Unnotified Membership Fee for Eterna Card Variant Change

[imdjay]

My Eterna MasterCard was issued in September 2023.

After a lengthy back-and-forth with the BOB card team, I successfully converted my Eterna MasterCard to an Eterna Visa card last month, before the one-year mark.

The statement generation date was a week later, and when the statement was generated, I noticed a membership fee.
I initially tried to address the issue over a phone call, but they asked me to send an email.

After multiple emails, I received a response stating:

"The charges levied on your converted card are correct, and there is no discrepancy from our end. Since your Master Eterna credit card was converted to a new variant, i.e., Visa Eterna, annual fee/joining fees are applicable on the freshly converted card."

Now, my concerns are:

1. I was not informed about this membership fee before the conversion.
2. I had already completed the fee waiver and the ₹5 lakh milestone on my Eterna MasterCard.
3. Is it fair to levy membership charges for merely changing the card variant?

 

[jack333]

My Eterna MasterCard was issued in September 2023.

After a lengthy back-and-forth with the BOB card team, I successfully converted my Eterna MasterCard to an Eterna Visa card last month, before the one-year mark.

The statement generation date was a week later, and when the statement was generated, I noticed a membership fee.
I initially tried to address the issue over a phone call, but they asked me to send an email.

After multiple emails, I received a response stating:

"The charges levied on your converted card are correct, and there is no discrepancy from our end. Since your Master Eterna credit card was converted to a new variant, i.e., Visa Eterna, annual fee/joining fees are applicable on the freshly converted card."

Now, my concerns are:

1. I was not informed about this membership fee before the conversion.
2. I had already completed the fee waiver and the ₹5 lakh milestone on my Eterna MasterCard.
3. Is it fair to levy membership charges for merely changing the card variant?

You can complain to rbi ombudsman and demand compensation also

 

[imdjay]

You can complain to rbi ombudsman and demand compensation also

Bhai that I know.
As per my spending pattern, I also know I will easily cover 25k spend waiver.

But I want to understand- can bank really trigger membership fee again if we change the card variant?
If yes, then why it's not mentioned in the SOC.
Is there any policy or guideline given by RBI on this?

 

[shashankrt]

Answer is YES. Any change (upgrade / downgrade) is essentially considered as new card issuance and hence all the fees / charges associated with new card are levied. Basically you should have checked new card fees and charges before asking to change variant. Also is it a variant change or just underlying payment vendor change (mastercard to visa)? If its the latter then i believe rules may be different.

 

[Nishan11]

Bank should have informed about any charges due to variant change. It would have been easier for customer to decide to proceed with the request or not.

They will mention Terms & conditions as usual. Try requesting nodal, if they don't budge, then RBI ombudsman is only way.

 

[imdjay]

Answer is YES. Any change (upgrade / downgrade) is essentially considered as new card issuance and hence all the fees / charges associated with new card are levied. Basically you should have checked new card fees and charges before asking to change variant. Also is it a variant change or just underlying payment vendor change (mastercard to visa)? If its the latter then i believe rules may be different.

Kiska Answer YES de rhe ho.
Read the thread. I have already written everything. It just Variant change, From Eterna Master to Visa.
There should not be any charges. I have not upgraded or downgraded the card.

 

[imdjay]

Bank should have informed about aby charges due to variant change. It would have been easier for customer to decide to proceed with the request or not.

They will mention Terms & conditions as usual. Try requesting nodal, if they don't budge, then RBI ombudsman is only way.

Yes. have dropped an email to Nodal Team. If do not receive any response by tomorrow. Will forward to PNO and then RBIO.

 

[Anupama_Jha]

Yes. have dropped an email to Nodal Team. If do not receive any response by tomorrow. Will forward to PNO and then RBIO.

Rulam rakh diya hai. Update dete rehna bro

 

[shashankrt]

Kiska Answer YES de rhe ho.
Read the thread. I have already written everything. It just Variant change, From Eterna Master to Visa.
There should not be any charges. I have not upgraded or downgraded the card.

Huh? Why are u shooting the messenger? Read your own statement below:

"The charges levied on your converted card are correct, and there is no discrepancy from our end. Since your Master Eterna credit card was converted to a new variant, i.e., Visa Eterna, annual fee/joining fees are applicable on the freshly converted card."

So bank has treated this as a new Card issuance and hence levied charges. The issue is technically your 5 lakh milestone will also not be considered. Frankly taking this to PNO is the only option as BoB is still a sarkari bank and speaking to CC can be useless. Had this been any private bank CC team would have provided you exceptions based on your past payment and spend history.

 

[Anupama_Jha]

"The charges levied on your converted card are correct, and there is no discrepancy from our end. Since your Master Eterna credit card was converted to a new variant, i.e., Visa Eterna, annual fee/joining fees are applicable on the freshly converted card."

So bank has treated this as a new Card issuance and hence levied charges.

Every govt bank considers platform change as new card issuance. I.e SBI, BOB, PNB, etc

 

[sm9811911]

Yes. have dropped an email to Nodal Team. If do not receive any response by tomorrow. Will forward to PNO and then RBIO.

Wait for 30 or an unfavourable response before reaching out to rbi.

Also, why did you change variant?

 

[imdjay]

Every govt bank considers platform change as new card issuance. I.e SBI, BOB, PNB, etc

but I don't think they levy joining fees again.

 

[imdjay]

Huh? Why are u shooting the messenger? Read your own statement below:

"The charges levied on your converted card are correct, and there is no discrepancy from our end. Since your Master Eterna credit card was converted to a new variant, i.e., Visa Eterna, annual fee/joining fees are applicable on the freshly converted card."

So bank has treated this as a new Card issuance and hence levied charges. The issue is technically your 5 lakh milestone will also not be considered. Frankly taking this to PNO is the only option as BoB is still a sarkari bank and speaking to CC can be useless. Had this been any private bank CC team would have provided you exceptions based on your past payment and spend history.

Pardon my manners.

 

[Anupama_Jha]

but I don't think they levy joining fees again.

SBI converts LTF cards to paid, if platform change is done. Or or, even add on cards are applied

 

[imdjay]

SBI converts LTF cards to paid, if platform change is done. Or or, even add on cards are applied

But they notify before doing so.

 

[wiizzard]

I don't think this is right. RBI now mandates Banks to allow customers to choose a network of their choice. This shouldn't result in re-levying of annual/joining fees.
You should complaint to nodal and then RBI if you don't get a resolution

 

[kshitij_0]

My Eterna MasterCard was issued in September 2023.

After a lengthy back-and-forth with the BOB card team, I successfully converted my Eterna MasterCard to an Eterna Visa card last month, before the one-year mark.

The statement generation date was a week later, and when the statement was generated, I noticed a membership fee.
I initially tried to address the issue over a phone call, but they asked me to send an email.

After multiple emails, I received a response stating:

"The charges levied on your converted card are correct, and there is no discrepancy from our end. Since your Master Eterna credit card was converted to a new variant, i.e., Visa Eterna, annual fee/joining fees are applicable on the freshly converted card."

Now, my concerns are:

1. I was not informed about this membership fee before the conversion.
2. I had already completed the fee waiver and the ₹5 lakh milestone on my Eterna MasterCard.
3. Is it fair to levy membership charges for merely changing the card variant?

Bhai aap to bade heavy driver lagte ho
BoB Eterna se network change kara liye aur Infinia wale me jo khel kiye. Aap to Legend category wale lagte ho

 

[creditcardkakida]

My Eterna MasterCard was issued in September 2023.

After a lengthy back-and-forth with the BOB card team, I successfully converted my Eterna MasterCard to an Eterna Visa card last month, before the one-year mark.

The statement generation date was a week later, and when the statement was generated, I noticed a membership fee.
I initially tried to address the issue over a phone call, but they asked me to send an email.

After multiple emails, I received a response stating:

"The charges levied on your converted card are correct, and there is no discrepancy from our end. Since your Master Eterna credit card was converted to a new variant, i.e., Visa Eterna, annual fee/joining fees are applicable on the freshly converted card."

Now, my concerns are:

1. I was not informed about this membership fee before the conversion.
2. I had already completed the fee waiver and the ₹5 lakh milestone on my Eterna MasterCard.
3. Is it fair to levy membership charges for merely changing the card variant?

Ask them to issue bonus reward points of 10000 if they are treating is a freshly issued card... I hope you have spend 50000 in first 60 days after getting new variant...

 

[leonneel]

Answer is YES. Any change (upgrade / downgrade) is essentially considered as new card issuance and hence all the fees / charges associated with new card are levied. Basically you should have checked new card fees and charges before asking to change variant. Also is it a variant change or just underlying payment vendor change (mastercard to visa)? If its the latter then i believe rules may be different.

I converted my SBI bpcl via to rupay and I did not get charged 499+gst joining fee.

 

[leonneel]

Ask them to issue bonus reward points of 10000 if they are treating is a freshly issued card... I hope you have spend 50000 in first 60 days after getting new variant...

That is a very good point.