Companies address readers’ issues

Phantom purchases

An unauthorised transaction of Dh2,105.25 was made from my Standard Chartered Bank supplementary credit card on February 13. The transaction took place in the US from a retail store in Hicksville. I filled in a dispute form on February 13 as per the bank’s request.

On the morning of February 14, I received a text message from a Dubai-based number, stating that a transaction had been made for Dh2,105.25 and that if I had not made this transaction, I would need to call the same number. Immediately, I called them back and they replied saying they had dishonoured the transaction. But to my surprise, the transaction was honoured without my permission.

Moreover, the supplementary card was with me at the time the unauthorised purchase took place and I don’t know on what basis the shop approved it. In addition, there were not enough funds at the time to honour the transaction. I believe the bank has gone through with it in an irresponsible manner.

As a result of honouring this transaction without enough funds, it created an over limit and now the bank has charged an amount of Dh200 as over limit fees. Despite my request to cancel the charge due to no fault of my own, they insisted that this was as per the bank’s regulations.

Therefore, I kindly request Gulf News to intervene in the matter and help reverse the two unfair charges.

From Mr Godfrey Pais

Abu Dhabi

The management of Standard Chartered responds:

Standard Chartered’s Customer Care Unit has been in touch with the customer and the issue is now resolved.

Mr Pais responds:

I confirm that Standard Chartered has reversed both the charges. The issue has been resolved. Gulf News has really made a big impact. Thank you very much for the intervention and effort.

(Process initiation: April 16. Response from organisation: April 21. Reader confirmation: April 21.)

No network coverage

I live in Al Riqqa Street in Deira, Dubai. There is very little or no network in our three-bedroom flat and since the past four or five months, I have been trying to get my issue resolved with etisalat. Within my family, there are five members using etisalat Sim cards. Without a mobile network in the apartment, we face great inconvenience when it comes to making phone calls. I have raised the issue to the network provider over and over again, but till date, nobody has got back to us even once with a solution. Sometimes, we have to wait for 10 to 15 minutes to get a little network so that we are able to make or receive a call. When we complain, the only answer we get is, ‘We are very sorry. Someone will call you soon regarding the issue’. It would be great if Gulf News could take up this issue with etisalat and help us get it sorted.

From Mr Aslam A. Darbar

Dubai

The management of etisalat responds:

Kindly note that the customer’s issue is resolved.

Mr Darbar responds:

Within a day, I got at least four to five calls. They have resolved my problem. I am very thankful to the newspaper.

(Process initiation: March 17. Response from organisation: April 16. Reader confirmation: April 21.)

Editor’s note: Do you have similar issues that you would like to raise with us? You can write to us at readers@gulfnews.com