Accounts frozen

I have a personal loan from FGB, which is Dh899.58 a month. Every month, I pay Dh900 but due to a financial problem last October, I paid my monthly instalment on October 17 instead of the October 2. Three days after my due date, a customer service representative called me to remind me about my instalment plan. I told her that I have financial issues, and asked if it were possible to pay twice on my next pay day, but she told me it was not possible. I told her that I don’t have any means to pay before that time. Then, she became rude and told me if I’m not going to pay within the same week, the bank would update my records with Central Bank (she never told me about a late payment fee). Then, she called again and again, all the while threatening me.

I borrowed money from a friend to pay for it. After I paid Dh900 through the ATM machine, a representative from FGB called and asked me why I had only paid Dh900, and that the due amount was Dh1,110. When I asked why, she told me it was for late payment fee. I asked her why she had not informed me earlier, and just ignored it. After a week or so, I received an SMS from FGB (from the mobile number of an agent), who informed me that I would have to pay my dues, of Dh220. I was shocked, so I called the same number and asked about it. She told me it was because of my late payment fee and the daily interest. I told her again that I was never told about the late payment fee and that daily interest.

Later, somebody called from FGB. From the start, he was rude and asked me to pay Dh250. So I told him my usual line — why are you giving me daily charges with late payment fee, when I didn’t even know about it from the very start? He told me it was in the welcome note. I said I didn’t receive any welcome note. Then he told me it was in the contract that I had signed (which was my mistake, as I hadn’t read it before). So I told him to please email me that part of the agreement and if it was there, I would pay. But he kept on asking me in a very rude manner: “Do you want to pay? Do you want to pay?” I kept on telling him I would pay — just email me the agreement. He then told me to go to the bank, and as he was asking me again if I wanted to pay, the line was cut.

After a few hours, my family and I went to pay Dh250 at the FGB branch in King Abdul Aziz Street in Sharjah. Then, we headed to Sharjah City Centre to have dinner. When I was about to pay, I used my Emirates NBD credit card to pay for the food, but after two attempts, it said ‘incorrect pin’. I’m sure it was not wrong. Then I handed them my FGB credit card and it had the same problem — ‘incorrect pin’. When I checked my debit card for Emirates NBD, it also said there that they couldn’t assist me at that moment. Then, somebody told us my accounts were frozen. That’s when I thought of the collecting agents, who kept on threatening me. I wanted to cry at that moment, as I felt very helpless and ashamed, because I couldn’t pay for the food.

Is it right to freeze all my accounts for a due amount of Dh250 only? Is it right to keep on calling customers even at work, and threatening them?

From Ms Emedinajoy Ramos

Sharjah

The management of FGB responds:

FGB is grateful for all customer feedback to which we give careful consideration as we strive to consistently deliver the highest standards of service. The bank has been in contact with Ms Ramos, and the matter has been resolved.

(Process initiation: November 30. Response from organisation: December 6.)

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