Kotak is the biggest pain in the a** when it comes to their backend system. Let me share my 3 experience.
1. Opened kotak ac in jan, got league ltf promotional offer in march through official kotak email. (was not pre-approved). Applied, cibil enquiry done, phone verification, and card approved.
After receiving card, confirmed with customer care, they said it's LTF. Excellent experience until now
2. Got Myntra card FYF offer in Myntra app along with 1000 voucher. When I applied it took me to Kotak page, there it was showing 0 Joining Fee, 500 annual fee. I went ahead and applied. Card approved in few days with equal but separate limit to previous league card.
I called customer care to confirm fyf and voucher. They told me that card has 500 joining fee. I will get vouchers soon. I did not have screenshot proof for fyf. Anyway I though I'll get 1000 voucher so it's fine.
I didn't get voucher after one month, called cc, he said I will get two 500 voucher, one for card activation and other after fee payment. Fee would be charged in 3rd statement.
About 2 months later, I got 500 voucher email. Redeemed it. About 3 months later, I had another rs500 in my Myntra credit (don't know from where it came, but most probably it was the other 500. I received it directly and not on form of voucher)
Now, my card was approved in 1st week of July, and I haven't been charged joining fee yet after 4 statements.
3. In sep end I got upgrade offer on email from league to fyf mojo. I was just checking, clicked on upgrade now, got an OTP, entered it hoping that it would land me in some approve terms and condition page, but after entering otp, it directly upgraded my card.
Got the card, called cc, they said card has 1000 joining fee. I told them about email offer, they told me to mail kotak.
I mailed them the offer page. And now the chakbodi begins. I get an email reply from them addressed to someone else. If my name is Sachin, they sent me mail Dear Dhoni, your card comes with 0 Joining fee. I furiously replied to them like are you high on something, kaam kar le acche se, naam sahi likh, and thrice the replied to the conversation, everytime addressing me with different name.
I then again called cc, they transferred my call to one senior, she again says there is joining fee I told that idiot senior to open her system and read the mail. She reads the mail that it has 0 Joining fee, but then she says that email is not for you, it is for Dhoni. (That was my Snape moment from Harry Potter.. Arrey BC wala).
In the meanwhile I hadn't activated my mojo card. But all their cc agent were saying I would be charged joining fee no matter what.
I disconnected the call, two days later called nodal officer. This idiot had another excuse, spend 30k to get joining fee waiver. (Which again wasn't there in my case).
Finally I raised complaint with RBI Ombudsman. Got a call from kotak next day that they are investigatng. Currently investigation is going on.
Meanwhile, I again applied for ltf Kotak league (this time through promotion on swiggy app). Have done entire screenrecording. Hopefully they will approve it.
Also, these MFS are now sending me mails to upgrade mojo to fyf zen. Lol, abhi toh mojo activate bhi nhi kiya and they want me to upgrade to go through the same harassment again