Respected Sir/Madam,
We have been receiving several calls from the recovery agents claiming to be Shaha Finlease of Standard Chartered Bank in the last couple of days towards certain outstandings towards personal loan for Rs. 63137.47 and credit card (verbally confirmed earlier over phone was Rs.80000 and on mail for Rs.739,740.77) which they say was taken by my husband in 1999 - 2000.
My husband worked in Dubai earlier but lost his job in Feb 2009 due to recession. He has been jobless since then and has not been able to get a suitable job due to recession inspite of applying at several place. I had given up my job 2 1/2 years back before my marriage. I had intimated the recovery agents of our financial condition and they were willing to settle the outstanding on the personal loan & credit cards but they were asking me to make this payment by that same evening or early next morning (this was asked by a person named Nagesh from Shaha FinLease). But as I was not aware of such borrowings and had to wait till I could confirm with my husband. Besides that, I had to even arrange the money which was not possible in a day or two so I requested him to give me a time of atleast a week.. He wanted the money immediately and was not willing to give me the time so told me that he will not be able to settle the matter with the agreed amount of Rs. 50000 and the issue would remain open (i.e for legal action). Where was I supposed to arrange the money from in such a short span of time without even knowing the history of the case with the daily bread earner having no job for the last 18 months and with no other source of income with us. However, I had spoken to a few of my close friends and colleagues and was assured a help of Rs. 35-40k but only by the month end after they received their payrolls.
As my family financial conditions are very bad, I also decided to take up a job and so with the help of my ex-colleague, who has sponsored me, have travelled out of the country to look out for a job. As I was shown no consideration and no help from Mr. Nagesh, I left the matter just the way it was and moved out of the country giving him my email address as contact. Now in my absence, these recovery agents have started harrassing my in-laws by coming to our home and abusing them saying that both, the Son & Daughter-in-law are thieves and have stolen the bank money and have run away and hiding. If Standard Chartered Bank consider that borrowing from them is stealing money, then I will tell all everyone I know never to approach a Bank like this as they themselves cheat people by calling them several times to take credit cards and loans on stupid schemes that they offer to harrass people later. They don't even have any manners to talk to elderly people and especially someone who is as old as 68-70 years old as one of the representative who came at the door happened to tell her that if she is old and helpless she should jump out of the window and give up her life. Is this the way a Bank deals with the family members of their customers? It is such a shameful behaviour on the part of Standard Chartered Bank. I was also confirmed by my friend whose mobile I was using when I was here in Mumbai that they were harrassing her with filthy, rude and harsh language which was also abusive by calling her up several times on a given single day.
I have been a banker myself (Deputy Manager) and was horrified at such practices followed especially by a MNC Bank as Standard Chartered who hires goons to recover money from people that are poor & helpless. How can a Bank harrass the family members and friends? RBI also doesnot permit this. In fact, the family members/friends of such customers have the complete right to file a police complaint in such a situation which if occurs again will be taken up seriously.
What was the bank doing all this while when they have now stepped up to our home saying that this borrowings are since last 10-11 years and there has been no repayment received for the last 6-7 years? And now they wake up to recover the amount in the such a shameful, disgusting & shocking manner (mafia style).
I cannot entertain someone who calls us or comes to my home claiming that my husband has certain borrowings from so and so institution or person without having provided solid evidences. How am I to believe that they are telling the truth and especially when I am given to understand from my family that they had paid all the amount years back and closed the matter? If there is any outstanding I need the statement from the Bank and I need the authority letter from the Bank that they have appointed or sold their NPA (non performing assets) to Shaha Finlease with proper identifications given to us to extend any further communications. There are many frauds happening around in the world or it could be some kind of prank or money making racket that are followed by certain institutions. We cannot pay anyone who calls us up or comes to our doorstep threatening us to pay?
Request you to please help me. We will try to settle the outstanding if there is something pending but Banks have to also consider our current financial situation and help us in the best possible manner to close the case. If the borrowings are from the Bank we need all the documentation from the Bank and not from the Recovery/Collection Agents. Also, if the bank has waited for so many years in their recoveries against this case, they have to be generous in giving us some time to settle the matter with feasible settlement pattern to settle the dues which has to be also concluded post settlement, with receipt towards the payment done alongwith the "No dues pending" certificate, all of which should be from the Bank (i.e. on the letter head of bank) and not from the recovery agents.
Also, please let me know, if the phone calls and personal visits of these agents continue should we file a police complaint. I will also register my grievance with Standard Chartered Bank on the RBI site so that RBI takes care of such breach of conducts & violations that are practised by banks in their recovery pattern.
Thank you and awaiting your assistance at the earliest.
Mrs. Correia




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