holding a card of Standard Chartered Bank since 1992(erstwhile ANZ Grindlays Card) and I can state without any hesitation that I have been very prompt in my payments. Keeping my repayment record in view, the bank had upgraded the card to Manhattan Platinum card about 3 years ago. During the financial year of 2009-10, I was approached by the Bank staff with an offer of TATA AIG Insta Buy card. The advantage offered through this card was a one- time free complete health check up and Free accommodation at designated hotels across India with an advance notice of 28 days. The package was offered at an amount of Rs.4000+ with an assurance that in case the client does not use any of these facilities in the validity period the amount would be refunded.
Since I had not availed off any of these facilities, I expected the bank to refund the amount to me by default. On a prolonged wait for about month and odd I telephoned the helpline in July this year and was surprised to be informed that the Insta buy card offer had been re-validated and extended for one more year, without my consent.
When I informed the Helpline call receiver that I was not in need of the extension and it was done without my consent, he registered my request for cancellation advise and gave the number as 869666 and assured that the amount of Rs.3, 000/- would be refunded within 15 days. He also advised that I send back the Instabuy card, which was couriered by then by the bank but not reached me, to one Mr.Sridhar Srinivasan of Standard Chartered Bank of Bengaluru. I promptly did this on 19-07-2010 and waited for the bank to do their duty, but to no avail.
On finding no response, I again telephoned the helpline on 17-08-2010 and spoke to one Mr.Kiran who informed that my earlier request for cancellation was not found in their records and informed that they received the Instabuy card that I had sent back. He once again registered my cancellation advise and gave the number as 269698/EOI. He gave an assurance that I would get back the amount in 5 working days from 17-08-2010. I sincerely waited for the bank to act on it. Wondering whether the SCB did not have 5 days from 17-08-2010 to 24-08-2010, I once again telephoned the helpline on 24-08-2010 and spoke to one Mr.Lakshmikant, who had informed me that the cancellation was done on 24-08-2010 and I would get the refund maximum within 15 days i.e before 07-09-2010. Today happens to be 10-09-2010 and I am yet to receive the payment. Today when I rang up the helpline twice to speak to One Ms.Lakshmi and Ramya both could not give any clear picture to me.
The moral - DO NOT TAKE ANY CALLS FROM BANKS WITH OFFERS, ESPECIALLLY THE CALLS OF STANDARD CHARTERED BANK. IS THE BANK BANKRUPT?
