- Bank promises lifetime free credit card but started charging annual fee
- An annual membership fee can be waived, but with some terms and conditions
I would like to highlight some issues of Dubai First bank (now called First Abu Dhabi Bank, FAB) credit card. I had tried through the phone banking a few times, but was not getting any support at all. The issue with Dubai First is there is no proper response, no proper branch to address issues. They promised lifetime [free] credit card and started charging annual fee. I tried to negotiate to pay in full and asked for a discount, they rejected it. The agent that I had spoken a couple of times to was not cooperative at all. They do not listen to the customers.
From Mr Sasi Kolavarambath
Sharjah
The management of FAB responds: FAB supports the growth ambitions of its stakeholders and goes beyond financial products and services, and as such, we are grateful for all customer feedback as we strive to consistently deliver the highest standards of service. The bank has been in contact with Sasi Kolavarambath, and the matter has been resolved.
Mr Kolavarambath responds: Thanks for Gulf News intervention in dealing with this case. In fact I got a call from their representative and was supposed to get me an annual membership fee waiver, but with some terms and conditions met. I still believe this was not case when I took the card. A few years I had paid them unknowingly (in fact I don’t follow the statements regularly). I wanted them to waive off at least this fee, which is about Dh400 and not charge me in the following years also since I had taken the card as free for lifetime, and I have other cards in which other banks don’t charge me this fee. I am not fully satisfied with their assistance, in fact they only called me but no solution has arisen from the call.
Editor’s note: The follow-up letter was forwarded to FAB for comments. However, its management did not respond.
(Process initiation: February 12. Response from organisation: February 27. Process completion: March 24.)
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.
