Fraud call from Kotak employee

[vine]

Long post warning!

TLDR: Kotak General insurance employee tried to fraud. I complained to Kotak General insurance company. Number of sh*ts they gave = ZERO.
My question: How to approach Insurance Ombudsman, because I am not even a customer of Kotak General insurance? Is that the right entity to approach?

Here's the boring story:

On 16-Jan-2024, got a call from the mobile number +91-9990818142 (he did not give his name during the call),
He identified himself as from Kotak Customer service, and asked to add a nominee to the new credit card I had just received.
I asked if this cannot be done in the Kotak App. He said it's not possible to do it from the app. I was confused but said OK (stupid me). Then, he asked for the OTP that's been just sent to my mobile number.

I did receive the OTP as an SMS to my mobile number, however, I didn't read it fully, but something didnt seem right, and I just lied that I didn't receive it, when he asked for the OTP, and asked him to call me back the next morning. He said he will call back in a minute, and he did call back, but did not speak to me and cut the call.

The SMS I received with OTP from KOTAKB (which is the same sender for all banking transactions with Kotak Bank). I got the same message in email too, which I believe, is standard procedure for Kotak Bank transactions.
(The SMS reads:
4xxxx6 is your OTP for enrolment and will be valid for 5 minutes only. By using this OTP, you are providing your consent to share your personal details with Kotak General Insurance Co. for policy issuance. Never share your OTP with anyone. The bank never calls to verify password or OTP. Kotak Bank)

So, an employee of the Kotak General Insurance company tried to fraud a Kotak customer.
It is disturbing that the information about new Kotak credit card users is being made available freely to all Kotak affiliated companies and their employees.
I have been a "Privilege Platina" customer of Kotak Mahindra Bank for 10+ years and got awesome service and I had never received such calls from any of the Kotak companies, and had recently taken a credit card. I was never a customer of KGI (Kotak General Insurance) or applied for any policy and will never will be.
Then I did call customer care of Kotak General Insurance Co. and it looks like no policies have been issued with my name and mobile number.

When I complained in email and twitter, Kotak Bank replied in email and also called me to approach Kotak General Insurance and washed off their hands. They did confirm that this mobile number belongs to an employee of the Kotak General Insurance.

Next, I emailed to Kotak General Insurance (KGI) asking "what legal action you are willing to take against your employee"
KGI took their own time and finally replied that "As per our checks, we do not observe any transaction initiated on your card against Kotak General Insurance"" and that they will take "necessary corrective actions".
I was not convinced, because I got similar dubious responses from KGI for about a month.

Then I asked to reveal his name and his employer as I had decided "to take a legal course of action for trying to defraud me on a false pretense and attain financial gain by registering a policy with my name" and that "Am not looking for a compassionate pat on the back."

KGI didnt give sh*t.

After few more emails over a month (already escalated to grievance officer) without any proper replies, just standard copy-pasta, and me asking bluntly "did you even read my email".
Then I had also raised a complaint with consumer forum, but thats not a legal complaint.

I asked in email:
" Since Kotak General Insurance is unwilling to take any action or provide ANY response, I request to disclose the identity of your employee with the mobile number +91-9990818142 (he did not give his name during the call).
We need this information urgently to proceed with legal action against this person. I will assume for now that Kotak General Insurance is not in cohorts with the above employee.
I am in possession of the recording of the call for the entire duration of this call.
If Kotak General Insurance is unwilling to share such information, it will be assumed that Kotak General Insurance is a willing party and in cohorts with their employee with the mobile number +91-9990818142 when this person tried to defraud a customer on a false pretense.
Your Grievance has been successfully lodged and your docket number:5434757
Failing which I shall proceed with legal action against above employee. If Kotak General Insurance is unwilling to share such information,
I will assume that Kotak General Insurance is a willing party and in cohorts with their employee with the mobile number +91-9990818142
"

No, KGI didn't give a sh*t either.

KGI simply replied in March 2024 to contact the Insurance Ombudsman:
" This is with reference to your concern raised on our Kotak Mahindra Bank Desk towards OTP received for issuance of Kotak Mahindra General Insurance Company policy.
We have reviewed your concern and wish to inform you that as Kotak Mahindra General Insurance Company Limited is no where involved in transactions pertaining to Kotak Mahindra Bank, we maintain our stance.
You may also approach the Insurance Ombudsman, the details and process whereof are available on our website www.kotakgeneral.com. The details of Insurance Ombudsman are also available on the website of Council for Insurance Ombudsman https://cioins.co.in/Ombudsman
"

 

[vine]

Found this somewhere on the internet:

How to make a complaint against an Insurance company?
If you are unhappy with your insurance company, You can approach the Grievance Redressal Officer of its branch
or any other office that you deal with. You are required to submit your complaint in writing along with
the necessary support documents. You should take a written acknowledgement of your complaint with the date.
The insurance company should deal with your complaint within 15 days. If that does not happen
or if you are unhappy with their solution you can approach the Grievance Redressal Cell of the
Consumer Affairs Department of IRDA: {Having Toll Free Number 155255 (or) 1800 4254 732 or
Send an e-mail to complaints@irda.gov.in. In order to make use of the
Integrated Grievance Management System: Register and monitor your complaint at www.igms.irda.gov.in
alternatively , you may send a letter to IRDAI with your complaint:
Please fill up and send the Complaint Registration Form along with any letter or enclosures,
if felt necessary, by post or courier to: The GM IRDAI.
The General Manager, Consumer Affairs Department - Grievance Redressal Cell,
Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) 3-5-817/818,
United India Towers, 9th Floor, Hyderguda, Basheerbagh, Hyderabad - 500 02
For more information please visit http://www.policyholder.gov.in/Ombudsman.aspx

 

[sjmajumder]

No fraud has been committed. It is an attempted fraud. Your first course of action should be filing an FIR.

 

[vine]

For list of Grievance redressal officers and their e-mail addresses and link for escalation matrix for each insurance company, go to:

List of GROs - IRDAI

irdai.gov.in

 

[vine]

Council for insurance Ombudsman - this site lists emails and addresses of Ombudsman centers for each city :

CIO

cioins.co.in

 

[Ariyan]

Same thing happened with me today 22Aug 24' i opened bank account via bank agent who come to my home after submitting documents in kotak app. After account opening agent called me saying he need to verify some details. I said ok he asking me for otp when i asking him why u need otp he saying it's to Verify your details but in message it's showing for health insurance.

I said to him didn't need any insurance which already i have but he saying do u need any Pre-approve loan. I simply cut my call

So kotak agent are doing big scam didn't trust any agent