[Resolved] HDFC Bank — incorrect amount deduction and now not refunding in the name of gst

tanumoy

from Kolkata, West Bengal

Nov 8, 2017

Address: Pune, Maharashtra, 411014

Website: www.hdfcbank.com

Hello
I am having a Corporate Salary Account with HDFC Bank over 5 years at Kharadi Branch, Pune. My name is Tanumoy Ghosh and my registered email id with HDFC is [protected]@ymail.com.
HDFC Bank has incorrectly debited Rs. 885 from my account and after several follow-ups they have reversed partial amount i.e. Rs. 750 back to my account. On further enquiring I have been told that rest of the amount i.e. Rs (885 – 750) = Rs. 135 is deducted for GST and already paid to the Government, hence they won’t be reversing that amount.
My concern is that HDFC have made an incorrect deduction on my hard earned money and how the money being invested / used are solely internal to them but why shall I be liable to bear the amount being a customer when the mistake is from HDFC side, if someone needs to bear it then it should be by HDFC Bank itself as they made the mistake not me but it has been put on me being a customer.
I have tried to reach HDFC from every possible channels right from their Support Team to MD, but none of them turned out to be helpful yet to resolve the matter entirely. Hence I am putting it over here, so that people become aware how HDFC is dealing with people’s money being one of the top rated bank in Corporate Sector.
Below are the date-wise happenings:
19th September, 2017: I have got a recorded call claimed to be HDFC Bank and the number seems to be from Chennai which says that my existing debit card ending need to be blocked as the card details are detected for a security risk and HDFC Bank will re-issue a same category Debit Card without any charge. I took it serious as the call took full 16 digits of my debit card correctly.
I have addressed this to HDFC Customer Support over email ([protected]@hdfcbank.com) to verify whether the call was real or fake.

20th September, 2017: I called Phonebanker explaining the recorded call that I have received on 19th September, he checked and confirmed me that my card is at potential risk and need to be blocked, on the same call itself I get the card blocked and get a request raised for a new card.
Then I have received an email from Riskcontrol.[protected]@hdfcbank.com confirming that the existing card is blocked and they would re-issue a new card.

27th September, 2017: I have received a response from [protected]@hdfcbank.com vide reference number[protected] confirming that the recorded call on 19th Sept on which I enquired was the case from HDFC Bank, so that was a re-assurance to me that it was a real initiative from HDFC Bank only.

5th October, 2017: I have been charged with Rs. 885 with Narration: "DEBIT CARD ISSUANCE FEE”.
I have called HDFC Phonebanker and raised a complaint regarding the incorrect amount deduction as for agreeing on re-issuance of new debit card I have been earlier told that it’s a HDFC Bank Security initiative and it won’t attract any charges.
I took it to twitter to @HDFCBank_Cares and they have asked me to email them the details at [protected]@hdfcbank.com with Ref No. TW[protected], I did the same but unfortunately no response received till today after repeated follow-ups.

12th October, 2017: I waited for a week but received no communication from HDFC inspite of calling Phonebanker and mailing to them as instructed to me in Twitter.
Then, I have dropped an email to my Customer Relationship Manager Ms. Anjana Jha (anjana.[protected]@hdfcbank.com) and got the partial amount Rs. 750 refunded to my account on 16th October, 2017.
On enquiring about why the additional Rs. 135 not refunded I got a call from Kharadi Branch Person named Priyanka and she informed me that it has been charged as GST and cannot be refunded. My case was registered vide number #PUNC[protected].
Till date when I ask Anjana for an update, I got to know that either they are not getting any reply from Kharadi Branch or they are still awaiting for approval from Kharadi Branch and this way a month has passed since the incorrect deduction been made from my account.
I have also called to the Risk Control Team of HDFC Bank (+91 044 –[protected] that my Branch has deducted money for the new debit card which is not aligned with what they said me initially while requesting me to take a new debit card. They told me that they used to send instructions to the corresponding branches, but at times the branches do mistakes and for that I need to take it up with Branch and they won’t be interfering in it.

21st October, 2017: I realised that it might need a push from higher management to prioritise the matter to Kharadi Branch.
Hence, I filled up a Grievance Redressal Form - Savings Account in HDFC site briefing the matter and received an automated response from Grievance.[protected]@hdfcbank.com vide reference number[protected] that it will be responded in 2 working days but nothing received as of yet.
At the same time, I took the MD’s Mail ID from HDFC site and mailed at [protected]@hdfcbank.com regarding the matter and again no response.
I have followed up on both the Grievance as well as MD’s mail if I get a response on that.

My Customer Relationship Manager, Ms. Anjana Jha has clearly instructed to revert the GST amount i.e. Rs. 135 but don’t know what Kharadi Branch is doing from so long and even not giving me a clear update on my matter.
Regards
Tanumoy Ghosh

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Dec 23, 2017

Complaint marked as Resolved

HDFC Bank customer support has been notified about the posted complaint.

Nov 19, 2017

Updated by tanumoy Consumer Complaint Forum: What is the turn around time to reply on your notification to the support against whom complaint being raised ? This is for your attention it's been 10 days, but no response from HDFC. Please escalate the matter as much as possible.

Verified Support

Nov 20, 2017

HDFC Bank Customer Care's response Dear Customer,

Please note as per the recent amendments, the Finance Bill have widened the scope of banking and financial services which are eligible for the levy of Good and Services Tax (GST ). As per the current Finance Bill, all fees and transaction charges, levied in your card account, will attract a rate of GST @ 18%. In terms of these guidelines provided by the Finance Bill, the Bank will be levying the GST accordingly and thereby wish to reiterate that GST component once charged will not be reversed. The above the details are also updated in the HDFC Bank Website " www.hdfcbank.com ", please refer Fees and Charges section in the website or below Schedule of charges MITC link for details on GST. http://www.hdfcbank.com/assets/pdf/cc_common_MITC.pdf

-Manoj
HDFC Bank Customer Assistance

Nov 23, 2017

Updated by tanumoy Manoj

Let me clear you that the I have not requested for a new debit card. One fine evening I have been called from HDFC Bank that they are re-issuing a new debit card and blocking the current debit card due to security reasons and THAT DO NOT CHARGE ANYTHING AS IT IS BANK INITIATIVE.

Then why have you deducted amount for the new debit card issuance when it was HDFC Bank initiative not mine, so it proves that it's a mistake from your side.

Now coming to your policies and all, the amount you have deducted is my hard earned money, and that too you didn't informed me while re-issuing the new debit card, else I would not have agreed for that.

Once you will say it is of no charge, then you will charge and then will not refund money, what kind of professionalism is this ?
Whether you deducted the amount for GST or anywhere else, that's none of my business, what I only know that you have deducted my money mistakenly, so if the amount need to bear that would be from your (HDFC Bank) end, why shall I bear the amount for your mistake. I NEED JUSTIFICATION FOR THIS.

It is illegitimate that you are deducting amount from customer's account having said them earlier that the services are chargeless. It clearly proves communication gap among your internal teams and department, but I have wondered to see that you forcefully want customer to bear the cost for your own mistake.
Is this the new policy defined by HDFC to retain their customers by playing double sided role, saying chargeless service but after giving the service they are charging for that.
Where is this policy written ?