I had a credit card with the National Bank of Abu Dhabi (NBAD). That was in 2013. When I received a call from Aman debt collection, the caller introduced himself and asked me to settle my outstanding amount as soon as possible. My credit limit is only Dh6,000, but he wanted me to pay Dh12,000 to close my card. I told him I didn’t have that amount and he said that he would talk to his manager.
Around December 25, 2013, this representative and his manager called me from Aman debt collection and said that the bank had agreed to an amount of Dh6,000. I could close my account if I paid that amount to the account number they gave me, but I had to deposit it before December 31. I really didn’t have money, but I did everything to complete the Dh6,000 payment before the given date.
I felt so relieved that I could finally close my account and would no longer have to receive harassing calls from them, since they promised me that they would immediately send my clearance letter once they received the receipt of my payment.
On December 28, 2013 I deposited the full amount to NBAD. I immediately contacted the manager of Aman debt collection for my clearance letter and she said that she would send it to my email. After an hour, I received an email from her, telling me that the bank couldn’t give me my clearance letter yet, because they needed my salary certificate. They even attempted to retrieve their email. What I felt at that time was betrayal. I believed them, thinking they were helping me. The good thing is that they didn’t succeed in retrieving the email and I had the proof of our conversations from email and text messages, saying that they would close my account after I made the payment. I also had the receipt of my payment.
Then, on November 20, 2016, a woman called me from Tahseel and they sent someone to my workplace just to tell me that I still had an outstanding balance at the bank. I had to send her my receipts and emails so she could forward it to the bank. I don’t know if I can trust her again. I’m really traumatised by the behaviour of these people. The representative said that there is a case in process now. I told them that it’s up to them. Seriously, I’m really fed up. I’m not blaming NBAD, but the collections agency that kept on harassing and cheating me.
From Ms Shirley C.
Abu Dhabi
The management of NBAD responds:
Thank you for your constant cooperation and communication with us in the endeavour to best serve our customers and resolve their issues.
We have investigated Ms Shirley C.’s complaint and are pleased to inform Gulf News that we have contacted Ms Shirley and have resolved the matter to her satisfaction.
Thank you once again for forwarding the complaint to us. Our Customers Experience is very important to us and we are thankful for the opportunity to respond.
Ms Shirley C. responds:
I really want to thank Gulf News for the big help. Finally, I got my clearance letter. A man from NBAD in the Customer Experience Department really helped me a lot.
Thank you so much again!
(Process initiation: November 23. Response from organisation: November 28. Reader confirmation: November 30).
Editor’s note: Do you have similar issues that you would like to raise with us? You can write to us at readers@gulfnews.com.
