Sunday, January 09, 2011

Reasons I hate banks in India

I have 2 different bank accounts, at the same bank. The same bank that DH has his business account at. There has never been anything *BUT* problems since I've been banking there.

When we first got started banking there I got a normal NRO account and after my residence permit came through, we got a normal joint account. Well...that's when all the problems started. I requested a debit card for both accounts.

First, I got my NRO account debit card, but when I received it, the magnetic strip was bad. I told them after I had tried to take money out of the account from the ATM by the bank. They said to try to take money out at another ATM, so I tried that and nothing worked. They said they would get another one and it would come in 10-15 days. Well...fast forward about a month, and I went in again, still no debit card.

At this time, I had also applied for the debit card for my joint account with DH. Well...this debit card came, and worked perfectly fine. Until...one day I went in and told them my NRO card still hadn't come. They said that they had to hot list my card, and they would apply for another one, and for me to write a letter. Well...they ended up hot listing my joint account card, thus I needed another one. That problem got solved.

Then...

A while ago I went to the bank, as we had used our debit card at Subway, and it got deducted from our account, but wasn't showing in the transaction history at Subway's and since we had used DH's credit card after. I gave the standard letter application and asked for them to refund the money back to my account.

I went and put did this on the 23rd, I went to the bank on Friday (7th) and still nothing had happened...

It has been 2 weeks...nothing...

So I went and spoke to the manager. The manager apparently had been transferred, and there was a new one. He didn't know anything...apparently they had been sitting on the letter for 2 weeks. I raised some noise upon finding out that the manager knew *NOTHING* about my letter.

The manager told me to "not make any noise." I replied by telling him I would make as much noise as I needed to get the job done. It took me at least 10-15 minutes to get the manager and the lady to understand things. *sigh*

Now, I wait...if the money doesn't come back by next Wednesday (the 18th) I am going to cause more drama...even though DH hates it. :-)

**UPDATE** Since I posted, I have checked the online banking for the account, and it seems the day after I went and created some fuss the money was put back! But I still hate banks... =P

2 comments:

  1. Oh I completely understand. This is the reason why I have not bothered to open a bank account in India, and don't intend to do so!! I just can face putting myself through the pain and frustrations of dealing with Indian banks. I just keep my bank account in Oz and transfer money to my husband's account here, or use my ATM card to withdraw. I guess I'm lucky because I get paid into my Oz bank account so I can bypass the system here. I get uptight every time I have to go near an Indian bank. Have you ever tried getting a demand draft!! Oh the process and inefficiency.

    ReplyDelete
  2. @Sharell,

    Well...the bank workers take care of me. I will just have to yell at the manager if the manager gives me shit. It's that simple for me! :-)

    ReplyDelete

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