Chennai: The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Chennai (North) has imposed a fine of Rs 1.05 lakh on a bank for rejecting credit card services of an architect during his holiday trip in USA and Dubai.
The petitioner, H.A.Eswara, Royapettah, an architect, submitted that he was having bank account and transactions with Standard Chartered Bank, Mylapore branch. The bank issued him Manhattan platinum visa card and visa gold card.
He toured United States of America in April 2013. He stayed in Hilton Hotel in Times Square, New York and Loews Madison Hotel in Washington.
The gold card was functional only for a few days and transaction on the card was rejected on May 4, 2013, without any reason. The Gold Card was accepted for transactions below $100 and transactions were rejected when he used the card for more than the $100.
Transaction on his other platinum card was also rejected at Macy’s departmental store, New York. Even after assurance from credit card help desk, the credit cards were not accepted at shops and other places.
Later, when he made purchase in Dubai on May 10, 2013, the gold card was accepted for a transaction of 810 Dirhams. Again, the card was not accepted for transaction of 1745 Dirhams at a shop.
As he was subjected to embarrassment and inconvenience due to negligence of the bank, he sent notice to bank officials concerned on June 17, 2013. Denying the allegation the bank has replied that due to misuse of credit cards abroad, certain security measures were incorporated by way of velocity parameters by the bank. As per the statement dated May 26, 2013, he utilized the credit card transactions for about '1.08 lakh in Dubai.
His card was not deactivated on May 4.05.2013 and he extensively utilized the credit card facility during his abroad trip. The bench , directed the bank to pay Rs 1.05 lakh to the petitioner for causing mental agony.
