Harassment on phone by ICICI Bank DSA
79I am Rajinder Soni living in Patel Nagar, New Delhi, India. I would like to let the world know about the problems people have when using credit cards. When these credit card companies will offer you a credit card, they will show that they are very polite and soft and when you are unable to give them money for one single month, this is what they will do. I am really helpless and depressed over this issue and therefore thought to share my concerns with the internet community so that people who have suffered the same situation or are suffering a situation like me can get united and think over and solve this issue. I know there are a lot of intentional credit card defaulters in the world but what about people who are not intentional defaulters but are struggling for months to pay their credit card debt which never finishes off, as the interest rate is very high and is totally irrelevant. Read below what happened in my case. I have been a victim of harassment by a well-known international bank which has a lot of complaints against it in the business and financial market.
Here you go: I have been receiving threatening and harassment calls from ICICI bank for payment of my credit card no. 4477474321XXXXXX. I have been using this card now for the last 2 or more years and up until now I have used 85000/- INR and paid 65240/- INR to ICICI bank. I started receiving calls from a person by the name of Mr. Rajesh Tiwari (contact # 9810601913, 011-43080502) who tells me that he is a senior manager at Rohini branch, ICICI Bank Ltd., Garg Plaza, 5 Community Centre, Sector 8, Rohini Delhi. Pin - 110085.
He called me up on March 25, 2009 and today, March 26, 2009 and started abusing me to give 3800/- INR in form of cash for payment of my credit card. I told him that I will pay the rest of the amount when my next month's salary will come in, i.e., April 7, 2009 but he refused and told me that I am sending two people to collect money from your home failing which I will pick up from your home and beat you like anything. After receiving these wordings from a person posing as a senior manager in ICICI bank, I thought that this person cannot be a manager and might be a DSA (direct sales associate). I again told him that I do not have this much amount to pay right now but you can take a postdated cheque from me instead for April 8, 2009 when I will receive money in my account. At this statement of mine, Mr. Rajesh Tiwari told me that you are cheap person and started abusing me and told me that you do not have money to pay than how you will pay after receiving salary. He told me that I am sending two people and pay 1800, 1000, or 800 whatever you have as it is our closing time and month ending and we have a target. I disconnected his phone and filed an FIR # with DY no. 25A in Patel Nagar Police Station to Duty Officer Mr. Partar Singh and he took my application and gave me a copy of that in receiving stating that we will see to this case and will take action. After coming out from the Patel Nagar Police Station, I received a call from mobile number 9818677179. The caller (sub inspector Mr. Yadav) told me that he is calling from Pahar Ganj Police Station and come and meet me in person at Room #12 in Pahar Ganj Police Station.
I am really threatened and depressed because of this behavior done by the ICICI bank and its employees and feel that me and my family are not safe at our home.
I request internet community to please look into my issue and tell me what to do?
I will be highly obliged if someone can suggest something.
Thanks,
Rajinder Soni
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Comments
Thank you Sangeet for the really good information and helpful advice. I think you have faced this kind of behavior by some credit card people. I am talking with ICICI Bank regarding the settlement issue but it is going on in one way and on the other side, they are telling DSA to call and get money out of my pocket. How much the amount should be, they are not worried. Regarding the credit card number, I would like to tell you that it is in a blocked status and I am not in my life going to reissue it as I am so fed of this bank that I cannot tell you. Then also for safety concerns, I will remove my number from the hub. Thanks for at least looking at this matter.
Take the following steps:
1) Never, ever mention your CC no online.
2) What is the minimum amount due? If you have been paying regularly, it will be 5% of the Total amount due. The bank CANNOT force you to pay more than that.
3) Confirm who is calling you. If you ever make a payment in cash, please take a valid receipt then and there. DO NOT make any payment without a receipt.
4) Contact the bank. Make them to confirm that the person who is calling is their representative.
5) Go to the bank branch from which the person that you named is calling. Meet the Branch Manager.
6) Go to ICICI site, Get the e-mail ID of the highest ranked person in the credit cards department. Mail him/her with all the details. Keep sending reminders marking them as reinder1,2,3 and so on.
7) If all the above steps dont work, complain to the Ombudsman. IT WORKS BEAUTIFULLY!
Thank you very much EssKay for really useful information you have provided over here. You are great as is hubpages for helping people. I will do all the steps you have told me and if at last nothing will work for me, I will complain to the banking Ombudsman. Thanks again Mr. EssKay.
Harassment on phone by ICICI Bank DSA
Very sensible advice, thanks for your hub.
Yes Sophie I am thankful to EssKay for providing such brilliant tips and sensible advice for stopping harrasment calls by ICICI bank direct sales associates.
great hub!
Thanks Gin for your concern.
Dear Mr. Soni,
Welcome to the world of "Illusions", to tell u the truth, these people are not from any police station, neither from any Bank branches.....they are the collection agencies. They have a rule they follow " If their customer is polite and soft, they become rude and harsh. But their customer is Rude and tells them to do what ever they want to, they will never bother them again, they are always on the look out for easy prey, which you are becoming now. So do not kneel down, the next time they call u and tell u to come to the police station or tell u to give them the money, tell them to Fuckk off and say that u are ot paying,do what ever you want to, believe you me, these people do not understand the poite way, u need to get really tought with them if you want to get rid of them, this is friendly advice from a person who has gone through this crap already.
Regards
Thank you very much Akki for helping me out and letting me understand about these recovery people. After reading your advice, I have done the same and its helped a lot. I think there will be no calls from now on. Besides, I am talking with the bank authorities for the same and trying to go for a settlement. Can you tell how to land for a good settlement which is in my favor as I do want to pay but not that much higher these people are asking for. Thanks in advance.
I thank all you people over here and also the Almighty for giving me the knowledge and wisdom to settle my ICICI card. I am very happy after the settlement as I am not recieving any further calls and the recovery agents have stopped visiting my home.
It all started when I lodged the FIR in the police station and mailed the ICICI bank nodal officer and customer care department regarding the harassment. I even stopped paying payments due on my card from February until today and then I recieved a call from another recovery agent's office stating that we are eager to settle your card at 32000 INR for the 1,12,000 INR amount due. I again negotiated with them that I have just got 25000 rupees with me for paying as a settlement as I have already paid back 67000 out of 85000 INR that was remaining on my side. The recovery agent told me that we can settle your card in 25000 and please increase your payment up to 29000 to which I agreed a day before yesterday and made a draft favoring ICICI bank credit card No........... so and so. I recieved the settlment letter on the same day and contacted customer care to check if the letter was not fake as there have been instances with other people who have got fake settlement letters. The customer care department confirmed that a settlement letter has been issued for your account and is genuine and not fake. I am very happy with the feeling of getting rid of this huge debt of over 1 lakh rupees.
I thank all the hubbers and visitors to this hub, especially EssKay and Akki, who have shown me the right way to settle my card. Thanks once again.
Dear..I am jobless now.I have to pay 50K to ICICI credit payment.I have purchase approx 1Lacs.Now 50k is rest.This is Ist month which i not pay.How to resove this issue.Even they are using vulgor words on phone.As i know ICICI is start callin directly.
Thanks
Shanu
ICICI bank employees will never start calling you directly with abusive words and these are Direct Sales Associates or DSA of the bank. They will always keep saying that we are bank employees but it is wrong. When you will visit the bank, you will never find any person who is calling you. Arrange for some money like 15 to 20000 and negotiate with them for a settlement. Tell them that this is the only money you have.. that's it. Let them wait for one to two or may be three months. The more months you will wait, the better negotiation will be done. One thing to note, you will be listed as a defaulter in CIBIL and if you do not want to be a defaulter, tell them to make installments or pay in full amount. Defaulter means that you will not be able to get any loans further from this bank and might be other banks and the amount which you have not paid will be listed in the CIBIL for years. Now it is your choice if you have money with you, pay them in full and close the card and if you do not have enough money, negotiate for a good settlement amount. Take care Shanu....
Hello Mr. soni.I read your problem and completely understood that becoz I am also going through the same phase.As Mr. akki says that these men are from collection agencies and not from ICICI bank.They dont understand polite language,be rude to them and remember the more you rude the more you will get relief.These people are bastets.and one more thing I would like to tell you that if you receive these kind of calls in future simply log on to delhipolice.nic.in .This is a official website of delhi police.There you can get a option to file a direct complaint against them and this complaint is directly go to DCP or ACP office and then the legal action is guranted.These recovery agents job is to threaten a customer to receive payments,if u get polite with them they will abuse you,and if you get rude to them they will never bother you.So Chill.......
Thank you very much Yash for your response and sharing the common cause with me and other people who have suffered a lot because of these agents. The idea of filing a direct complaint against them in the Delhi police website is great. Yes I agree that if you will be rude with them, they will not bother you and if you will be polite, they will become more indecent.
I usually handle it this way. This was for a personal loan.
Those who call are often from call centers and recovery agents who have outdated info.
1. I ask for their employment number.
2. I ask for their office address and inform them that this conversation has been recorded and police will be visiting.
3. I ask my office legal adviser to send a show cause notice.
This usually cools them off. They harassed me even after I had paid on time. Thankfully now it is over.
Thank you very much bala for sharing your experience. It really helps people who are stuck in this case.
Hi, I used Icici card but stoped making payments as I lost my job. Now I am not working and its been around a year that I have not made any payments. The outstanding due is somewhere around 30000. I want to clear this up.. Please suggest.
soni, I apologise for stepping into your domain, but, i needed to help the man.
Dear Rohit,
It is not that Banks do not understand the predicament of people impacted by recession. Go for a one time settlement. Negotiate the amount to be paid. With some luck you will getaway with a nominally lesser amount.
The other option is to negotiate for an EMI that is affordable to you as of now.
You will lose the card both ways, perhaps a blessing in disguise.
I am really sorry that I was on vacation and was late to comment over here and Bala, please do not apologise for stepping into my domain, as it is not my personal one and if it would have been, then also it was fine with me because you are just helping the person who is in need of some good advice. Yes, Rohit, you can follow Bala's advice and do the same. Bala is saying true that bank recovery agents and even bank do not understand the loss of jobs and problems people are facing nowadays. When you will say that I lost my job or I am not working due to recession, they will say "every person has the same thing to say nowadays recession and recession and we are fed up with this word and we just need our money, get it from anywhere". So calm them down with some tactics and unofficial language is they speak, return them the same and everything will cool down. Take care. Best of luck Rohit and thanks once again Bala for your cooperation.
dear sirs,
myself ashok singh also a victim of ICICI credit card.i have paid my minimum due amount in each month but in may and june i had not paid due to some financial crices,in this regards i wrote a mail to bank ,kindly give me two months time i will pay all dues.bank replied and stated u have charged interest.
on 30th june 09 bank lean my all saving/salary a/c,agains due amount rs 86000, when i talk to customer care they told it is bank rule and bank having all authorities to do anything,i contacted again and again but they nothing listen.on 4th july09 bank debited my all saving a/c(rs 28128)without any information ,i shocked !!!!!!!!!!again i try to contact customer care they said u have to pay rs 70000 for settlement against due rs 86000,i said ok u return my saving a/c and within 15 days i will pay all rs 70000 dues.But they not did same.and again send a statement on 9th july ,u have to pay rs 61000.
i surprised,they people said rs 42000 u have to pay bcz bank already debited rs 28128,i have arranged 42000 on 22nd july and contacted customer care,they said u have go to a particular said address,bcz nowadays settelment from phone is stopped.
i went said address but there was icici direct office,they people said last 1 year here no credit card department, u go bank,i went icici bank,jamnagar,bank employee said there is no such department for settelment,and told u have to talk customer care.
again and again i contacted customer care they said same adress and told it is my syatem updated address.i fed up i want to settle my a/c but bank cheated me again and again.
i want settled my dues whatever bank agree(Rs 70000)and no more
i request to all of u please suggest me what should i do??bcz bank already cut 28128 frommy saving a/c and again 61000 due up t0 26/07/09.
Hi Ashok thanks for dropping by. Visit http://www.icicibank.com/Pfsuser/customer/html/cus
and complete all four steps, for example in step 1: Click here for online submission of your grievance.
Step 2: Contact Mr. Avijit Saha, Head, Customer Service.
Click here to send an e-mail to Mr. Avijit Saha.
Step 3: Contact Mr.Shiva Kumar Tadikonda, Nodal Officer.
Click here to send an e-mail to Mr. Shiva Kumar Tadikonda.
Step 4: Contact Mr. B. Madhivanan, Senior General Manager, Service Quality.
Click here to send an e-mail to Mr. Madhivanan
Do all the steps. Do not wait. I did it got my settlement done in 10 days.
While writing an email to them also mention that please settle my icici card no.XXXXXXXXXXXXXX or I would have to contact the banking ombudsman.
Believe me after doing this, you will definitely get your card settled. Have patience. Also to note, while writing the email, include your working mobile no. or contact no. mailing address and valid email ID.
Best of luck
thanks mr.soni ............for guiding me.
but no clicking link connect to mail id of as u said person.please provide mail id.thanks
Mr. Singh please visit the above site and you will find all the related email ids of nodal officer, etc.
thanks a lot mr. soni
i will mail to as said persons ,after settling i will back to u.thanks a lot for unvaluable guidance.
Its my pleasure Ashok.
I wrote a hub / article on exactly this. I am sorry to hear you are being harassed to the point of depression.
Thanks for the support Talisommi. I am happy that that problem has resolved and I have all my credit card debts by doing settlements.
just give the person threatening u my mobile number 919758150725.and tell him that contact me regarding ur credit card.
mein uski maa bhen ek kar duna ,en saalo ko jeetni gali ho sake do kuch nahi bigad payenge ye
Thanks Mr. Walia. I have resolved the issue many days back and I have done the same as you have advised.
hi,this is vijayaragavan from bangalore as iloss my job i could"t make my payment,now i got a call from police station that i should come to give explaination wheather its true.now i am very confuesed please help me out...
Hey Vijay. Don't get nervous or depressed as this call is not from the police station but these are the DSA agents doing the calls with different numbers. Do one thing tell them that I am coming and go ahead and register an FIR with the police station in your area. See you have to make this payment today or tomorrow but no one has the right to harass you. Write a letter stating all the numbers from where you are getting calls and names and give one of them a missed call when you are in front of the police officer writing your complaint in the police station. Let the person call you up and abuse you and open up the speaker phone and tell the police officer that see this person is calling me again and abusing and harassing me and my family.
I did the same thing a few days back and I have not received a single call after that. Believe me this is the best thing to do to teach a lesson to these men.
Dear Vijayaragavan,
We're sorry to hear about your experience. Please write to us with your credit card number and contact details at care@icicibank.com. We'll contact you and work to address your issue.
Regards,
ICICI Customer Service Team.
Thanks for having a look at this issue.
sangeetjass says:
8 months ago
First of all i suggest you not to mention your credit card number there, as it is not at all required and it is pretty unsafe, people keep on searching for such opportunity, secondly you just dont meet them in person and visit the branch office of ICICI bank and ask them for settlement and discuss the issue with them... There is no way these people can behave like that.