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The Mafias have no say
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Yesterday as I was going through my daily grinds at our other project that I am asked to assist, I received a call from a bank agent regarding my outstanding bills. I have to say, the mafias have no say.
After stating his scripted introduction, he asked when I am able to pay my outstanding bills. As I am not able to give him definite date I casually said, “Next week I will be making some payment”.
You won’t believe what the man on the other line has to say. “I’ll make you a deal. You pay half of your outstanding tomorrow or else we will refer you to the police and let the police call you”. As much as I am surprised it sounded funny to me.
Firstly, I’ve never heard of any bank agent would use such threat to its customer, much more to experience it first hand.
Secondly, it sounded funny to me because as if the agent is so desperate to a point that he mentions the police just to make you pay.
So, I said, “Ok, bye”. Shrugging off what had just happened.
As I was browsing the web last night, I thought of calling the hotline on my credit card to make some complaint of such behavior by their agent. I managed to talk to a customer service and as an introduction to my purpose of complaining, I asked if it is their practice to threat their customers by reporting them to the police if they don’t pay in a given date. Surprisingly again, the customer service said “Yes”.
I said “What?”
“Why are you asking sir?”
“I just had a call this morning from your bank agent telling me that he will refer me to the police if I don’t pay half of my outstanding by tomorrow. Why is it necessary to refer me to the police if I am paying”?
He then requested my details for him to check.
“Sir, you have outstanding and you paid less than the minimum”.
“Yes I know I have and I paid less than the minimum for two months now and the bank is charging me on my late payments, would that justify such kind of harassment?”
“Sir, please call our recovery department and talk to them about your case, if not you will have more problem”.
Another form of threat / harassment, whatever you call it… I gave up and ended my call.
I then checked in this popular forum in the region, Qatar Living, if there is a similar case as mine. To my surprise, it is actually very common especially to the bank I am attached with.
So many stories that would shock you and you will regret that you have business with this bank. Like the police holding you up at the airport when you are about to depart. Like the police still holding you up even after you had paid your obligations just because the bank forgot to withdraw their complaints to the police when you already cleared your dues.
I don’t want to go through with all these troubles and embarrassment so I decided to call the bank agent and asked for more time as I normally get my salary on the 7th of every month.
Out of this world, only in the Arab world and the mafias have nothing to say to these goons in a suit….
After stating his scripted introduction, he asked when I am able to pay my outstanding bills. As I am not able to give him definite date I casually said, “Next week I will be making some payment”.
You won’t believe what the man on the other line has to say. “I’ll make you a deal. You pay half of your outstanding tomorrow or else we will refer you to the police and let the police call you”. As much as I am surprised it sounded funny to me.
Firstly, I’ve never heard of any bank agent would use such threat to its customer, much more to experience it first hand.
Secondly, it sounded funny to me because as if the agent is so desperate to a point that he mentions the police just to make you pay.
So, I said, “Ok, bye”. Shrugging off what had just happened.
As I was browsing the web last night, I thought of calling the hotline on my credit card to make some complaint of such behavior by their agent. I managed to talk to a customer service and as an introduction to my purpose of complaining, I asked if it is their practice to threat their customers by reporting them to the police if they don’t pay in a given date. Surprisingly again, the customer service said “Yes”.
I said “What?”
“Why are you asking sir?”
“I just had a call this morning from your bank agent telling me that he will refer me to the police if I don’t pay half of my outstanding by tomorrow. Why is it necessary to refer me to the police if I am paying”?
He then requested my details for him to check.
“Sir, you have outstanding and you paid less than the minimum”.
“Yes I know I have and I paid less than the minimum for two months now and the bank is charging me on my late payments, would that justify such kind of harassment?”
“Sir, please call our recovery department and talk to them about your case, if not you will have more problem”.
Another form of threat / harassment, whatever you call it… I gave up and ended my call.
I then checked in this popular forum in the region, Qatar Living, if there is a similar case as mine. To my surprise, it is actually very common especially to the bank I am attached with.
So many stories that would shock you and you will regret that you have business with this bank. Like the police holding you up at the airport when you are about to depart. Like the police still holding you up even after you had paid your obligations just because the bank forgot to withdraw their complaints to the police when you already cleared your dues.
I don’t want to go through with all these troubles and embarrassment so I decided to call the bank agent and asked for more time as I normally get my salary on the 7th of every month.
Out of this world, only in the Arab world and the mafias have nothing to say to these goons in a suit….
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