I recently decided to get the RuPay Select Wellness Debit Card, while keeping my costs (MAB+Issuance+Annual Fee) to a minimum. After some research, I found that Bank of Baroda offers this card at the lowest Annual Fee of ₹590 with no issuance fee (better than JSFB). Here’s my journey and the rollercoaster ride it took me on!
20/08/2024: The Branch Visit
I went to a Bank of Baroda branch and requested to open a normal savings account with zero or ₹1000/₹2000 MAB, but I emphasized that I must get the RuPay Select Debit Card with it. The branch executive wasn’t fully aware of the account variants that qualified for this card. She didn’t deny my request but wasn’t certain either, promising to open the account and attempt to request the card.
I filled out the paper form, attached copies of my Aadhaar and PAN, and provided a photo. The server was down (as is often the case with PSBs), so she took my number and promised to inform me when the account was opened. I reminded her again: No RuPay Select Card, no account. Later at 4:00 PM, she called me for two OTPs to confirm the account opening. I reminded her about the card, and she assured me that if I didn’t want the account later, I could close it within 14 days without any charges.
21/08/2024: Waiting for the Card
She informed me that she couldn’t apply for the RuPay Select Debit Card immediately but would raise an internal request. I received no further updates that day.
22/08/2024: Another Visit to the Bank
I went back to the bank. The same executive told me that a senior staff member was now handling my debit card request. After exchanging numbers with the senior lady, I was asked to wait. In the late afternoon, she called me to confirm that my account had been opened and the debit card request was processed. However, she informed me that the RuPay Select Card is only applicable to accounts with a ₹50,000 MAB.
The account opened for me was a BOB Super Saving Account (though the MAB was actually ₹20,000, with a sweep-in threshold of ₹50,000). I didn’t want this type of account, so I was advised to visit the branch and fill out a closure form to close it without any charges.
23/08/2024: No Bank Visit
I didn’t visit the bank that day.
24/08/2024 - 26/08/2024: Holidays
Although the 24th was a bank holiday, I received an SMS saying my debit card had been dispatched.
27/08/2024: Card Delivered
My RuPay Select Debit Card was delivered! I logged in to the RuPay website and saw all the benefits: OTT subscriptions, spa and gym offers, health check-ups, golf sessions, and cab vouchers. However, I hadn’t made any transactions or activated the card yet.
28/08/2024: Account Downgrade Request
I visited the branch and asked her to downgrade my account to the BOB Advantage Savings Account. She said she had already tried downgrading it to a BOB Lite Account (a zero-balance account), but it didn’t go through. She asked me to fill out a scheme change form for the Advantage Savings Account and warned that my RuPay Select Debit Card might be deactivated during the process. I clearly asked her if she would intentionally deactivate it, she assured me she won’t, but the system could do that. I gave my consent to proceed.
29/08/2024: Downgrade Success, Card Problems Begin
In the evening, I checked the BOB World app, and my account had been successfully downgraded to a BOB Advantage Savings Account. I deposited ₹2500 and tried to redeem one of the RuPay offers. To my surprise, the transaction failed—my card wasn’t even reaching the OTP page. Even payments on other sites failed, although UPI was working. This led me to believe my debit card had been deactivated, though it didn’t show as blocked in the app.
30/08/2024: A Last-Minute Save
To confirm my suspicion, I went to the nearest BOB ATM and attempted to withdraw cash. Sure enough, the transaction was declined—both for withdrawal and balance check. I resigned myself to the fact that my card had been deactivated and planned to close the account.
So, I went to the branch to close my account. But, just before heading inside the branch, I tried one last time at the BOB ATM adjacent to the bank—and surprise, surprise! It worked! I successfully withdrew money. Immediately after, I redeemed my Amazon Prime Video offer on the RuPay website, and it worked perfectly!
It was a bumpy ride, but in the end, I managed to secure my RuPay Select Wellness Debit Card while keeping my costs low (₹2000 MAB+₹590 annual fee).
***Update 28/09/2024***
Debit Card will not be FYF with this route. Charged 590/- today.
20/08/2024: The Branch Visit
I went to a Bank of Baroda branch and requested to open a normal savings account with zero or ₹1000/₹2000 MAB, but I emphasized that I must get the RuPay Select Debit Card with it. The branch executive wasn’t fully aware of the account variants that qualified for this card. She didn’t deny my request but wasn’t certain either, promising to open the account and attempt to request the card.
I filled out the paper form, attached copies of my Aadhaar and PAN, and provided a photo. The server was down (as is often the case with PSBs), so she took my number and promised to inform me when the account was opened. I reminded her again: No RuPay Select Card, no account. Later at 4:00 PM, she called me for two OTPs to confirm the account opening. I reminded her about the card, and she assured me that if I didn’t want the account later, I could close it within 14 days without any charges.
21/08/2024: Waiting for the Card
She informed me that she couldn’t apply for the RuPay Select Debit Card immediately but would raise an internal request. I received no further updates that day.
22/08/2024: Another Visit to the Bank
I went back to the bank. The same executive told me that a senior staff member was now handling my debit card request. After exchanging numbers with the senior lady, I was asked to wait. In the late afternoon, she called me to confirm that my account had been opened and the debit card request was processed. However, she informed me that the RuPay Select Card is only applicable to accounts with a ₹50,000 MAB.
The account opened for me was a BOB Super Saving Account (though the MAB was actually ₹20,000, with a sweep-in threshold of ₹50,000). I didn’t want this type of account, so I was advised to visit the branch and fill out a closure form to close it without any charges.
23/08/2024: No Bank Visit
I didn’t visit the bank that day.
24/08/2024 - 26/08/2024: Holidays
Although the 24th was a bank holiday, I received an SMS saying my debit card had been dispatched.
27/08/2024: Card Delivered
My RuPay Select Debit Card was delivered! I logged in to the RuPay website and saw all the benefits: OTT subscriptions, spa and gym offers, health check-ups, golf sessions, and cab vouchers. However, I hadn’t made any transactions or activated the card yet.
28/08/2024: Account Downgrade Request
I visited the branch and asked her to downgrade my account to the BOB Advantage Savings Account. She said she had already tried downgrading it to a BOB Lite Account (a zero-balance account), but it didn’t go through. She asked me to fill out a scheme change form for the Advantage Savings Account and warned that my RuPay Select Debit Card might be deactivated during the process. I clearly asked her if she would intentionally deactivate it, she assured me she won’t, but the system could do that. I gave my consent to proceed.
29/08/2024: Downgrade Success, Card Problems Begin
In the evening, I checked the BOB World app, and my account had been successfully downgraded to a BOB Advantage Savings Account. I deposited ₹2500 and tried to redeem one of the RuPay offers. To my surprise, the transaction failed—my card wasn’t even reaching the OTP page. Even payments on other sites failed, although UPI was working. This led me to believe my debit card had been deactivated, though it didn’t show as blocked in the app.
30/08/2024: A Last-Minute Save
To confirm my suspicion, I went to the nearest BOB ATM and attempted to withdraw cash. Sure enough, the transaction was declined—both for withdrawal and balance check. I resigned myself to the fact that my card had been deactivated and planned to close the account.
So, I went to the branch to close my account. But, just before heading inside the branch, I tried one last time at the BOB ATM adjacent to the bank—and surprise, surprise! It worked! I successfully withdrew money. Immediately after, I redeemed my Amazon Prime Video offer on the RuPay website, and it worked perfectly!
It was a bumpy ride, but in the end, I managed to secure my RuPay Select Wellness Debit Card while keeping my costs low (₹2000 MAB+₹590 annual fee).
***Update 28/09/2024***
Debit Card will not be FYF with this route. Charged 590/- today.
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