HDFC
Harassment!

I was an unfortunate holder of a HDFC Credit card from late 2004 to early 2006. It was supposed to be a lifetime free silver credit card. The card had a meager credit limit of Rs 12000.00 and I had hardly ever used it. Whenever I had used it for small amounts I paid back within 2-3 days time not even waiting for the due date to come.

In fact I had a Citibank Credit card with a much higher credit limit and better facilities do I used to use that one more. You can check my repayment record with Citibank if you want. Satisfied by my clean repayment record they kept increasing my card’s credit limit and facilities every year.

I had no outstanding amount on the HDFC card and in spite of informing the bank again and again never ever received a single statement from them.

On one fine day, in early 2006 I called up HDFC Bank Credit Card Division Customer Care and informed them that I was going to destroy the card so that they can block the account. They said I don’t have any outstanding but as a fore-closure free I need to pay one hundred something rupees which would be coming in the next statement and I can pay it then. I again told them that I never received any statement from them. But they said this time onwards I would definitely get them.

Days, weeks, months have passed after I have broken the card into 4 pieces and dropped the pieces in the trash can of one of the HDFC ATM’s. Then suddenly I get a call from a person called Rajesh from HDFC Bank’s recovery section. It was about a year after I had destroyed the card. Rajesh said I had about 20, 000.00 Rupees outstanding on my card and needed to pay immediately. I was stunned and I said there must have been some mistake on their part. But he kept insisting. He even threatened to drag me to the cops and the court. I felt nervous because I can’t deny that the card belonged to me because I had signed on the application form while applying for the card. Besides, I didn’t have any paper, statement, letter indicating that I’m being wrongly charged. I continued to argue with him but ultimately had to give in. He said if I pay him Rs 5000 –something on that day itself in cash, he would get me the letter of settlement within a day. I unwillingly agreed, in fear of unnecessary trouble and embarrassment.

I asked him to come to my office (TCS, Whiltefield) in Bangalore. He came with another guy from the collection agency, took the money, gave me a receipt and said he would be sending the settlement letter to me on the very next day. Ever since I had been waiting for that letter and it never came. I only have a copy of the receipt for that amount but it does in no way prove that the account had been settled. I tried calling him several times at the number he had called me from but it turned out to be an office board number so I could never talk to him.

For almost 10 months I did neither hear nor receive anything from the bank.

Now, on an official assignment I have come to Japan and I have to stay here for a couple of years if not more. Suddenly my father calls me and tells me that a certain Arjun from HDFC bank is calling and threatening them repeatedly saying ‘Your son owes us Rs 24000. Either ask him to pay or we’ll drag you to the court’. I asked my father to give them my japan contact number and email id but they said they didn’t want to make international calls and kept harassing my helpless old parents. At last, I told my father to tell them about Rajesh and the letter of settlement that never came to me. Now they are saying unless I present the settlement letter to them, they will send goons to our place and issue a legal notice etc etc.

My agreement with my firm doesn’t allow me to go to India before I have completed 18 months here. I am feeling so helpless out here. What to do? How to prove I am innocent? Is there anyone who can help me out? Can my parents sue the bank for harassment? Is it possible without having all necessary papers? I don’t have any papers with me except for that last receipt, partly because of my foolishness but mainly because of the bank’s callousness.

Plz advise smb what to do...

Devalin Sarkar

Tokyo, Japan.

Phone : 81 90 35474346

Email: devalin.sarkar@tcs.com

Company: HDFC
Country: India

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