Thursday, April 9, 2009

ICICI Lombard - Fraudy approach

This is a recent incident yet to be resolved. During mid-March '09, I received a call in my handphone from ICICI Lombard customer support / sales personnel. She was clearly mentioning my ICICI credit card No. and name details and asked me whether I would like to have insurance with ICICI Lombard. She added that this is an offer given for credit card customers and this is being done for IT purpose and is a must for all credit card holders. I clearly reiterated that I do not require the policy and at that time she informed that in case I 'DO NOT ACCEPT' for the insurance when their executives call for confirmation, I would be debited for the cancellation. She informed that she has noted my details for 'CANCELLATION' and requested me to give 'ACCEPTANCE' of insurance when their Executives call me. It was my FAULT that I trusted her and did according to what she said. After receiving the call from Executive and all their procedures on insurance, I called this customercare / sales personnel and told her that I have acted according to what she said and to cancel the insurance as required by me. She clearly stated that she would do the same and ensured that this debit would not come in my credit card statement which would be generated for the next payment due. After 15 days, I again called her and asked her whether she has cancelled the same and she said, she would do it in 2-3 days and that I need not worry because my credit card statement would not have this debit since it would be reversed in full. Intution and to my surprise, I checked my credit card statement on 7th of this month, and found that the amount was not reversed. Further I took it up with ICICI Lombard and I found that the said lady (whose phone number I had noted) was no more available in the office and none of them were aware of that Lady who spoke from the same number. I explained the whole situation and now ICICI Lombard people took a different stand that 'I had given verbal "acceptance" for the insurance' which was recorded and based on that they have issued the same. Any cancellation therewith would incurr to me a debit of 25% of the insurance amount !!!!. Moreover, they irritated me by telling that I should call from my handphone registered with them, without which they would not accept the cancellation (It was pathetic that inspite of my repeatedly trying for the customer care from my mobile, I was not able to reach them because it said 'the number you have dialled does not exist / check the number you have dialled'. Finally, I had to resort to email and communications are still on and I am yet to receive call from ICICI Lombard Executives on cancellation or reversal of full payment to me. For the past 3 days, I have been communicating with them from my side, either through email or over phone. I WOULD LIKE TO INFORM ALL THOSE WHO GO THROUGH THIS 'BLOG' TO BE AWARE OF SUCH FRAUDULENT ACT BY ICICI LOMBARD, WHERE WE ARE PUT INTO SO MUCH OF EMBARRASSMENT AND TROUBLE. I HOPE THAT NO ONE ELSE IS CHEATED AS ME. BEWARE .....