[Resolved]  HDFC Bank Credit Card Division — Harassing Collection Agents

Address: Mumbai City, Maharashtra

The following is the email sent by me to the Grievance Cell at HDFC.:
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Dear Sir/Mam,

I, Lovina Chandnani, am a credit card holder with your bank since the year 2005. I was given this card enrolment form by one of your representatives who was distributing and enrolling people, right outside my office building at that time Intelenet Global Services. I have used the card and was regularly paying back the bank for quiet some time as the records would show.

However, I have lost jobs since 2008 and my financial condition has been very bad since then. I have a family of 6...my grandmother (paralysed-bed ridden), my father(declared unfit and ill since 2007 by the doctors), my mother who is always taking care of my grandmother and my father cause of their illnesses. My 2 sisters who have now got jobs and they support my family expenses. We don't have a house, hence we are staying in my grandmother's house since the year 2007.

I have been earning just 10000 rupees per month since 2008...sometimes not even that. I have been trying to get myself a better paying job since then, in order to be able to pay back the bank.

Credit Card: [protected] / [protected]
Mobile #: [protected]

I do want to repay all the amounts owed to the bank. However, I am not able to pay anything more than Rs.1500/- per month. I have informed this to various customer care representatives and collection agencies as well.

However, below mentioned are some serious issues faced by me, my family, my neighbours due to your collection representatives.

Priya Mehta from Hdfc Bank started calling me at 10.40 am, Monday, June 14th, 2010.

Priya also called my neighbours at 10.45 and miscommunicated to them, that she was calling from SBI for an insurance amount to be given to me. She had called the same neighbors also on Friday and Saturday, 11th & 12th of June and said the same thing. My neighbours have lodged a complaint against the number 65290768 at the Mira road Police Station claiming harassment to them. Such behaviour on the part of your agents is an illegal move as per the RBI rules.
Ravi Verma spoke to me as a manager from HDFC bank. Upon asking the agency name, he said that they were calling from Collections Dept of the HDFC bank. I have informed them of the email being sent to you.
She has already called my neighbours 6 times today and has been very abusive over the phone with my neighbours and my parents.She has called me over 5 times already and been very rude,abusive and is maligning my name.

I have also received such calls earlier from another representative called Archana, from the numbers : 65149565,65149316.

Below mentioned are some rules sent to me by my father's lawyer for my reference.

RBI Rules:
(iii) Fair Practices in debt collection

(a) In the matter of recovery of dues, banks / NBFCs may ensure that they, as also their agents, adhere to the extant instructions on Fair Practice Code for lenders (circular DBOD. Leg. No. BC. 104 /09.07.007 / 2002–03 dated May 5, 2003) as also IBA’s Code for Collection of dues and repossession of security. In case banks / NBFCs have their own code for collection of dues it should, at the minimum, incorporate all the terms of IBA's Code.

(b) In particular, in regard to appointment of third party agencies for debt collection, it is essential that such agents refrain from action that could damage the integrity and reputation of the bank / NBFC and that they observe strict customer confidentiality. All letters issued by recovery agents must contain the name and address of a responsible senior officer of the card issuing bank whom the customer can contact at his location.

(c) Banks / NBFCs / their agents should not resort to intimidation or harassment of any kind, either verbal or physical, against any person in their debt collection efforts, including acts intended to humiliate publicly or intrude the privacy of the credit card holders’ family members, referees and friends, making threatening and anonymous calls or making false and misleading representations.

Like I have already suggested, I do want to pay, however, I need help from you as a bank officer in stopping such maligning and disturbing incidents. I'd like to get this sorted out and would like to start paying my card from July 1st...Rs. 1500/- every month on the 1st.

Kindly suggest the actions taken against Priya and the agency and also help me pay you back.

Anticipating cooperation from you.

Thank you.

Lovina Chandnani
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However, I need some help as I dont trust these guys, and i dont think that they will help me. Kindly help.

Thanks .

Lovina