Most of people receive automated calls HDFC Credit Cards Lifetime Free eligibility. Many of them actually go through the shady process of sharing details via WhatsApp/Mail and receive a lower variant card with much lower limit. After seeing such posts on weekly basis, I thought of putting up an article on this issue to clarify what happens (and why) and doubts about it.
Who are they:
They are CC agents who earn via referrals. Their sole purpose is to make you apply a card from them, they do not care which card gets issued to you and whether it's LTF or not. They work under Credit Card Relationship Manager which is there at every branch and their sole purpose is to sell cards and earn from referrals. They have their own targets and so, they do not care to lie about offers and acceptance criteria.
The Process:
1. They call you and ask to apply from HDFC CC from them.
2. They ask you share required documents via WhatsApp/Mail.
3. They apply for you via Offline method by sending the form (which they filled) along with supporting documents that you shared (online) to Chennai office.
4. They ask you to lie on verification call by saying that you applied for this card offline by handing over the documents and didn't share anything offline. They ask their colleagues to call you randomly, identifying themselves as verification team to see how well you respond (and correct you then and there if you say anything wrong which might cause the application to be withdrawn)
5. After actual verification call, you get confirmation message about the card (approved) and it is delivered.
The timeline can be anywhere between 15 days to a month (can be more than that). They have a team of agents and they send out forms to Chennai in bulk (to save courier costs).
Authenticity:
The calls you get for HDFC Credit Cards are from random locations. I personally have received calls from Nagpur, Puri and Lucknow Branches (I know they can bluff about their location, but Truecaller too showed the same location in details page) where I haven't visited anytime, nor I have any contacts there.
As far as I have met them personally at 3 different branches (in Gujarat and Maharashtra), they do not have official ID Cards with them and do not have official E-Mail either. So, if you tell them to send you an email via their official id for their employment verification, they would just tell you "they are blocked from send mail outside hdfc" as they don't have it. They won't share their ICards either (they may send a forged one, which can be identified clearly). Some might be actual employees, but I haven't met any of them who is an employee, bears ICard and is sitting at desk calling everyone one by one
How to verify:
- Employees never call from their personal number. The department usually has toll free (shared) line via which they reach out to you.
- Employees from your home branch may call you personally, but in this case they would either ask you to visit branch for further process or would visit your home (If you have good NRV).
- To check for 3rd party, you can verify be asking other bank's credit card. Example: If you get a call for HDFC CC, tell that you already have HDFC, and you are looking for Axis/AU/Kotak or any other bank (which relies on 3rd parties). If they say they can process its application too, then they are definitely 3rd party agents.
What's the issue then ?
- Once applied, they do not care to reply to your calls/messages as you are basically wasting their time by calling them in THIER WORK HOURS. The time that they would have to waste in talking with you (giving updates, issues, timeline, etc etc) could be enough to get 2-3 more people to apply.
- If HDFC's "internal checks" doesn't think you qualify for the applied card, instead of denying your application, HDFC provides you with lower variant card with much lower limit. This is how HDFC stays ahead of other companies in CC market share.
- If you do not get the card you applied for (happens 90% of the time) and you try to contact Agent, they say that it's HDFC policy and ask to take it up with HDFC as they have just helped in applying for card.
- The limit is so low that many either close the card (agents don't care as they are going to receive referral anyway) or keep the card and don't use it (as CIBIL is going to take hit anyways) or try to spend on it once/twice in a month, expecting LE. This is how HDFC prevents defaulters (the possibility of being a defaulter with 20k CC limit is next to minimum).
- Usually, the card isn't Lifetime Free either (as you do not have anything in writing)
What can you do:
- Never share any documents over WhatsApp/Mail if you do not have confirmation about their authenticity.
- Easiest thing would be to stop applying from them and go to branch so that you have proof about the person and offers that they are willing to give.
- If you plan to apply via them, watermark all the documents with a validity tag. Example: "Only For HDFC CC Application, Document valid only till <+20 days from sharing>" or something like that as you never know where the data can be used.
Sample (If you are sharing docs on 1st November):
For Watermarking, you can either use Photoshop, or if you have android, use apps like: https://github.com/rosuH/EasyWatermark
- Request duly filled form images (and LTF offer page).
- To increase chances of getting required card, have a saving bank account with HDFC and then apply with the same number. This has prevented card downgrade (atleast) for many.
What won't help:
- Bugging those agents, they will simply block you.
- Recording calls, HDFC would say that you have applied via 3rd party and they are not responsible for it.
- Escalating it to HDFC. They know about it but won't accept or make it stop as they want to stay ahead in the game.
They (bank) can easily change their policy and give referral money only when the card holder activates the card and does a transaction for a certain value in first month, but this would cause the team to fail which is why even this doesn't seem feasible.
Hope this helps and we see a decline in weekly "I applied for HDFC but received other card/got less limit" threads
Who are they:
They are CC agents who earn via referrals. Their sole purpose is to make you apply a card from them, they do not care which card gets issued to you and whether it's LTF or not. They work under Credit Card Relationship Manager which is there at every branch and their sole purpose is to sell cards and earn from referrals. They have their own targets and so, they do not care to lie about offers and acceptance criteria.
The Process:
1. They call you and ask to apply from HDFC CC from them.
2. They ask you share required documents via WhatsApp/Mail.
3. They apply for you via Offline method by sending the form (which they filled) along with supporting documents that you shared (online) to Chennai office.
4. They ask you to lie on verification call by saying that you applied for this card offline by handing over the documents and didn't share anything offline. They ask their colleagues to call you randomly, identifying themselves as verification team to see how well you respond (and correct you then and there if you say anything wrong which might cause the application to be withdrawn)
5. After actual verification call, you get confirmation message about the card (approved) and it is delivered.
The timeline can be anywhere between 15 days to a month (can be more than that). They have a team of agents and they send out forms to Chennai in bulk (to save courier costs).
Authenticity:
The calls you get for HDFC Credit Cards are from random locations. I personally have received calls from Nagpur, Puri and Lucknow Branches (I know they can bluff about their location, but Truecaller too showed the same location in details page) where I haven't visited anytime, nor I have any contacts there.
As far as I have met them personally at 3 different branches (in Gujarat and Maharashtra), they do not have official ID Cards with them and do not have official E-Mail either. So, if you tell them to send you an email via their official id for their employment verification, they would just tell you "they are blocked from send mail outside hdfc" as they don't have it. They won't share their ICards either (they may send a forged one, which can be identified clearly). Some might be actual employees, but I haven't met any of them who is an employee, bears ICard and is sitting at desk calling everyone one by one
How to verify:
- Employees never call from their personal number. The department usually has toll free (shared) line via which they reach out to you.
- Employees from your home branch may call you personally, but in this case they would either ask you to visit branch for further process or would visit your home (If you have good NRV).
- To check for 3rd party, you can verify be asking other bank's credit card. Example: If you get a call for HDFC CC, tell that you already have HDFC, and you are looking for Axis/AU/Kotak or any other bank (which relies on 3rd parties). If they say they can process its application too, then they are definitely 3rd party agents.
What's the issue then ?
- Once applied, they do not care to reply to your calls/messages as you are basically wasting their time by calling them in THIER WORK HOURS. The time that they would have to waste in talking with you (giving updates, issues, timeline, etc etc) could be enough to get 2-3 more people to apply.
- If HDFC's "internal checks" doesn't think you qualify for the applied card, instead of denying your application, HDFC provides you with lower variant card with much lower limit. This is how HDFC stays ahead of other companies in CC market share.
- If you do not get the card you applied for (happens 90% of the time) and you try to contact Agent, they say that it's HDFC policy and ask to take it up with HDFC as they have just helped in applying for card.
- The limit is so low that many either close the card (agents don't care as they are going to receive referral anyway) or keep the card and don't use it (as CIBIL is going to take hit anyways) or try to spend on it once/twice in a month, expecting LE. This is how HDFC prevents defaulters (the possibility of being a defaulter with 20k CC limit is next to minimum).
- Usually, the card isn't Lifetime Free either (as you do not have anything in writing)
What can you do:
- Never share any documents over WhatsApp/Mail if you do not have confirmation about their authenticity.
- Easiest thing would be to stop applying from them and go to branch so that you have proof about the person and offers that they are willing to give.
- If you plan to apply via them, watermark all the documents with a validity tag. Example: "Only For HDFC CC Application, Document valid only till <+20 days from sharing>" or something like that as you never know where the data can be used.
Sample (If you are sharing docs on 1st November):
ONLY FOR HDFC CC APPLICATION
DOC CAN NOT BE USED FOR VERIFICATION AFTER 20 NOVEMBER 2023
For Watermarking, you can either use Photoshop, or if you have android, use apps like: https://github.com/rosuH/EasyWatermark
- Request duly filled form images (and LTF offer page).
- To increase chances of getting required card, have a saving bank account with HDFC and then apply with the same number. This has prevented card downgrade (atleast) for many.
What won't help:
- Bugging those agents, they will simply block you.
- Recording calls, HDFC would say that you have applied via 3rd party and they are not responsible for it.
- Escalating it to HDFC. They know about it but won't accept or make it stop as they want to stay ahead in the game.
They (bank) can easily change their policy and give referral money only when the card holder activates the card and does a transaction for a certain value in first month, but this would cause the team to fail which is why even this doesn't seem feasible.
Hope this helps and we see a decline in weekly "I applied for HDFC but received other card/got less limit" threads
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