Gulf News raises readers' consumer issues

Extra charges

I subscribed to the Favourite Country [service] when it was announced by etisalat in May this year.

I visited the etisalat Customer Service office in Jebel Ali on May 13 and was told to fill a form and submit it. On submission, which was being done at the reception, I was advised to wait 24 hours for this facility to become active. I waited longer than that and made my first call on May 16. I was given a confirmation that the facility had been activated.

On June 20, I received my bill and was surprised to see that I had been charged in full while the Favourite Country plan had not taken effect on my number. On June 21, I went to etisalat's Jebel Ali office. The customer service agent at the counter checked the bills and asked me to fill out a complaint form.

I did this and asked for a complaint number, which he did not provide as he said the matter would be resolved by the billing department at the head office in a couple of days and by Wednesday, June 23, I would receive an SMS informing me of the same. On June 23, in the evening, I visited the office again and met with the same agent.

He showed me a bunch of forms and said these were all similar complaints and they would be submitted over the weekend and not to worry — the matter would be resolved by Sunday and I would receive the SMS. The promised SMS never came. On the evening of Sunday, June 27, not having received the text message, I went to the Customer Service office again.

This time, the service agent was attending to another customer and my token showed me the way to another counter. This service agent checked her computer and handed me a slip with my complaint number and assured me that she had sent a follow-up e-mail and it would be resolved by July 4. On the date, still not having received anything from etisalat, I went back to follow up.

This time my token took me back to the earlier service agent's counter. On examining his computer he said that my number was listed as commercial and not residential and this was probably causing the delay.

I was once again told to go to the reception, fill up a form for this correction and it would be done immediately, but alas once again nothing happened. I was politely informed at the reception counter that they would let me know in a couple of days. [Still nothing has been done].

From Mr Sher Dil Batra, Dubai

The management of etisalat replies: Kindly be informed that Mr Dil Batra's issue has been solved and closed.

Mr Dil Batra responds:

This is to inform Gulf News that etisalat has been good enough to send me a letter dated July 15, 2010. [It was] received on July 25, and informed me that the excess amount of Dh422.60 that was charged has been adjusted.

[On checking] the bill for the month of July, which I received around the middle of August, [I found that] the amount charged in excess has duly been credited by etisalat to my account. Thank you [Gulf News] for your assistance.

Bank promotions

Our problem with First Gulf Bank — related to a credit card issue — is shocking. We (my spouse and I) had agreed to take a credit card from them because they had offered Dh100 load transfer upon approval of application with first-year annual fees free.

However, after putting in all sorts of documentation — including a cheque — when we got the card, the subject etisalat load never got transferred to our dedicated mobile number even after several attempts. Thus we resigned ourselves to the idea and never activated the card, let alone used it.

A year passed and we received an invoice of annual fees for the proceeding year, upon which we immediately (before its expiry) worked on getting it cancelled as we did not want it.

However, we were bombarded with a number of verbal offers except that of cancellation. When pointed out about the charges being for the next year, they refuse to budge and threatened to encash our cheque.

They continue to charge us on a monthly basis without even having the courtesy of informing us of their refusal in a written document.

Dr Aqeela and  Mr Mustafa Shabbir, Abu Dhabi

The management of First Gulf Bank responds: With regards to this customer complaint, please note that all the charges on account of Annual Membership fees are reversed and the card is cancelled in our system.

Also please be briefed on the following issues highlighted by the customer:

1. Renewal — Our policy on card renewal is similar to other banks and cards are auto renewed on expiry unless specifically instructed by the customer.

2. Mobile credit — There was no promotion of mobile credit as quoted by the customer and hence we were unable to validate the claim.

Mr Shabbir responds: It was only due to your [Gulf News'] intervention that they have finally cancelled the card.