Account closure
I was holding a salary transfer account with Emirates NBD, but I got laid off in 2010, and my final settlement cheque was cashed in the Galleria Branch where I was holding an account. At that time my visa was cancelled and the cashier took the photocopy of my cancelled visa and passport and informed me if there is no transaction for three months, the account will be closed. I came back to the UAE in 2012, after a gap of two years.
Then I checked the account, it was showing minus Dh600. I approached the bank and they told me that this is a service charge. How can they charge me when I have been laid off from the company, as that was my salary transfer account and also I was not in the country for two years? Moreover, they have seen and taken the photocopy of my cancelled visa while cashing my final settlement cheque. Kindly help me how I can sort out the issue.
From Mr Junaid Ahmad Khot
Dubai
The management of Emirates NBD responds:
We are pleased to inform you that our Group Customer Experience team has been in touch with Mr Junaid Ahmad Khot and the matter has been resolved to his satisfaction. We wish to clarify that the closure or opening of accounts or a change in any information related to an account is handled by the bank’s Customer Service Executives and not by the tellers and that any identification that is submitted to a teller is for security purposes while conducting a financial transaction.
Hence, we would like to confirm that the identification submitted by Mr Khot was a security procedure that Emirates NBD requires for the withdrawal of any funds from an account and not an assurance that his account was to be closed. In this light, we have communicated to Mr Khot that in order to close or conduct any other changes to an account, it is required that a customer visits his/her nearest branch and speaks with a Customer Service Representative.
As a gesture of goodwill, Emirates NBD has decided to exceptionally waive the total amount of accumulated charges that were applied on Mr Khot’s account and our dedicated team is currently assisting him with the account closure formalities. We wish to thank you for your continuous support and for providing us with the opportunity to further assist our valued customers.
Mr Khot responds:
Thanks for the support and the intervention of Gulf News. It has helped me sort out the problem.
Charged after cancellation
I received several calls from the Etisalat sales team with a special offer to upgrade my eLife Double Play to Triple Play with a six-month free package. Initially, I refused to go for the upgrade as the TV, which I purchased at that time, was made in US, and did not support the Phase Alternating Line (PAL) signal. But later, due to continuous calls from the Etisalat sales representatives, I accepted the offer but only on one condition that, if the Etisalat Set Top Box (STB) stops supporting my TV, they have to take STB back and cancel the Triple Play.
After that, the Etisalat technician came to my home and tested and it was not working so he took the STB back. I called the Etisalat customer care to check whether it is activated by Etisalat and found that it is already activated on my account. Starting from November 2012, I visited the Etisalat office in Al Khaleej Business Center more than 16 times. Despite several visits to their office and taking the trouble of standing in long queues, no one helped and every staff member at Etisalat gave me different excuses.
I am highly dissatisfied. I feel cheated by Etisalat charging me for eLife Triple Play. I hope that Gulf News will help solve my issue at the earliest.
From Mr Padmaraj V Patil
Dubai
The management of Etisalat responds:
Kindly find the below feedback from contractors. Previously, the STB was not supported by the TV. Our technician installed the STB at customer’s home, with his approval, and closed the case.
- Is the customer is satisfied from the service?
All services are working from Emirates Telecommunications Corporation’s (ETC) side
- Is the customer contacted again to complete the work later?
It was agreed with the customer to call our staff when the new television was available
- Did the customer confirm that he will be back after purchasing the TV for further connectivity?
He took an Etisalat’s staff mobile number to call and confirm
Mr Patil responds:
Etisalat’s management is telling a lie. I never told them that I will change the TV. I don’t have the STB and I am not using the eLife service from the last 12 months. Why should I waste my time for one STB? I am raising this issue for Etisalat not having any transparency in marketing, installation and confirmation from client that whether the service is working or not. I feel highly dissatisfied.
Editor’s note: The complaint was forwarded to the management of Etisalat for further investigation. However, despite repeated reminders, they failed to respond.
Editor’s note: If you have similar consumer complaints and wish to raise them with the newspaper, contact us by email at readers@gulfnews.com
