I am getting a Lifetime Free 2nd Credit Card in email, is this real? Has anyone else got this?

[MurlyLock]

Hello, I hold an HDFC Regalia LTF card with a 3 lakh limit (got through a c2c application in March) and I am an HDFC preferred account holder. Since September I have been getting this mail with the title "Congrats S****, Lifetime Free 2nd Credit Card!

Apply before 16/Oct/2023" (the date always changes whenever I get the mail, the apply before date is always a few days after to show the urgency I guess) Anyway the card they are showing in these offers are Diners Club Privilege which I would like to have along with my LTF Regalia if it is indeed lifetime free.

I have gone through multiple threads in this forum that say one can't have more than one core card from HDFC, so that makes me doubt this even more. Secondly, the URL this opens has the word floater mentioned in it so I called customer care and asked and they said floater card means it will have a shared limit with my regalia but they were unable to verify if this is LTF, they said they have no access to offers being sent in email but confirmed what floater card is.

Has anyone else received this offer? is this even real? If you have received it did you apply for it and did you get it LTF?



An update

So I got a message and email about an instant card and checked the status of the application, and it showed approved. So I called customer care and they said it is a chargeable card, I explained the situation and they said to email it to customerservices.cards@hdfcbank.com
so I dropped an email explaining the whole situation and with screenshots to both customerservices.cards@hdfcbank.com and grievance.redressalcc@hdfcbank.com. now let's see what reply I get back, also I spoke with the assistant branch manager of the branch where I have my HDFC account, and told him to see if he can do anything to make this ltf, he said he will try and to email him with all the details so let's see. Meanwhile, I won't activate the card after receiving it.
What is the next step after this? if they decline to make it LTF? where do I escalate it after this? I couldn't find any mail for the PNO so if anyone knows how to escalate this further, any help would be really appreciated.

Update 5th November

After 2 weeks of back and forth and with grievance readdressed team, I received a mail today confirming that the card will be converted to Lifetime free within 90 days of activation.

 

[shrewdoc]

Woah, really? They’ll still offer an upgrade to DCB or Infinia or any other higher variants launched in the future?

Also, would I still be able to get any co-branded HDFC cards? Like the Swiggy card or upcoming Apple HDFC card, in addition to these 2 core cards?

Yes and yes. Getting a second core card is difficult. You're getting the offer directly from them.

There are people holding 3-4 co-branded cards as floaters with a core card.

 

[kandarp26]

Hello, I hold an HDFC Regalia LTF card with a 3 lakh limit (got through a c2c application in March) and I am an HDFC preferred account holder. Since September I have been getting this mail with the title "Congrats S****, Lifetime Free 2nd Credit Card!

Apply before 16/Oct/2023" (the date always changes whenever I get the mail, the apply before date is always a few days after to show the urgency I guess) Anyway the card they are showing in these offers are Diners Club Privilege which I would like to have along with my LTF Regalia if it is indeed lifetime free.

I have gone through multiple threads in this forum that say one can't have more than one core card from HDFC, so that makes me doubt this even more. Secondly, the URL this opens has the word floater mentioned in it so I called customer care and asked and they said floater card means it will have a shared limit with my regalia but they were unable to verify if this is LTF, they said they have no access to offers being sent in email but confirmed what floater card is.

Has anyone else received this offer? is this even real? If you have received it did you apply for it and did you get it LTF?

This is not a LTF (Life Time Free) card they have metioned waiver of 3 Lakhs Below the cards showing Annual/Renewal as Zero on applying window. I am also getting this offer in my account. This is a plot of HDFC in the name of Life time free. They will charge you 2500RS+GST. I have called the customer care and talked with him regarding this offer.

 

[MurlyLock]

This is not a LTF (Life Time Free) card they have metioned waiver of 3 Lakhs Below the cards showing Annual/Renewal as Zero on applying window. I am also getting this offer in my account. This is a plot of HDFC in the name of Life time free. They will charge you 2500RS+GST. I have called the customer care and talked with him regarding this offer.

omg really? I applied for it and it didn't show any price anywhere, shit now what do I do after the card is approved? if I cancel it or not activate it will I still have to pay the price? this is really scam-level behavior from hdfc.

 

[shrewdoc]

omg really? I applied for it and it didn't show any price anywhere, shit now what do I do after the card is approved? if I cancel it or not activate it will I still have to pay the price? this is really scam-level behavior from hdfc.

There is no such mention of spend baised waiver on the screenshots you provided earlier.

Still, let your application go through first. If it gets accepted, contact customer care with the last 4 digits of your new card and ask LTF status. If they say otherwise, you have all the proofs mentioning your name and lifetime free email.

If they still say paid, you can just ignore the card and it'll get auto-closed within 30 days as per RBI guidelines.

 

[binno]

omg really? I applied for it and it didn't show any price anywhere, shit now what do I do after the card is approved? if I cancel it or not activate it will I still have to pay the price? this is really scam-level behavior from hdfc.

Chill bro .. First of all dont call cc to ask if its ltf or not .. Ask in mail .. And as you already have all proofs .. They have to make it LTF for you no matter what .. Its clearly mentioning LIFETIME FREE ..

 

[kandarp26]

A

omg really? I applied for it and it didn't show any price anywhere, shit now what do I do after the card is approved? if I cancel it or not activate it will I still have to pay the price? this is really scam-level behavior from hdfc.

Actually while taking your screenshot you have missed the detail of waiver based at the bottom. I am attaching screenshot from my account.
It is not an issue once you recieve the physical card confirm with customer care if he says Life Time free, then it is OK otherwise tell him to close the card. He can do on the spot instead of waiting for 30 days.

 

[James]

Chill bro .. First of all dont call cc to ask if its ltf or not .. Ask in mail .. And as you already have all proofs .. They have to make it LTF for you no matter what .. Its clearly mentioning LIFETIME FREE ..

Yes, get email from themself. If needed, we can go to rbi ombudsman in future

 

[MurlyLock]

A

Actually while taking your screenshot you have missed the detail of waiver based at the bottom. I am attaching screenshot from my account.
It is not an issue once you recieve the physical card confirm with customer care if he says Life Time free, then it is OK otherwise tell him to close the card. He can do on the spot instead of waiting for 30 days.

no mate, I haven't missed it, i literally checked during applying as i had previously applied for hdfc cc for my gf, so knew the layout, in my page there was literally no mention of this anywhere, only the card pic, and not a single other detail, and clicking on the card directly led to a page with my pan and submit button.

 

[MurlyLock]

Yes, get email from themself. If needed, we can go to rbi ombudsman in future

okay, I will email them , lets see then what happens

 

[shrewdoc]

okay, I will email them , lets see then what happens

Don't do anything right now. Have some patience. Wait and see how things play out first.

 

[MurlyLock]

Don't do anything right now. Have some patience. Wait and see how things play out first.

yes, I will wait till approval and then ask them. let's see what they say

 

[knight]

Here's the link extracted from screenshot.
If you haven't received the email, It'll automatically go to "etb-pre-approved-credit-cards-without-offer" and will put an enquiry.

applyonline.hdfcbank.com/cards/credit-cards.html?utm_campaign=CC-ACQ-DINERSFLOATER&utm_source=batch&utm_medium=EMAIL&utm_content=MKTG&utm_creative=DINERSPRIVILIGE

 

[MurlyLock]

Here's the link extracted from screenshot.
If you haven't received the email, It'll automatically go to "etb-pre-approved-credit-cards-without-offer" and will put an enquiry.

applyonline.hdfcbank.com/cards/credit-cards.html?utm_campaign=CC-ACQ-DINERSFLOATER&utm_source=batch&utm_medium=EMAIL&utm_content=MKTG&utm_creative=DINERSPRIVILIGE

they did an enquiry in my case too after i applied, i got a notification from cibil

 

[knight]

they did an enquiry in my case too after i applied, i got a notification from cibil

yepp.. it only showed shitty cards for me. so didn't continue.

 

[MurlyLock]

An update

So I got a message and email about an instant card and checked the status of the application, and it showed approved. So I called customer care and they said it is a chargeable card, I explained the situation and they said to email it to customerservices.cards@hdfcbank.com
so I dropped an email explaining the whole situation and with screenshots to both customerservices.cards@hdfcbank.com and grievance.redressalcc@hdfcbank.com. now let's see what reply I get back, also I spoke with the assistant branch manager of the branch where I have my HDFC account, and told him to see if he can do anything to make this ltf, he said he will try and to email him with all the details so let's see. Meanwhile, I won't activate the card after receiving it.
What is the next step after this? if they decline to make it LTF? where do I escalate it after this? I couldn't find any mail for the PNO so if anyone knows how to escalate this further, any help would be really appreciated.

 

[James]

An update

So I got a message and email about an instant card and checked the status of the application, and it showed approved. So I called customer care and they said it is a chargeable card, I explained the situation and they said to email it to customerservices.cards@hdfcbank.com
so I dropped an email explaining the whole situation and with screenshots to both customerservices.cards@hdfcbank.com and grievance.redressalcc@hdfcbank.com. now let's see what reply I get back, also I spoke with the assistant branch manager of the branch where I have my HDFC account, and told him to see if he can do anything to make this ltf, he said he will try and to email him with all the details so let's see. Meanwhile, I won't activate the card after receiving it.
What is the next step after this? if they decline to make it LTF? where do I escalate it after this? I couldn't find any mail for the PNO so if anyone knows how to escalate this further, any help would be really appreciated.

Omg you already sent mails to two customer care email IDs and assistant branch manager too. You already shared it to three people. Why

 

[MurlyLock]

Omg you already sent mails to two customer care email IDs and assistant branch manager too. You already shared it to three people. Why

The cc people said to mail and so I emailed the grievance and cards email and I know this assistant branch manager guy so asked him if he could help in any way. I mean is there gonna be any problem for sharing the issue with the emails and with the asst bm?

 

[knight]

why are you admitting to them that it's chargeable.. please make it LTF.

Wait for the Card's delivery.
Slap your LTF offer mail and application screenshots in your BMs face and send a complaint to grevience.
If they don't resolve it, PNO: PriorityRedressal.CreditCards@hdfcbank.com

Don't bend in front of these guys. You got a LTF mail and No fees was shown during the application. If the card is paid, it's their fault for 'misselling' and 'harassing' you. Threaten for RBI complain if they don't budge. You have enough proof.

There are plenty of posts on TFC about handling such situations.

 

[MurlyLock]

why are you admitting to them that it's chargeable.. please make it LTF.

Wait for the Card's delivery.
Slap your LTF offer mail and application screenshots in your BMs face and send a complaint to grevience.
If they don't resolve it, PNO: PriorityRedressal.CreditCards@hdfcbank.com

Don't bend in front of these guys. You got a LTF mail and No fees was shown during the application. If the card is paid, it's their fault for 'misselling' and 'harassing' you. Threaten for RBI complain if they don't budge. You have enough proof.

There are plenty of posts on TFC about handling such situations.

no no, I didn't admit to them that it's chargeable, I basically wrote that why is customer care saying my card is chargeable even though I applied for and was promised a LTF card. Don't worry I won't budge. I literally wrote that I want HDFC to rectify this situation and to make it LTF. Btw how long do they usually take to reply to the customerservices.cards@hdfcbank.com and grievance.redressalcc@hdfcbank.com emails?

 

[binno]

no no, I didn't admit to them that it's chargeable, I basically wrote that why is customer care saying my card is chargeable even though I applied for and was promised a LTF card. Don't worry I won't budge. I literally wrote that I want HDFC to rectify this situation and to make it LTF. Btw how long do they usually take to reply to the customerservices.cards@hdfcbank.com and grievance.redressalcc@hdfcbank.com emails?

1-2 days max .. If they give a time period ..it can be upto a week then