Axis Bank sending notice for clarification regarding customer's travel spends on atlas

[TechnoFinoTechnoFino is verified member.]

Axis Bank today sent notices to many of its Atlas credit card customers requesting clarification and invoices regarding their "travel category spends". Axis Atlas is a travel-focused credit card, so it's surprising that the bank is asking for invoices and clarification for travel category expenses over the past few months. A few days ago, Axis Bank deducted Edge Miles and Edge Reward Points from some customers' reward accounts, citing business transactions. Now, they are requesting clarification on affected customers' travel spends within the next 30 days, otherwise, the bank will cancel their credit cards.

Here, I'm attaching a copy of the notice email:



Many genuine Atlas customers have been affected by this move. Some people just spent under 10k on travel categories and received clarification notices. I can understand Axis's desire to eliminate abusers from their customer list, but troubling genuine customers is unacceptable. This is the main reason I didn't add the Axis Magnus Burgundy credit card/Axis Magnus credit card to our list of the best credit cards for 2024. While it may offer good rewards, it's not reliable at all. Axis should revert to their old credit card reward system as they are not capable of running a reward system with airmiles transfer partners.
For peace of mind, stay away from Axis Bank credit cards.

 

[laser00]

Large Travel agents get up to 17% commission from the airlines for international flights and an extra 10% from Atlas.
so its nearly 27% profit for them

I don't think travel agents can use Credit card? They seem to have some account with airlines

 

[msankadi]

This is done automatically by some computerized software which blocks the edge miles of those Atlas cards which are only being used to get 10% return on travel spends (many times).

Many full time, professional travel agents must be using Atlas cards for all their customer airline and hotel bookings.

So if your miles are blocked, then you have to prove your travel spends are personal & genuine with invoices.
So this is the case of guilty until proven innocent

Bhad Mein jaye bhai axis.. I hardly use my m4b and atlas anyways... Aise hi chindipanti karte rahe axis toh i will gladly stop doing business with them

 

[_amit_]

There is an article on economic Times also.

But I was blocked on 11th March like so many others and now again like so many others.

Couldn't find the article.

But I wont be surprised if computerized system was a typo for an intern from Axis in that article.

Probably it will be clear in a day if its a system wide issue or targeted.

 

[chasni]

So this is the case of guilty until proven innocent

This is what you call super premium banking. LOL

If the bank can't afford to give rewards then it should tailor the product accordingly to avoid misuse. The 5EM is limited to 2 lacs now. I am not sure which travel agent is doing only 2 lacs of bookings every month and still is in business.

 

[_amit_]

Large Travel agents get up to 17% commission from the airlines for international flights and an extra 10% from Atlas.
so its nearly 27% profit for them

There would be a drastic difference between a spend by an agent and a high spending genuine traveler.
Agents may use it, but its quite easy to extract those individual based on a pattern. Even a simple enough "system" can highlight those individuals.


An agent may decide to use multiple card, but that would still not give Axis the right to refuse the service until its proven.

Blocking usage prior notice is not flagging, its denial of service.

 

[drsel]

Blocking usage prior notice is not flagging, its denial of service.

They have not blocked the use of the card.
the card is working fine, account login is also working, only the edge miles is not opening

 

[_amit_]

They have not blocked the use of the card.
the card is working fine, account login is also working, only the edge miles is not opening

Yep. I too did not mention that they blocked the card.

But still its too early to say anything.

 

[Predator]

Fir se vhi RR start ho gya kya Axis ka?

 

[ccrnc]

This is done automatically by some computerized software which blocks the edge miles of those Atlas cards which are only being used to get 10% return on travel spends (many times).

Many full time, professional travel agents must be using Atlas cards for all their customer airline and hotel bookings.

So if your miles are blocked, then you have to prove your travel spends are personal & genuine with invoices.
So this is the case of guilty until proven innocent

False. Don't have any travel spends(10% category) since the last unblock, yet account is inaccessible. It's just Axis is a dogshit bank who probably can't afford the product features that they have put out and this is their cost mitigation strategy.

 

[random-host]

This is done automatically by some computerized software which blocks the edge miles of those Atlas cards which are only being used to get 10% return on travel spends (many times).

Many full time, professional travel agents must be using Atlas cards for all their customer airline and hotel bookings.

So if your miles are blocked, then you have to prove your travel spends are personal & genuine with invoices.
So this is the case of guilty until proven innocent

But that's the thing they blocked it for the same period for which I have already send invoices and they confirmed everything is good.

 

[drsel]

But that's the thing they blocked it for the same period for which I have already send invoices and they confirmed everything is good.

It's the second round of automatic blocking for those who used it for 10% return

 

[chasni]

It's the second round of automatic blocking for those who used it for 10% return

You sound just like Axis Bank CC. Clueless but still conveying with conviction.

 

[SSV]

They have not blocked the use of the card.
the card is working fine, account login is also working, only the edge miles is not opening

See the logic here is:

1) they didn't block your card usage.. you are right..
but did you ever think about why they didn't block your card usage??
The logic is: they want you to continue to spend on the card, while your hope of getting 10%, 16% or 36% whatever that ridiculous return you are expecting will come true in reality some time in future...

So..while doing this one main thing is done and dusted... that is spending , spending big , hoping for the ridiculous returns in future..

Now coming back to the main point, ie
Redemption:

2) why they blocked redemption of rewards by whatever method( manual or software automatic trigger based on whatever condition..this is not point here anyway)..
The point is block happened...

So all your hopes will turn into reality only after successful realisation of these points..

this is exactly where I vehemently oppose having any serious premium relationship with 🪓 ...

Why on the earth, the bank insults their premium customers by not honouring their committed service that too after the customer had spent big amounts..that too frequently...
This is massive NO from my side..
🪓 being 🪓

And meanwhile you are happy and feel like privileged that your card is not blocked for usage...
No offence , just stating the facts ..about how I look at the situations like these in my POV...

Happy 🪓 ing !!!!! 😉

 

[chasni]

See the logic here is:

1) they didn't block yiur card usage.. you are right..
but did you ever think about why they didn't block your card usage??
The logic is: they want you to continue to spend on the card, while your hope of getting 10%, 16% or 36% whatever that ridiculous return you are expecting will come true in reality some time in future...

So..while doing this one main thing is done and dusted... that is spending , spending big hoping for the ridiculous returns in future..

Now coming back to the main point, ie
Redemption:

2) why they blocked redemption of rewards by whatever method( manual or software automatic trigger based on whatever condition..this is not point here anyway)..
The point is block happened...

So all your hopes will turn into reality only after successful realisation of these points..

this is exactly where I vehemently oppose having any serious premium relationship with 🪓 ...

Why on the earth, the bank insults their premium customers by not honouring their committed service that too after the customer had spent big amounts..that too frequently...
This is massive NO from my side..
🪓 being 🪓

And meanwhile you are happy and feel like privileged that your card is not blocked for usage...
No offence , just stating the facts ..about how I look at the situations like these in my POV...

Happy 🪓 ing !!!!!

You missed the most important point. Everything is done without any communication to customer.

 

[random-host]

The problem is I am close to 15L spend mark. All transactions that were carried out are personal, I did get a few vouchers from intermiles but again all of them were for personal use. I was not gonna continue with Axis anyway after this milestone was hit. I will wait for their response but given the past experience their support is worse then their automated system (or intern) blocking the accounts.

Has any one tried taking them to Ombudsman? Just wanted to see if it's worth the hassle or not. In any case I will start with National consumer helpline, they have pissed me enough to not let it go this time.

 

[malavkarkar]

Is Axis doing that again? Many users have reported to get same error on ER portal which they got on March 11 🙂

Both my cards are canceled but I can confirm that ER portal isn't opening. It says something like login or authentication failed. I had some minimum rewards and miles in my account.

 

[malavkarkar]

Guys, Axis blocked my account again. For the same exact period. I have it on email that they confirmed they got all documents and everything is clear from their side. Seriously so frustrated, has anyone tried RBI Ombudsman? Can we claim harassment if they are doing it again and again after confirming in writing they got all documents and everything is good ?

The question is, why did you continue to use Axis after they blocked your account once? Dump this bank mate.

 

[sharad131]

The problem is I am close to 15L spend mark. All transactions that were carried out are personal, I did get a few vouchers from intermiles but again all of them were for personal use. I was not gonna continue with Axis anyway after this milestone was hit. I will wait for their response but given the past experience their support is worse then their automated system (or intern) blocking the accounts.

Has any one tried taking them to Ombudsman? Just wanted to see if it's worth the hassle or not. In any case I will start with National consumer helpline, they have pissed me enough to not let it go this time.

I have raised complain to RBI ombudsman today

 

[chasni]

Both my cards are canceled but I can confirm that ER portal isn't opening. It says something like login or authentication failed. I had some minimum rewards and miles in my account.

Your portal got blocked even though your cards have already been cancelled?

 

[malavkarkar]

Your portal got blocked even though your cards have already been cancelled?

My portal was blocked earlier. I canceled the cards out of frustration, which surprisingly unblocked the portal and I was able to transfer out all miles. And now it's blocked again. I still had some minimum rewards (about 60) and miles (about 140) in my account that I was able to see until yesterday.