Give my cash back
I write to Gulf News with regard to an issue I am facing with RAKBANK for their Cashback points programme. I read sometime ago that another customer also had a similar issue and Gulf News was able to assist in having the problem resolved.
I am almost a decade-old user of RAKBANK’s credit card. They have a loyalty programme through which, a user gets Cashback points. I had around 599 points till the month of October 2014. In my November 2014 statement, I read that 522 points had been reduced to 39, as the points expired during the 15-month period. I contacted the bank, which informed me that the points had been cancelled, as the 15-month period was over and they could not return the points, where one point is equal to Dh1.
I even called the service centre manager, who explained the same, but unfortunately, no one was able to understand what I was trying to explain. In the end, I was given the routine answer: ‘we will take this as feedback, as we can’t consider this as a complaint’.
My question to the customer support staff was, how will a user know when and which points are about to expire? As the statement only states the current number of points available. The representative replied that the user needs to calculate this, based on the monthly statements. I replied, if my points were expiring, then why not simply transfer them to my credit card rather than cancelling them? He said that the credit card holder needs to call and request for this.
If the bank can send you a message for over limit, payment due or any other issue related to payment, then why not think about the user and inform him/her with a simple SMS that points are expiring?
This problem occurred again in my January 2015 statement, when 23 points had expired. It clearly means that the feedback taken from me was of no use. If such programmes are not there to assist the customers, then it’s better to completely remove them.
I hope Gulf News will be able to assist me in getting back these 545 points.
From Mr Rizwan Khan
Ajman
Mr Ian Hodges, Head of Retail Banking, RAKBANK responds:
Thank you for giving us an opportunity to justify our stance on the issues raised by Mr Khan, RAKBANK customer, before you decide whether to proceed with publication.
The concerns raised by Mr Khan have been reviewed and we understand that the customer is contesting the Cashback that expired in his November and December 2014 credit card statements. As per the Credit Card agreement, Cashback not redeemed within 15 months from the month it was earned, expires and subsequently gets reduced from the accumulated Cashback balance reflected in the Credit Card statement. This information is also confirmed in the monthly statement.
Since receipt of Gulf News’ email, we have contacted Mr Khan and once again advised him of our inability to refund the expired Cashback on his Credit Card account.
Mr Khan responds:
I appreciate the swift action taken by Gulf News, but unfortunately am disappointed with the RAKBANK’s reply. I am not at all happy and satisfied with the same reply that they have given me for maybe the fifth time. Again, I thank Gulf News for all the support.
(Process initiation: April 19. Response from organisation: April 21. Reader response: April 22.)
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.
