Infinia Poor chargeback experience with HDFC Infinia for Cleartrip Smartbuy transaction

[niks]

I had a not so good experience with raising a chargeback request for a Smartbuy transaction I did on my Infinia card.

In Dec'24, I had booked a 2-day stay with Azaya Beach Resort Goa using my HDFC Infinia card through Smartbuy. The partner was Cleartrip who in turn (as I found out from the hotel) had booked through Expedia.

On arriving at the hotel, I discovered that the hotel was a disaster. Far from being a 5-star hotel as advertised, there was hardly any staff, rooms were terrible, no water in the bathrooms, and so on. I immediately spoke to the manager on phone (there was none on duty) and we finally negotiated that I will check out immediately & they will process the refund back to the original source within 7 days. I requested them to send me an email confirming the same and he promised he will send it the next day when he is back at work. I had no choice & left the hotel.

After I returned from my trip, when I tried to call the manager, he started blocking my calls & did not send me any email.

Hence, I called up Cleartrip support & raised a ticket. Cleartrip asked me to send them a written communication from the hotel confirming they are willing to refund. I explained to them that they are not responding to my calls & emails. Cleartrip themselves wrote to & called the hotel property but the hotel did not respond to them as well. Surprisingly, the hotel is a Cleartrip partner, but Cleartrip just closed the ticket claiming no response from the hotel.

After a few days, I finally raised a dispute with HDFC Bank and asked for a chargeback. I informed them that both the hotel & Cleartrip have been of no help. HDFC also unfortunately took the same stance that they need an email confirmation from the hotel to process the refund. I explained to them that I am not raising a “refund” matter but a “disputed chargeback” because the hotel is acting fraudulently & not responding either to me or to Cleartrip. However, HDFC refused to entertain any request for a “chargeback”.

Finally, I happened to visit Goa again last week & again visited the Hotel. After being confronted face to face, the hotel staff finally sent me a mail confirming they agree to the refund & based on that Cleartrip finally processed the refund.

I am disappointed at HDFC Infinia’s so called great service since they avoided calling it a “chargeback” or “dispute” and every time treated this as a “refund” case. Probably, HDFC cannot go against its own Smartbuy partners and cannot raise a chargeback against their own partners? For me all is well that ends well, but the Infinia support was surprisingly disheartening.

 

[Anupama_Jha]

Ahh, finally relieved after reading that you got the refund. Yeah, it is what it is. AMEX is reportedly better in such cases.

Imagine you raised a chargeback, and HDFC contacted the merchant to prove the genuineness of the transaction. However, the merchant failed to do so. In that case, the bank should automatically deduct the same amount from the merchant’s recent settlement or place a hold on their account.

 

[Anupama_Jha]

I would recommend to file complaint against hdfc to rbi ombudsman and claim compensation for refund delay and mental agony

 

[drmsiva]

Good that you got the money back.

I also had bad experience with Infinia - though I cancelled the autopay in HDFC portal (sihub), the company deducted the monthly payment. When I complained to HDFC, they blamed me rather than the accept the issue and informed me that I utilised the service which was not correct.

After my email informing them that I would take it up with RBI, they refunded me. They got back to me again recently saying that they have investigated the issue and it was my fault rather than issue with their autopay system. I am in the process of complaining to RBI regarding this.

Amex is the best in these situations but their FCY charges are high (I only have Gold and Plat travel cards) for overseas transactions.

 

[Anupama_Jha]

After my email informing them that I would take it up with RBI, they refunded me. They got back to me again recently saying that they have investigated the issue and it was my fault rather than issue with their autopay system.

Sorry I didn't understood here. If they have refunded, what they are demanding now? Reversed back or??

 

[drmsiva]

Sorry I didn't understood here. If they have refunded, what they are demanding now? Reversed back or??

Yes - they did a provisional credit initially and would be cancelling it after their investigation!

 

[Sobirvs]

Okay, let me clear alot of things people don't get.

I have worked in the past full time and sometimes still work with chargeback resolution. (mostly international).

"Chargeback" or a dispute, is not a HDFC feature, it is a VISA/MC feature. HDFC doesn't have the authority on this. HDFC is just a member of VISA/MC. Raising a chargeback is your right. You can go to VISA/MC to put a penalty that HDFC didn't honor this right of yours to put a chargeback. You don't even have to talk to HDFC about this. If Phone banking isn't doing it, go to the branch and just ask for dispute form for the credit card. You don't even need to tell why u need the form. Just ask for the form.

You should have done the same with phone banking, ask what's your dispute procedure on the phone or asked a copy of form on email and an official email of hdfc where you can send the form.

It is not for HDFC to decide if you can put a dispute or not. Once you get the form - fill it appropriately with a reason. Now comes the important part and my opinion - Even if you would have filed a chargeback you would have lost this. Chargeback is filed by you, and hdfc sends it to VISA/MC, and they send it to acquiring bank where the merchant has the merchant account (not current account unless he banks with the same bank). You would have gotten a temp credit of the full amount however it's a temp credit. Now as a responsible member of VISA/MC, HDFC has to investigate this issue in an unbiased manner and then report it back to the card brand (visa/mc).

Now, about the quality of service of "infinia", let me tell you chargeback process is absolutely the same with any card, regardless you have a 200 rs fee card or 2L annual fee card. CHARGEBACK IS THE SAME ON ANY/EVERY card. "Infinia" doesn't guarantee you to win a chargeback or priority chargeback as timeline is same for all card brands. Now, there are banks out there who actually do give like a specific amount (like 5-10L) guarantee of funds reversal regardless they get it back from the merchant(hotel) or not and take responsibility themselves but that usually applies to fraud cases. Yours however isn't.

Now, there are only limit number of options for you to file a chargeback, most popular ofc is fraud, but that's not in your case, so yours can be "product/services not as described" reason code. You could have fought this with evidences that you have but unfortunately you didn't have any evidence (call recordings aren't entertained by any card brand), an official transcript, or a receipt/invoice/email evidence do work however. Even if hdfc had initiated chargeback, hotel would have just given invoice and receipt and they would have won. The only way here for you to win is if hotel would have not responded to the chargeback within stipulated timeframe(usually 30 days in case of visa, earlier this was 90 days but not anymore). Hotels usually are big business and they hardly get chargebacks so ya, that could have been the case that hotel didn't respond to chargeback and you automatically won however if they would have replied, you would have lost.

You can file a 2nd chargeback (arbitration), however in this case, you have to put money here. It's basically a bet. Case is investigated by the card brand now, not HDFC in 2nd chargeback. For example hotel puts 50,000 rs as a bet, so you have to put 50,000 rs too and whole money goes to visa/mc. Whoever visa/mc decides , wins the whole jackpot of both sides betting amount. Unusually 2nd chargeback is very very rare in India, it does happen in the US/CA/AU/UK quite often by my personal experience. Banks probably don't even know how to initiate 2nd chargeback, but by going to the right people, it can be initiated.

Anyways, the whole fault unfortunately lies with you that you went into a rush and didn't ask for email/evidence from hotel in written. But again, you being wrong doesn't mean HDFC is right, HDFC has no authority over who can put a chargeback and who cannot. When HDFC denied you for chargeback, you could have asked this in writing on email with HDFC where HDFC gives u in writing that they won't initiate chargeback. You could send this evidence to both RBI and VISA/MC for monetary penalty.

Chargeback process is best with Amex (not bank branded amex, but amex directly). Why? coz Amex both sells cards directly + they control the whole amex network so they can do whatever they want. Amex many a times even if customer loses the dispute , amex compensates the customer from their own pocket, hence why customers love amex. But I like visa/mc too when it comes to dispute. It's just that in case of visa/mc , many third parties are involved, hence it's a bit of a mess for the customer.

Speaking of amex, even amex chargeback process doesn't give priority to which card you have. You can have amex mrcc or amex black or centurian or whatever, the process is exactly the same for all. Even reason codes/paper all are same.

Feel free to ask me anything about chargeback. I have fought many chargeback's myself for 3rd party or for my own company or for friends. My win ratio (with visa/mc) is literally like 99% (where I have won as a company and customer has lost lol). In my whole career, I have literally lost just 2 chargebacks. That too just coz in paperwork I did typo, like there was a canada chargeback, company was of US, and I put wrong currency/amount in paperwork and 2nd I actually won but lost/gave up whrn customer initiate 2nd chargeback.

Also, let me clear one more thing, losing chargeback doesn't mean customer has no other option. You can go to the police and raise a civil/criminal proceedings. You can go after the company(hotel) or card brand(visa/mc) or bank. No one can stop you to do this.

I apologize for not writing in correct para's as I am in a bit of hurry and don't have time to beautify my post lol.

 

[nh124001]

Okay, let me clear alot of things people don't get.

I have worked in the past full time and sometimes still work with chargeback resolution. (mostly international).

"Chargeback" or a dispute, is not a HDFC feature, it is a VISA/MC feature. HDFC doesn't have the authority on this. HDFC is just a member of VISA/MC. Raising a chargeback is your right. You can go to VISA/MC to put a penalty that HDFC didn't honor this right of yours to put a chargeback. You don't even have to talk to HDFC about this. If Phone banking isn't doing it, go to the branch and just ask for dispute form for the credit card. You don't even need to tell why u need the form. Just ask for the form.

You should have done the same with phone banking, ask what's your dispute procedure on the phone or asked a copy of form on email and an official email of hdfc where you can send the form.

It is not for HDFC to decide if you can put a dispute or not. Once you get the form - fill it appropriately with a reason. Now comes the important part and my opinion - Even if you would have filed a chargeback you would have lost this. Chargeback is filed by you, and hdfc sends it to VISA/MC, and they send it to acquiring bank where the merchant has the merchant account (not current account unless he banks with the same bank). You would have gotten a temp credit of the full amount however it's a temp credit. Now as a responsible member of VISA/MC, HDFC has to investigate this issue in an unbiased manner and then report it back to the card brand (visa/mc).

Now, about the quality of service of "infinia", let me tell you chargeback process is absolutely the same with any card, regardless you have a 200 rs fee card or 2L annual fee card. CHARGEBACK IS THE SAME ON ANY/EVERY card. "Infinia" doesn't guarantee you to win a chargeback or priority chargeback as timeline is same for all card brands. Now, there are banks out there who actually do give like a specific amount (like 5-10L) guarantee of funds reversal regardless they get it back from the merchant(hotel) or not and take responsibility themselves but that usually applies to fraud cases. Yours however isn't.

Now, there are only limit number of options for you to file a chargeback, most popular ofc is fraud, but that's not in your case, so yours can be "product/services not as described" reason code. You could have fought this with evidences that you have but unfortunately you didn't have any evidence (call recordings aren't entertained by any card brand), an official transcript, or a receipt/invoice/email evidence do work however. Even if hdfc had initiated chargeback, hotel would have just given invoice and receipt and they would have won. The only way here for you to win is if hotel would have not responded to the chargeback within stipulated timeframe(usually 30 days in case of visa, earlier this was 90 days but not anymore). Hotels usually are big business and they hardly get chargebacks so ya, that could have been the case that hotel didn't respond to chargeback and you automatically won however if they would have replied, you would have lost.

You can file a 2nd chargeback (arbitration), however in this case, you have to put money here. It's basically a bet. Case is investigated by the card brand now, not HDFC in 2nd chargeback. For example hotel puts 50,000 rs as a bet, so you have to put 50,000 rs too and whole money goes to visa/mc. Whoever visa/mc decides , wins the whole jackpot of both sides betting amount. Unusually 2nd chargeback is very very rare in India, it does happen in the US/CA/AU/UK quite often by my personal experience. Banks probably don't even know how to initiate 2nd chargeback, but by going to the right people, it can be initiated.

Anyways, the whole fault unfortunately lies with you that you went into a rush and didn't ask for email/evidence from hotel in written. But again, you being wrong doesn't mean HDFC is right, HDFC has no authority over who can put a chargeback and who cannot. When HDFC denied you for chargeback, you could have asked this in writing on email with HDFC where HDFC gives u in writing that they won't initiate chargeback. You could send this evidence to both RBI and VISA/MC for monetary penalty.

Chargeback process is best with Amex (not bank branded amex, but amex directly). Why? coz Amex both sells cards directly + they control the whole amex network so they can do whatever they want. Amex many a times even if customer loses the dispute , amex compensates the customer from their own pocket, hence why customers love amex. But I like visa/mc too when it comes to dispute. It's just that in case of visa/mc , many third parties are involved, hence it's a bit of a mess for the customer.

Speaking of amex, even amex chargeback process doesn't give priority to which card you have. You can have amex mrcc or amex black or centurian or whatever, the process is exactly the same for all. Even reason codes/paper all are same.

Feel free to ask me anything about chargeback. I have fought many chargeback's myself for 3rd party or for my own company or for friends. My win ratio (with visa/mc) is literally like 99% (where I have won as a company and customer has lost lol). In my whole career, I have literally lost just 2 chargebacks. That too just coz in paperwork I did typo, like there was a canada chargeback, company was of US, and I put wrong currency/amount in paperwork and 2nd I actually won but lost/gave up whrn customer initiate 2nd chargeback.

Also, let me clear one more thing, losing chargeback doesn't mean customer has no other option. You can go to the police and raise a civil/criminal proceedings. You can go after the company(hotel) or card brand(visa/mc) or bank. No one can stop you to do this.

I apologize for not writing in correct para's as I am in a bit of hurry and don't have time to beautify my post lol.

good one, explained the whole process properly

 

[Anupama_Jha]

Okay, let me clear alot of things people don't get.

I have worked in the past full time and sometimes still work with chargeback resolution. (mostly international).

"Chargeback" or a dispute, is not a HDFC feature, it is a VISA/MC feature. HDFC doesn't have the authority on this. HDFC is just a member of VISA/MC. Raising a chargeback is your right. You can go to VISA/MC to put a penalty that HDFC didn't honor this right of yours to put a chargeback. You don't even have to talk to HDFC about this. If Phone banking isn't doing it, go to the branch and just ask for dispute form for the credit card. You don't even need to tell why u need the form. Just ask for the form.

You should have done the same with phone banking, ask what's your dispute procedure on the phone or asked a copy of form on email and an official email of hdfc where you can send the form.

It is not for HDFC to decide if you can put a dispute or not. Once you get the form - fill it appropriately with a reason. Now comes the important part and my opinion - Even if you would have filed a chargeback you would have lost this. Chargeback is filed by you, and hdfc sends it to VISA/MC, and they send it to acquiring bank where the merchant has the merchant account (not current account unless he banks with the same bank). You would have gotten a temp credit of the full amount however it's a temp credit. Now as a responsible member of VISA/MC, HDFC has to investigate this issue in an unbiased manner and then report it back to the card brand (visa/mc).

Now, about the quality of service of "infinia", let me tell you chargeback process is absolutely the same with any card, regardless you have a 200 rs fee card or 2L annual fee card. CHARGEBACK IS THE SAME ON ANY/EVERY card. "Infinia" doesn't guarantee you to win a chargeback or priority chargeback as timeline is same for all card brands. Now, there are banks out there who actually do give like a specific amount (like 5-10L) guarantee of funds reversal regardless they get it back from the merchant(hotel) or not and take responsibility themselves but that usually applies to fraud cases. Yours however isn't.

Now, there are only limit number of options for you to file a chargeback, most popular ofc is fraud, but that's not in your case, so yours can be "product/services not as described" reason code. You could have fought this with evidences that you have but unfortunately you didn't have any evidence (call recordings aren't entertained by any card brand), an official transcript, or a receipt/invoice/email evidence do work however. Even if hdfc had initiated chargeback, hotel would have just given invoice and receipt and they would have won. The only way here for you to win is if hotel would have not responded to the chargeback within stipulated timeframe(usually 30 days in case of visa, earlier this was 90 days but not anymore). Hotels usually are big business and they hardly get chargebacks so ya, that could have been the case that hotel didn't respond to chargeback and you automatically won however if they would have replied, you would have lost.

You can file a 2nd chargeback (arbitration), however in this case, you have to put money here. It's basically a bet. Case is investigated by the card brand now, not HDFC in 2nd chargeback. For example hotel puts 50,000 rs as a bet, so you have to put 50,000 rs too and whole money goes to visa/mc. Whoever visa/mc decides , wins the whole jackpot of both sides betting amount. Unusually 2nd chargeback is very very rare in India, it does happen in the US/CA/AU/UK quite often by my personal experience. Banks probably don't even know how to initiate 2nd chargeback, but by going to the right people, it can be initiated.

Anyways, the whole fault unfortunately lies with you that you went into a rush and didn't ask for email/evidence from hotel in written. But again, you being wrong doesn't mean HDFC is right, HDFC has no authority over who can put a chargeback and who cannot. When HDFC denied you for chargeback, you could have asked this in writing on email with HDFC where HDFC gives u in writing that they won't initiate chargeback. You could send this evidence to both RBI and VISA/MC for monetary penalty.

Chargeback process is best with Amex (not bank branded amex, but amex directly). Why? coz Amex both sells cards directly + they control the whole amex network so they can do whatever they want. Amex many a times even if customer loses the dispute , amex compensates the customer from their own pocket, hence why customers love amex. But I like visa/mc too when it comes to dispute. It's just that in case of visa/mc , many third parties are involved, hence it's a bit of a mess for the customer.

Speaking of amex, even amex chargeback process doesn't give priority to which card you have. You can have amex mrcc or amex black or centurian or whatever, the process is exactly the same for all. Even reason codes/paper all are same.

Feel free to ask me anything about chargeback. I have fought many chargeback's myself for 3rd party or for my own company or for friends. My win ratio (with visa/mc) is literally like 99% (where I have won as a company and customer has lost lol). In my whole career, I have literally lost just 2 chargebacks. That too just coz in paperwork I did typo, like there was a canada chargeback, company was of US, and I put wrong currency/amount in paperwork and 2nd I actually won but lost/gave up whrn customer initiate 2nd chargeback.

Also, let me clear one more thing, losing chargeback doesn't mean customer has no other option. You can go to the police and raise a civil/criminal proceedings. You can go after the company(hotel) or card brand(visa/mc) or bank. No one can stop you to do this.

I apologize for not writing in correct para's as I am in a bit of hurry and don't have time to beautify my post lol.

I have read this somewhere, somewhere for sure🤔

 

[Sobirvs]

I have read this somewhere, somewhere for sure🤔

Desidime? ;-)

Btw, let me add one thing which I guess I forgot. I told abt if you lose chargeback, you have other means.

Similarly merchant(Company/hotel etc) also have the same rights. If bank/brand doesn't side with them they have the right to drag you to police/court so never abuse chargeback process, you can be banned for life on visa/mc network(have seen it happening but rarely) , so if it happens, you can never use visa/mc debit or credit, but you can use amex or dcb or rupay etc cards till they ban you aswell. VISA and MC works quite closely.

Also, usually companies don't take u to court coz the amount they lose is quite minor, compared to legal process which takes alot of resources.