Companies fail to respond to consumer issues

Merging problems

I am a non-resident account holder in Dubai and been banking with Dubai Bank from 2008 until they merged with Emirates Islamic Bank (EIB) at the end of 2012. My account was moved from Dubai Bank, Jumeirah Beach Road (JBR) branch to EIB. That was when my problems started. I stopped receiving bank statements. I called and emailed several times but nothing happened. I filled in one form sent to me by e-mail in order to receive statements and do online banking but nothing happened. I travelled to Dubai in July and spent more than one hour at an EIB branch where they tried to help me. I found out that even if I was a priority customer I had not been assigned a bank manager. I filled in more forms to receive my statements and be able to make payments from abroad but again nothing happened.

Recently I needed to pay my building charges and the only reply I got from EIB was that I needed to “to sign the original fax indemnity form on EIB format, which available across the EIB branches.” So I asked them to send it to me and the reply was: “Original form needs to sign and it should be signed in presence of EIB employee.” So, now, I would need to go in person to Dubai and sign more forms (I have filled in and signed at least three already) to be able to use my money to pay my bills. And of course I am still not receiving my monthly statements despite my several requests. Frankly I don’t know what to do anymore.

From Mr Nicola Cesare Arzani

Dubai

Mr Arzani updates:

I have been dealing with EIB non-stop since October. As of today (December 11, 2013) I am still unable to use my money and make payments for my apartments in Dubai. I am incurring penalties because I am several weeks late for building charges. I seem to discover new requirements all the time. I provided a mobile number change for my profile more than two weeks ago and it has not yet been changed on my profile.

I don’t know what I have to do more in order to be able to use my money. It has now been 10 months that I have been unable to access my money at EIB. A very frustrated customer.

Editor’s note: The complaint was forwarded to the management of Emirates Islamic Bank for comments. However, despite repeated reminders, EIB did not respond.

Do transfer my special number

I have an existing prepaid connection with Du. I have been using the same number since May 2012. As the number is special number, I had to pay an additional Dh100,000 to transfer the number to my name from the previous owner. The prepaid number was transferred to my name at the Du branch in Deira City Centre and post approval from the telecom company. The receipt of the transfer file is available for reference.

Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company or Du has asked me to upgrade my existing prepaid to postpaid with Diamond plan at a monthly rental of Dh2,500 with the contract period of one year. When I refused to accept the offer, I was advised that Du will terminate the existing prepaid connection. I was also advised by the customer service advisor that the special number was launched by mistake.

However, I fail to understand the hostility and financial losses I face due to such instances, wherein as a customer, I need to pay for the mistakes committed by the service provider.

In the past one month, my friends, family members and I are facing the same problem with Du. We pay a high price for the numbers only to be threatened by Du later. I request Gulf News to help us and provide solutions.

From Mr Waddah Abdullah Bin Taher

Dubai

A spokesperson from Du responds on December 29, 2013:

Customers’ interests matter the most to us. We regularly inform our customers that the only authorised channel to purchase special numbers is through our Du shops. The risk of procuring special numbers through any other channel is the sole responsibility of the customer. In response to Mr Taher’s query, we apologise for the inconvenience he faced. We have been in touch with him and offered him an alternate mobile plan. We look forward to his response on this matter.

Mr Taher responds on January 2, 2014:

I appreciate your response. Kindly note that after getting the number from the previous owner I transferred this to my name from an Du authorised centre. If they can see any issue, why did they transfer the number to my name?

Also, they informed me after one-and-a-half years, as I have already confirmed that I am using this number since May 2012.

Editor’s note: The follow up letter was forwarded to Du on January 7, 2014 for further comments. However, the management of Du did not respond.

Over deductions

I would like to share a recent distressing and harrowing experience that I had encountered with Etisalat. I have recently closed my account with Etisalat and visited Al Khaleej Centre branch to pay my final bill for Dh179.88. Unfortunately, the customer service agent, who used my debit card to swipe the card machine, swiped it twice instead of once, and hence the money was deducted twice from my bank account. The authorisation code of the transactions as done with Etisalat were provided to the branch along with the copy of the bank statement, which mentions that the amount was debited twice from my account, when it should have been debited only once. Post providing all the detailed documentation and evidence to Al Khaleej Centre branch, there has been no movement from the authorities to reimburse the overpaid amount, which caused me severe distress. I would appreciate to receive my money back from Etisalat at the earliest, and hence request Gulf News support in raising this matter.

From Mr Bhavik Matani

Dubai

Editor’s note: The complaint was forwarded to the management of Etisalat for comments. However, despite repeated reminders, Etisalat did not respond.

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