How the Credit card ie BANKS would respond if you get robbed?
Why do you have a credit card with you, especially when you travel?
1) convenience, no need to carry/exchange a large amount of cash
2) some sort of "security" feeling. Affected by those ads which subconciously equate CREDIT CARD=GOOD service, purchase production, blah blah blah....
Lets see how the "pore pore" BANKS "deal" with my hubby's case, and note the time lines.
BANK A
Saturday night:
- Hubby called to report card loss due to robbery from London's police station.
- Card blocked.
- Promise to courier replacement card over IMMEDIATELY, at no charge. [You must be thinking it is not cheap to courier from "pore pore" to London, rite?, well this is not the first time they do this for us]
- Delivery note from UPS received. Hubby was in the hospital then. But card would have been in his hands if he were at home.
Lets see how another BANK, BANK B deal with it.
Saturday night:
- Hubby called to report card loss due to robbery from London's police station.
- Card blocked. Asked hubby whether he wanted a replacement card. A replacement card ccould be issued and sent to "pore pore" address. Charge is $20.
- Informed hubby that if no replacement card is issued within a certain time (2 weeks? ), his credit card account will be cancelled.
- MAD! Pay $20 to send to the "pore"?
- Cannot get free replacement? Bank "threaten" to close account unless he get replacement card, ie pay $20. He was robbed man! Pissed off. Discussion ended....
- and complained to me when he got more energy on Sunday night.
- I was very angry with the replacement card thing. Desperate to get him his cards, just in case he needed more medical treatment. Well.. if you read my blog, I was worried about his dizziness, headaches, sleepiness... blah blah.. all signs of potential brain injury.
- SINCE hubby is very curious how I got them to agree to issue free....haha, I put the "process here", so that if there are any other unlucky "travelers" encountering a similar situation, they can "benefit" from our experience.Yup, you can read it, it is FOC.
- ME: "My hubby told me he was first robbed in London, and now his bank is trying to rob him as second time. Is it true that your bank has a policy that no replacement card will be issued unless he pays $20, and if he does not want replacement card within 2 weeks, card will be cancelled???" Cant help being sarcastic :P
- CSO: Immediately put through to bank "officer" (BO)... {I think they sense I was in a mood to KILL!!!!}
- Told BO that hubby was robbed. Can get replacement card?
- Bank officer told me they only want to talk to principal card holder. If he loss his card, can he call?
- ME: "He called your bank immediately , from the police station in London. However, your officer tell him to pay $20!! Why dont you check your records?"
- She checked records, insisted hubby never ask for replacement. If he can PERSONALLY call, the replacement will be issued immediately, charge is $20!
- ME: "#*&^* "Hey!!! My hubby has called. You guys tell him that he must pay $20, and the card will be sent to "The pore". He was injured. Just robbed off everything. Wallet, phone, backpack. How would you feel if you were him? Will you want to pay $20 to your bank just to get your card? His other bank asks no questions, and IS ALREADY sending him his card!!! "
- BO:" Oh, you don't have to pay immediately. It will be reflected in your statement, you can pay next month."... {YEAH RITE.. very GENEROUS, rite? Print you extra 1 card, charge you only in the end of month.}
- Me: ^*&^(*&^~$%$£~# haha.. i remember using the term "pissed off" during the conversation. Can't believe I am capable of using this phrase... will make my Tai Tai auntie JUMP or faint seeing how unlady like I am turning out.
- BO: " Ok, mrs.. X. I will talk to my superiors"...
- BO:"Ok mrs X, I talked to my superior. THIS time, we will do a waiver, since this is the FIRST TIME. THIS TIME ONLY..."
- ME: " What do you mean this time ONLY?? You mean if he is robbed again, he will have to PAY, is it?" {hmmm.. you can imagine how angry I was??}
- BO did not answer me... went ahead to tell me to ask hubby to call them again immediately.
- ME: He is seeking medical help now! Must he call you again, now? He already reported the loss. Cant you proceed to issue card? He needs his card as soon as possible, because he might need to pay for medical expenses? Do you understand??
- BO: No, sorry, we can't. Give me his handphone number. I can call him.
- Me: I just told you, his handphone has been robbed! He is uncontactable now. He is still seeking medical help in a hospital!
- Finally, after more than 1/2 hour, they agreed to issue card. Asked me address. Of course, I gave Uk address. They said HOME address. So "the pore"'s address? Fine! I will send it to him myself then.
I called to follow up.
Told me card still have not been issued, cos hubby never called them.....
Ah ha????? I thought they said will proceed to issue???
??????
Now must have hubby call them, or till they manage to contact hubby. Great.... Well, honestly we cant be bothered.Thursday afternoon:
I received call from BO. They will courier (this term was repeatedly emphasized over the phone call, so I better emphasize it here also ) the card over to our Singapore address. Yup, "express".. by tomorrow evening, sure can receive. Can they leave it in the post box if I am not in?
Story is over (If they dont change their mind again). If all goes well, I get the card tomorrow. If hubby want the card immediately, I got to spend $ to courier it over...
Latest update: Saturday is over.. and no card in sight.
Moral of the story...
If you only have 1 credit card... and it is from THIS bank, and you have an EMERGENCY overseas... GOOD LUCK to you!!!
All the nice "rewards" they give us, will never ever REDEEM (pardon the pun) this bad experience.
Imagine, if hubby needed to pay for medical expenses? Hubby needed to seek help from private doc (which you will do, if you have brain injury, cos time is everything!)
And yeah.. one is a CLASSIC card, another is a ******UM card which had been shoved to us(we did not apply, we just needed to sign, and will get card + gifts )...
Guess the classic card is from which bank?
Is it legal for me to tell you? Will I be sued by the other bank????
I better dont telll.....
But.....
Whereever I go, I will bring my CITIBANK!! classic card.
Enough said.
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