Open case

This is to bring to your attention an issue that my father is facing regarding his credit card with Union National Bank (UNB).

My father was working in the UAE for the past few years. Unfortunately, due to company rescheduling, he lost his job. So he planned to settle in India. Before cancelling his visa, he went to the bank to close his credit card and account.

He had applied for credit shield, which he wanted to cancel, and had cards with other banks apart from UNB. Although the cards have been successfully cancelled with them, UNB’s is still open. He is still receiving the monthly statement from UNB. For the past four months, my father and I have been trying to close this case, but we are not receiving any positive response from the bank. We keep getting replies that the investigation is ongoing regarding this ‘incident’.

Please do the needful and help us solve this issue as soon as possible.

From Mr Shanid Haroon

UAE

Editor’s note: The complaint was forwarded to UNB for comments. However, despite repeated reminders, its management did not respond.

Mr Haroon updates:

Thank you Gulf News. After the newspaper’s follow up, there has been some progress. The bank contacted me and my father. They asked us to give them a little more time on the credit shield issue. They told us they are discussing the same issue with their insurance company and will get back to us shortly. So, we are waiting for a call from bank.

Editor’s note: The update was forwarded to UNB for comments. However, its management did not respond.

(Process initiation: September 13. Reader confirmation: October 2.)

Charged for unknown calls

My etisalat complaint was raised in August 2013, but a year later, this complaint is still open.

I requested for a new etisalat connection (only for internet) in July 2013. Etisalat’s support team provided a connection through my neighbour’s home — from their router to the D-link modem in my home. In the first month, I received a bill of Dh850 (Dh299 for internet and Dh200 for ISD call charge), but etisalat’s internet bill was only Dh299 per month.

Then, I raised a complaint with etisalat. Even after five days, there was no update. Again, I visited the same person in etisalat’s business centre and she updated me, saying: “We will solve this issue within 48 hours”. But it has still not been solved. Again in the next month, I received a bill amounting to Dh1,400. In the bill, it was mentioned that I had an ISD call charge of Dh800, with the calls going to Egypt and Iran. I have never called these countries. Additionally, I don’t have a telephone in my room — only a D-link modem. Yet, every month, an ISD call bill is added to my account, charging me a minimum of Dh300.

I visited etisalat’s office more than 30 times, including etisalat’s head office — the Airport Road branch, Abu Dhabi. Everywhere, I receive the same answer: “Within 48 hours, we’ll solve your problem”. I have called etisalat’s support team more than 20 times, but there has never been a proper response.

I cancelled my account in October 2013, because of this billing issue. I paid all the amounts, Dh299 every month for internet charges only, but there is still a pending amount of Dh2,000. I hope Gulf News can resolve this issue.

From Mr Jahfar Sathick

Abu Dhabi

The management of etisalat responds:

Kindly note that the customer’s issue was resolved.

(Process initiation: August 31. Response from organisation: September 23.)

Eligible or not?

Standard Chartered was running a Cashback offer, which included a return of 10 per cent on school fee payment.

The bank then decided to make changes to the offer and turn it into a three per cent Cashback, effective July 1, which meant that school fees paid after July 1 would not be eligible.

I paid my child’s school fee in June, however received only three per cent Cashback. The reason given was that since the statement was generated in July, the revised offer of three per cent Cashback applied. This is completely unfair. I request Gulf News’ help in this matter.

From Mr Vikas Gupta

Dubai

The management of Standard Chartered responds:

Upon receiving the complaint, Standard Chartered Customer Care Unit contacted the customer and explained the new Cashback structure relating to school fee payments. The issue stands resolved. The Standard Chartered MasterCard Titanium remains the credit card that provides cardholders with unparalleled value and Cashback in the UAE and our customers can still receive up to 10 per cent Cashback on their school fee payments, supermarket spend and utility bills, the highest in the UAE today.

Mr Gupta responds:

The bank did contact me, and they have resolved the issue. They have credited the Cashback points. Thank you Gulf News for taking this issue up.

(Process initiation: August 31. Response from organisation: September 14. Reader confirmation: September 20.)

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.