Bank activates Pay Protect facility without customer’s consent
Reader urges bank to reverse the charges as she did not ask for this service
I have had a Mashreq Bank account for two years, but I applied for a credit card around four months ago, and used it in November 2017 for the first time.
I got my first statement on November 25, 2017, with a Pay Protect charge of Dh242.35. When I called the bank, they told me that they had called me and activated it with my consent, which isn’t true. I don’t remember them calling me and taking my consent, and charges.
I lodged a complaint with the bank, but they kept saying that they could not reverse these charges, rather they could cancel Pay Protect in the future. I have been charged Dh242.35 without my consent and would like the bank to reverse this amount.
I request Gulf News this amount reversed. From Ms Ridhi Gadhavi Sharjah
The management of Mashreq Bank responds:
Thank you I never agreed to these to help me get for sharing Ms Gadhavi’s concern with us. We have reviewed the concerns raised by Ms Gadhavi regarding the Pay Protect charges towards her credit card.
Our investigation reveals that the Pay Protect benefit was auto enrolled on Ms Gadhavi’s card on August 3, 2017 with an opt-out clause. The information about the auto enrolment of Pay Protect benefit was communicated to her by the sales officer on a recorded line before the issuance of the card.
She was told that the benefit will be activated, however she was given the option to deactivate the above benefit by contacting our call centre in order to cancel the same. We did not receive any cancellation request from her end, therefore the charges were levied on her card in her first statement.
Ms Gadhavi had approached us on December 19, 2017, for the cancellation of this benefit and after her request, the above benefit has been deactivated and henceforth, the charges will not be levied on her credit card. We have contacted Ms Gadhavi, explained to her how the facility was enrolled, and have given the desired resolution.
She is happy and satisfied with the quick response to her complaint. We take this opportunity to thank Gulf News once again for bringing a customer issue to our notice.
Ms Gadhavi responds:
Thank you Gulf News for your help and efforts. I received a call from Mashreq and they have agreed to reverse the charges. I really appreciate Gulf News’ help in getting the undue amount back.
(Process initiation: January 6, 2018. Response from organisation: January 8, 2018. Reader confirmation: January 9, 2018.)
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