Time wasted
My complaint is with regards to my experience of using a credit card by First Gulf Bank (FGB). It started with the sales person communicating a couple of card features (lifetime subscription free, worldwide lounge access and so on), which were later proven to be false.
Then, when I received the statement, I was surprised to observe charges for Accident Insurance and Credit Shield services, which I never opted for. Both of these charges kept appearing in my statements for three months, despite the complaints I made. In the last month, I was charged Dh250 for an outstanding amount of just Dh148, which was mistakenly left due to a transaction made on the last date of the statement.
I regret the time I have wasted while recording my complaints with FGB and have now ended up with the decision of terminating the card.
I would like to convey this to FGB’s management, so they can reconsider practices being followed by their salespersons and the policy of enabling unwanted charged services without the consent of the cardholder.
I hope Gulf News will consider my complaint, which will not only help other readers but also help the bank in improving their services.
From Mr Mohammad Ahmad Seddiqi
Dubai
The management of First Gulf Bank responds:
FGB is committed to its customers and in providing them with the best financial services and solutions. In our efforts to help Mr Seddiqi, we reached an amicable agreement where he will clear his past dues and will then contact us for the reversal of the one late payment fee on the credit card. He was happy with the solution provided.
Mr Seddiqi responds:
First of all, thanks to Gulf News for the way the newspaper liaised in this matter. It expresses its commitment towards readers and people in general.
With regards to my complaint, FGB representatives contacted me and discussed the matter in detail.
The complaint was regarding the charges for unwanted Accident Insurance on credit card and the late payment fee. The bank has refused to adjust the Accident Insurance premium, although they have promised to reverse the late payment fee once I pay the outstanding amount.
I have paid the complete outstanding on July 5 and informed the bank through email (customerservice@fgb.ae) the next day and am now waiting to observe the reversal of the late fee payment in the online banking account. Once reversed, I would consider it as a compensatory solution.
Thanks gain for liaising and helping us in reaching an agreement.
The management of First Gulf Bank responds:
Please note that FGB has contacted the customer and confirmed the reversal of the Late Payment Fees.
(Process initiation: July 1. Response from organisation: July 7. Reader confirmation: July 22.)
No notification
On June 22, I attempted to withdraw money from a Standard Chartered ATM with my debit card. The transaction could not be completed and the machine simply spit back my card without giving me any money. Since this had happened two days earlier as well, on June 20, I called Standard Chartered’s phone banking line. I was told that my bank account was frozen and I should go to the nearest branch to find out why; they would not give me any other information on the phone.
At the branch, I was told that my account was frozen as they required me to bring them some papers. I was told that I had been called three times by the ‘team’ and had not answered their calls, therefore they had frozen my account. This is completely untrue.
I had received two calls from Standard Chartered prior to this to inquire about some transactions. One was on June 19, and the other, a few days before that.
On both occasions I had answered all questions put to me about the transactions, although I repeatedly protested that I was not comfortable answering these questions on the phone to someone whose credentials I could not verify. The questions were as personal as “What is your husband’s salary?” (my husband is a joint account holder).
In March, I had purchased a property from Emaar for which I had withdrawn large amounts of cash from my Citibank account and personally deposited it in my Standard Chartered account as I had made out cheques from the Standard Chartered account. At the time of cash deposit, I had presented the branch manager the cash withdrawal slips. This was the transaction they were questioning me about.
After my account was frozen and I went to the branch, in the middle of multiple discussions, I was told they were no longer questioning the cash transactions, but were now questioning the cheque transactions to Emaar and they had frozen the account because they wanted me to provide the sales and purchase agreement of the property I had bought. I found this even more absurd.
Besides these two phone calls, I have not received a single notification that it was necessary to bring the papers to the bank, failing which my account would be frozen.
From Ms Shabnam Pathak
Dubai
The management of Standard Chartered responds:
The issue reported has been fully resolved and we have been in contact with our customer. All considerations have now been satisfied. Ms Pathak has personally expressed her satisfaction over the complaint resolution and she has not raised any further issue thereafter.
Ms Pathak responds:
They have apologised and accepted their mistake. Thank you so much Gulf News, for the intervention.
(Process initiation: June 24. Response from organisation: July 21. Reader confirmation: July 23.)
No progress
We moved homes from Sharjah to Rashidiya, Dubai, during the first week of April in a newly constructed group of seven villas. After a confirmation that eLife Double Play service could be shifted from Sharjah to Dubai, we requested for a transfer.
After following up for almost one month, we have been advised that it is not possible to get a transfer, instead we have to cancel and apply for a new line. We already paid all charges despite not having used the eLife service from April 10 to May 7, in addition to the cancellation charges. Furthermore, we applied for a new connection on May 7 with the assurance that the connection would take three to four days.
We visited the etisalat office in Al Twar but still, there was no progress. I talked to an engineer at the Al Twar office and was told that there is no extra fibre optic available, therefore it may take two months or more, although our neighbour — who moved in after us — got the connection. We are living in the modern world and cannot live without telephone and internet. Despite regular follow-ups with their customer care, we are not getting any satisfactory reply.
From Mr Sagheer Ahmad
Dubai
The management of etisalat responds:
Kindly note that the customer’s issue was resolved.
Mr Ahmad responded:
It has been resolved and we finally got our connection.
(Process initiation: July 25. Response from organisation: July 26. Reader confirmation: August 13.)
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.
