HDFC RM keeps promising Regalia, but I'm pretty suspicious.

[repertoire]

Opened an online Savings Max account a few weeks ago, with the idea to keep a few lakhs of balance in there and eventually get a pre-approved offer for one of their cards. Upgraded to a Preferred account at the branch, while there, told my RM that I wanted a CC, Regalia. He said I'd have to wait some months for the offer, and he couldn't promise any card. That's fine by me.

The next day, he calls me and says that if I create an FD, he can put in a special request to get me the card on the basis of my relationship with the bank. I decide to do it because I can always break the FD and it seems worth a shot, so I start an FD for a small amount, using his employee code.

He doesn't answer my calls after this for a day but eventually calls me to tell me that he will put in the request soon.

Now he calls me again. A week later. He says he can't request for the card yet because my account was created online. According to him, I need to start a new preferred account from the local branch, fund it with a cheque, and close my existing HDFC account. But if I do that, he promises I'll definitely get Regalia, lol.

The funny thing is, he offers to come to my house to do the procedures. If everything else wasn't suspicious enough, this makes it worse. He's desperate to get me to do this asap.

I'm going to tell him I'm no longer interested in the card and break the FD. Because this is clearly a scam to get me to open more and more bank products. I'll wait for the pre-approved offer to come the usual way. It was my own mistake to waste my time on this. I'm wondering if anyone has had similar experiences with HDFC.

 

[TheTrickySid]

Opened an online Savings Max account a few weeks ago, with the idea to keep a few lakhs of balance in there and eventually get a pre-approved offer for one of their cards. Upgraded to a Preferred account at the branch, while there, told my RM that I wanted a CC, Regalia. He said I'd have to wait some months for the offer, and he couldn't promise any card. That's fine by me.

The next day, he calls me and says that if I create an FD, he can put in a special request to get me the card on the basis of my relationship with the bank. I decide to do it because I can always break the FD and it seems worth a shot, so I start an FD for a small amount, using his employee code.

He doesn't answer my calls after this for a day but eventually calls me to tell me that he will put in the request soon.

Now he calls me again. A week later. He says he can't request for the card yet because my account was created online. According to him, I need to start a new preferred account from the local branch, fund it with a cheque, and close my existing HDFC account. But if I do that, he promises I'll definitely get Regalia, lol.

The funny thing is, he offers to come to my house to do the procedures. If everything else wasn't suspicious enough, this makes it worse. He's desperate to get me to do this asap.

I'm going to tell him I'm no longer interested in the card and break the FD. Because this is clearly a scam to get me to open more and more bank products. I'll wait for the pre-approved offer to come the usual way. It was my own mistake to waste my time on this. I'm wondering if anyone has had similar experiences with HDFC.

Always ask everything in writing whenever any bank employee tries to trick you is such way.

Ask him to give in writing that if I close this online opened account and open a new offline he will get a regalia card approved and then watch him giving lame excuses

 

[repertoire]

Always ask everything in writing whenever any bank employee tries to trick you is such way.

Ask him to give in writing that if I close this online opened account and open a new offline he will get a regalia card approved and then watch him giving lame excuses

This is really good advice. I will try it next time he calls me, haha.

 

[BlackDread]

Opened an online Savings Max account a few weeks ago, with the idea to keep a few lakhs of balance in there and eventually get a pre-approved offer for one of their cards. Upgraded to a Preferred account at the branch, while there, told my RM that I wanted a CC, Regalia. He said I'd have to wait some months for the offer, and he couldn't promise any card. That's fine by me.

The next day, he calls me and says that if I create an FD, he can put in a special request to get me the card on the basis of my relationship with the bank. I decide to do it because I can always break the FD and it seems worth a shot, so I start an FD for a small amount, using his employee code.

He doesn't answer my calls after this for a day but eventually calls me to tell me that he will put in the request soon.

Now he calls me again. A week later. He says he can't request for the card yet because my account was created online. According to him, I need to start a new preferred account from the local branch, fund it with a cheque, and close my existing HDFC account. But if I do that, he promises I'll definitely get Regalia, lol.

The funny thing is, he offers to come to my house to do the procedures. If everything else wasn't suspicious enough, this makes it worse. He's desperate to get me to do this asap.

I'm going to tell him I'm no longer interested in the card and break the FD. Because this is clearly a scam to get me to open more and more bank products. I'll wait for the pre-approved offer to come the usual way. It was my own mistake to waste my time on this. I'm wondering if anyone has had similar experiences with HDFC.

I think that he wants to take the credit for opening your high net worth account, and yes HDFC employees are eager to open new accounts, they even go to the customer houses for it. I totally agree with @HyperBeast get everything in writing or try to directly speak to the branch manager he could be of some help.

 

[tuhin]

Beware that whatever you are signing is a well-cleared document to you. Many cases are found where private players are signing Insurance papers from customers for cross selling.

 

[anirbanm]

Whatever he's saying, get it from his official mail to your registered email. Words have no value unless the employee is really different from the usual ones.

 

[churn]

I think that he wants to take the credit for opening your high net worth account, and yes HDFC employees are eager to open new accounts, they even go to the customer houses for it. I totally agree with @HyperBeast get everything in writing or try to directly speak to the branch manager he could be of some help.

I agree with this. Once I went to a different HDFC branch for a cash transaction (since I didn’t want to trouble my RM since he did doorstep banking for me and I felt bad when he comes home even when I have a minor issue that I can take care of), and the HDFC employee enquired details as to why my account is at a different branch even though my house is near this particular branch. I told I am happy that way and the branch I have is one of the biggest branch in the city. I worked in a different metro and while they asked about my details I didn’t feel any issue since I thought I have a pretty good person as RM.
Fast forward to next week when I was out of town, the person came to my neighborhood and went to my neighbors telling them that I referred them to take an account. They didn’t spare anyone in the nearby 3 houses, and by anyone I meant every adult in the house! Then they came home to meet my father and mentioned that I said to them to come home and get my father enrolled for a new account - My father for instance doesn’t like these new generation private banks and so was sure I wouldn’t have said so! He replied that let him (I) come home, I shall speak to him and if he (I) has said so, he needs to know that beforehand. The person tried to pressure him, but he said he wouldn’t open without talking to me under any circumstances.

I didn’t get to know any of this until I came a week after and I was shocked. I had turned down requests earlier when my good RM was asking for references. I then called him and told that accounts were opened using false information. He then gave me an idea and I made everyone who opened account last week withdraw all the money and made it zero balance. The person who opened the account was there at everyone’s house next day asking why they withdrew all the money, but that’s another story anyways! End story was every new account was made a 0MAB preferred account!

What I wanted to say is that the work pressure for HDFC guys is so hard that they will do whatever means to get their work done. So unless you have sufficient ground, do not be carried away by promises. Also an RM can do wonders for you. Having a good RM is important.

 

[TheTrickySid]

I agree with this. Once I went to a different HDFC branch for a cash transaction (since I didn’t want to trouble my RM since he did doorstep banking for me and I felt bad when he comes home even when I have a minor issue that I can take care of), and the HDFC employee enquired details as to why my account is at a different branch even though my house is near this particular branch. I told I am happy that way and the branch I have is one of the biggest branch in the city. I worked in a different metro and while they asked about my details I didn’t feel any issue since I thought I have a pretty good person as RM.
Fast forward to next week when I was out of town, the person came to my neighborhood and went to my neighbors telling them that I referred them to take an account. They didn’t spare anyone in the nearby 3 houses, and by anyone I meant every adult in the house! Then they came home to meet my father and mentioned that I said to them to come home and get my father enrolled for a new account - My father for instance doesn’t like these new generation private banks and so was sure I wouldn’t have said so! He replied that let him (I) come home, I shall speak to him and if he (I) has said so, he needs to know that beforehand. The person tried to pressure him, but he said he wouldn’t open without talking to me under any circumstances.

I didn’t get to know any of this until I came a week after and I was shocked. I had turned down requests earlier when my good RM was asking for references. I then called him and told that accounts were opened using false information. He then gave me an idea and I made everyone who opened account last week withdraw all the money and made it zero balance. The person who opened the account was there at everyone’s house next day asking why they withdrew all the money, but that’s another story anyways! End story was every new account was made a 0MAB preferred account!

What I wanted to say is that the work pressure for HDFC guys is so hard that they will do whatever means to get their work done. So unless you have sufficient ground, do not be carried away by promises. Also an RM can do wonders for you. Having a good RM is important.

Pretty interesting story, would like to know the whole story

 

[repertoire]

RM has been pestering me with more calls lately, told him I wanted an email from his official id confirming I would get Regalia if I started a new account from the branch. Just like HyperBeast and others predicted, he started giving excuses, saying he can't promise which variant I would get, etc. So that just about confirms that this was a scam.

Another thing is that he keeps insisting that I won't get preapproved offers from an HDFC account I created online.

Does anyone know if there is a difference between an HDFC account created online versus one that you start at the branch, regarding pre-approved CC offers?

 

[churn]

RM has been pestering me with more calls lately, told him I wanted an email from his official id confirming I would get Regalia if I started a new account from the branch. Just like HyperBeast and others predicted, he started giving excuses, saying he can't promise which variant I would get, etc. So that just about confirms that this was a scam.

Another thing is that he keeps insisting that I won't get preapproved offers from an HDFC account I created online.

Does anyone know if there is a difference between an HDFC account created online versus one that you start at the branch, regarding pre-approved CC offers?

He wouldn't get anything if you create it online without giving his ID- For. eg. Even when you create an FD, there is a provision to give an EMP ID. There is no difference in the manner you open an account unless you want a good relationship with the person (kind of a give-and-take policy). If you open an account with them, and then you get rejected for a credit card, they will tell you- "It is done by a separate dept. in Chennai. We can't do much", unless course he is a good RM and who wants to help you. By what he is saying to you, I guess he needs you to open an account. And after that, I don't think he will care much about you, unless you buy other products from him!

 

[repertoire]

He wouldn't get anything if you create it online without giving his ID- For. eg. Even when you create an FD, there is a provision to give an EMP ID. There is no difference in the manner you open an account unless you want a good relationship with the person (kind of a give-and-take policy). If you open an account with them, and then you get rejected for a credit card, they will tell you- "It is done by a separate dept. in Chennai. We can't do much", unless course he is a good RM and who wants to help you. By what he is saying to you, I guess he needs you to open an account. And after that, I don't think he will care much about you, unless you buy other products from him!

That last part is very true. He's already been caught lying multiple times. Thanks for confirming that I can still get offers, now I can just rest easy and ignore his calls.

 

[ltf4ever]

RM has been pestering me with more calls lately, told him I wanted an email from his official id confirming I would get Regalia if I started a new account from the branch. Just like HyperBeast and others predicted, he started giving excuses, saying he can't promise which variant I would get, etc. So that just about confirms that this was a scam.

Another thing is that he keeps insisting that I won't get preapproved offers from an HDFC account I created online.

Does anyone know if there is a difference between an HDFC account created online versus one that you start at the branch, regarding pre-approved CC offers?

i have an online account and i get all the offers.
think like this: hdfc likes to push more people towards online account opening and transactions because that reduces their operating costs, so why would they give lower offers to online customers?

basically online channels are eating away at branch RM's sales numbers, so some of the RMs are resorting to such practices.