Unmasking Deceptive Advertising: AU Small Finance Banks' SwipeUp Program and Its Impact on Credit Reports

[taskmaster]

Nice job. I think our world would be a better place even if 10% of the people actually did something about the scummy practices of banks. Even if it felt on deaf ears

 

[prem2311]

Hey @SmartSave, Well done. It's a best example how to handle these kind of issue.

You deserve an huge applause.

You have the courage to go till the end.

It's a one sided system. But, you make many people aware that this is a scam.

I appriciate your effort. My suggetions would be, instead of going against the system, just put your effort to make more people aware of these kind of malpractices. Becasue, many people doesn't know these kind of scams due to busy in life. Redirect your effort to reach many people without going full on against system. If you approach these kind of scams with soft and more reach means you can have your twitter account active with more followers.

If you win this case means they just remove your enquiry but they do not for all.

But, if you reach out many people means there won't be anyone in this situation to fight.

If you put your effort on the right directions means and no one will apply and this system will go down as it's own.

Just saying. Think about it.

 

[SmartSave]

...My suggetions would be, instead of going against the system, just put your effort to make more people aware of these kind of malpractices. Becasue, many people doesn't know these kind of scams due to busy in life. Redirect your effort to reach many people without going full on against system. If you approach these kind of scams with soft and more reach means you can have your twitter account active with more followers....

Thanks for the suggestion.

The whole point of this thread was to spread awareness not just now but for future too. I've shared this on Medium too as a blog post.

I've had this shared on social media and unfortunately, both Reddit and X/Twitter the accounts were taken down, similar to the Poonia's case where the infamous EdTech company was taking things down for him since they started to get exposed by him (Good lad). Speaking of which, as we know, that parent company too lost its valuation significantly and are on the verge of going bankrupt...I guess it's a pattern among these scumbag companies/organizations, they go blind and high on arrogance but eventually end up tasting dust.

So I think as more and more people learn about this through this thread, it'll automatically create awareness. Ofc social media reach would've been much better but then it's a risky affair in many ways in addition to requiring heavy bandwidth, resources, finances, backing, etc. to continue to fight/create awareness. At the end, I'm just another person vs evil corps. To the best of my abilities, I'll continue to call these evil corps out and create awareness within my reach/framework.

P.S. Thanks to everyone for their kind words of appreciation and support 🙏

 

[xfactcc]

I've had this shared on social media and unfortunately, both Reddit and X/Twitter the accounts were taken down, similar to the Poonia's case where the infamous EdTech company was taking things down for him since they started to get exposed by him (Good lad).

This scared me. How much unholy influence they wield that they can flag your genuine and well meaning grievance posts across platforms for TnC violations and take your accounts down without the possibility of appeal. That's too much power vested for wrong purposes.

I wish you can complain against RBI at least for their obvious overlooking of your valid and strong objections and prematurely closing the complaint without allowing appeal.

 

[vine]

Hey bro, I appreciate your support.

I went ahead and posted a thread on Twitter/X. Please go ahead and retweet, comment and do mention the bank's handle.

Request everyone else to also do the needful. I'm doing the heavy lifting part and putting up this fight not just for myself but for everyone as already explained in the OP. We all let go while these banks continue to damage our reports and practise unethical stuff. Who's losing at the end? It's us.

Here's the Post/Tweet:

O.M.F.G.
They suspended your Twitter account??? and for this?!
Remind myself to never to never even spit in the general direction of AU bank/or any of their products.

 

[Gaara]

Thats totally unethical, I heard similar experience. My friend applied through swipe up his highest limit card and he was shown the AU Xcite ACE with same limit and after Home and office verification his card got rejected. and after a month he started getting calls that he can get AU card dispatched Immediately they just need his consent, then he released He had applied from an affiliate link where we were supposed to get 1500/- for using affiliate link and who shared affiliate link they get some share from bank. To skip those, they rejected his card and after a month offered him the same card again.

 

[Salonie]

AU Small Finance Bank reply (Sent to RBI)​

Reference: - Complaint No. xxxxxxxxx, referring to the captioned complaint, we furnish our response as under:
Dear Sir / Ma’am,

This is with reference to the CMS complaint received with ref number xxxxxx by applicant Mr. xxxxx regarding credit card application and CIBIL enquire removal.

We wish to submit that applicant applied for AUSFB credit card application with lead ID xxxxxxx on xx-August-2023.
AUSFB credit card application was initiated by applicant through self-digital journey and his application is pending at card selection page as applicant left the journey in between.

We wish to submit that at time of credit card application sourcing / journey the credit limit was reflecting ₹x,xx,000.
However, we wish to submit that before applying the Credit Card application, we have taken his explicit consent before hitting the Bureau for further processing of AUSFB Credit Card Application and below is the clause which we have mentioned in Credit Card application apply TnC.

‘I authorize AU BANK and/or its associates to verify relevant information at my office/ residence or to contact me/my employer/Banker/Credit Bureau/RBI/ Telecom Service provider or any other source to obtain or provide any information that may be required for confirming membership requirements or maintaining my account in good credit standing.’

Further we are enclosing the sample screenshot of terms and condition wherein customer have to give his consent, T&C in word format.
The swipe up program, which is an innovative platform that offers an upgraded Credit Card on existing Credit Card from other banks. AU Bank doesn’t promise to offer an upgrade against all Credit Cards available in the market. Under this program upgraded AU Bank Credit Card is issued to the best of bank efforts and customer’s application is also evaluated under Bank’s policy criteria.

We wish to submit that if customer initiated the journey through swipe up platform and if applicant was not eligible for swipe up platform basis eligibility criteria of swipe up program than applicant redirected to normal journey. Applicant was moved to normal journey post applicant’s clicking on the Pop-up shown on the screen that“ Hey we don’t have an upgrade available for you at a movement If you wish to check other card offering , please click on ok and proceed” after that customer clicked on “ok” . Journey sample enclosed for your reference. Applicant approached our internal channel for same concern, and we have informed him that CIBIL enquiry is done with the applicant’s consent to check for availing any type of credit card since there must be a pre-enquiry of applicant’s credit history, thus we are unable to remove the CIBIL enquiry. We are enclosing the OTP logs for your kind consideration.

Further, we wish to submit that post receipt of his recent communication from your hon’ble office, we have contacted with applicant and informed him that his application is pending for submission from his end, therefore consent to trigger the applicant’s CIBIL is given by the applicant himself by clicking on “I agree to the Terms and Conditions of Credit Card application” on the landing page wherein Mobile OTP consent is given.

However, CIBIL enquiry is done with the applicant’s consent to check for availing any type of credit card, thus we are unable to remove the CIBIL enquiry.

Accordingly, we have communicated to him over call as well as his email id.

---

My Response sent to RBI​

Response to AU Small Finance Bank's Misleading Reply - Complaint No. xxxxxxxxx

Dear Sir / Madam,

I am writing in response to AU Small Finance Bank's reply to Complaint No. xxxxxxxx, regarding my concerns over the deceptive SwipeUp program and CIBIL Removal.

I have carefully reviewed AU Small Finance Bank's response, and I would like to bring to your attention several inaccuracies and misleading information provided by the bank to your hon’ble office:


1. Misleading Screenshots and URL Discrepancy:

AU Small Finance Bank has attached screenshots of their internal system, presenting it as if it were the customer portal. However, a careful examination reveals that the URL displayed in these screenshots belongs to their internal system and not the actual portal that customers access. This deliberate attempt to mislead your hon’ble office is evident and raises questions about the authenticity of the information provided by the bank.

Attached evidence by the Bank shows a URL from domain that is not active: https://aubankuat.in/
<Same attachment they sent was attached>

Actual Portal Page Screenshot that customers see from the active public domain: https://aubank.in/
<Actual page attachment>

2. Missing Prompt for Credit Card Information:

The bank claims I was on the card selection page during the application process. However, as per their own demonstration screenshots, I should have been prompted to provide the first 6 digits of my credit card from other bank before reaching the card selection page (see screenshot number 4 in file “Multiple_wrong_BIN_hit_(1).xlsx” sent by Bank). I challenge AU Small Finance Bank to furnish my 6-digit credit card number, as they claim it is part of the process. I can confirm that I was never asked for this information, emphasizing a clear glitch in their system. This fact is corroborated by their own Level 1 support, who acknowledged a technical glitch over the phone yet AU Small Finance Bank’s escalation team continues to overlook and avoid this question. I humbly request your hon’ble office to demand AU Small Finance Bank to attach my 6-digit credit card number from other bank, their failure will demonstrate and serve this fact as an evidence of misleading and trying to manipulate the hon’ble office with a completely different process from what was shown to me.

3. Consent for CIBIL Enquiry:

AU Small Finance Bank claims that explicit consent was obtained before initiating the CIBIL enquiry. However, I would like to highlight that nowhere in the SwipeUp program landing page, FAQs, or terms and conditions was it explicitly stated that a CIBIL enquiry would be conducted. I have attached both documents for your reference. Terms and Conditions can also be accessed directly through their website: https://www.aubank.in/swipeup-program-au-bankswipeup-program_terms-and-conditions_oct_2022.pdf

Attachments: [au-sfb-swipeup-landing-page.pdf & au-bank-swipeup-program_terms-andconditions_oct_2022.pdf]

<These are same files already shared earlier in this thread, it's nothing but full screenshot of the landing page with FAQs and terms and conditions file>

Screenshot demonstrating one need not accept the terms and condition to generate OTP
<It's a screenshot from the video that was shared earlier>

The terms and condition pop-up as per demonstration by the bank are never shown automatically and were never agreed upon. Notably, customers can proceed to the next screen without explicitly accepting these terms as demonstrated above and below screenshots without accepting any terms and conditions.
<Just the second page screenshot without accepting terms and condtion>


4. Terms and Conditions Acceptance:

The bank has attached a sample screenshot of terms and conditions, claiming that explicit consent is obtained through acceptance. However, the process I went through did not ask me to accept any terms and conditions. I have attached a screenshot demonstrating that the platform proceeded to the next steps without requiring me to accept any terms. This raises serious concerns about the accuracy of the information provided by AU Small Finance Bank. During the process, no terms and condition pop-up was shown nor I clicked “I agree to the Terms and Conditions of Credit Card application.” As that was not required to proceed to the next step.

Here’s a video demonstration of the same where we can proceed without accepting terms and conditions


5. Misleading Advertisement:

AU Small Finance Bank continues to project the SwipeUp program as a card comparison process similar to other banks' comparison engines, which do not require a CIBIL enquiry. The misleading nature of their advertising has resulted in numerous customers falling into the same trap, as evidenced by numerous online reports by other affected individuals. The bank's reply implies a certain process that I did not experience, further emphasizing the deceptive practices.

6. SwipeUp Program Eligibility and Technical Glitch:

AU Small Finance Bank asserts the existence of eligibility criteria in the SwipeUp Program, leading ineligible customers to a normal journey. However, the demonstrated screenshots featuring pop-ups were not presented during my application due to a technical glitch. This glitch, evidenced by the failure to prompt for my first 6-digit credit card number, indicates a system flaw. The crucial eligibility criteria remain undisclosed, despite multiple requests via email and phone, hindering an informed decision. Notably, AU SFB voluntarily adopts RBI's Fair Practices Code V1.3, explicitly committing to explaining such vital information, a commitment unfulfilled throughout the process.

Attachment: [requested-eligibility-criteria-au-sfb-email.pdf]
<An email I had sent to them requesting to disclose the so-called criteria which as of today they continue to ignore and avoid because there are none as it was created out of thin air>

Screenshot below is a snippet of section 3.2 from AU Small Finance Bank’s Fair Practices Code which can be accessed via: https://www.aubank.in/fair-practices-code.pdf
<Screenshot from the above file>


7. Ongoing Support Tickets and Escalations:

Since August, 2023 and as of this email, I have consistently raised these concerns with AU Small Finance Bank through their customer support channels. Multiple support tickets have been generated, and I have escalated the matter to their public nodal officer as well as their Managing Director, Mr. Sanjay Agarwal. Despite providing evidence, facts, and a clear statement that no terms and conditions were shown during the SwipeUp program initiation and the deceptive nature of the SwipeUp program leading to damage to the credit report of the customers, the bank has consistently overlooked my concerns and failed to provide a satisfactory response.

8. Escalation to Key Personnel:

In addition to escalating the issue to the public nodal officer and the Managing Director, I have also reached out to Mr. Gaurav xxxx, Head of Marketing for Credit Card, and Mr. Mayank Markanday, Head of Business for Credit Card who never responded. These key personnel have been informed of the misleading and deceptive nature of the SwipeUp program, backed by evidence and facts. Unfortunately, the bank has neither acknowledged the concerns nor provided a resolution.

9. Explicit Request for 6-Digit Credit Card Number:

Over numerous phone calls and email communications, I have explicitly requested AU Small Finance Bank to furnish my existing credit card's 6-digit number, as they claim it is a part of the process to proceed to the next screen. This request has been made to demonstrate the glitch in their system and to highlight that the credit card application was opened without my consent or knowledge. However, the bank has consistently failed to provide this information, further substantiating the existence of system glitches and the unauthorized initiation of a credit card application.

10. Bank’s Persistent Disregard for Concerns:

Despite providing detailed evidence, facts, and clear communication about the misleading nature of the SwipeUp program, AU Small Finance Bank has continued to disregard my concerns. The bank's response to your hon’ble office contains misleading facts and inaccuracies, raising serious questions about their commitment to transparency and customer satisfaction. And as provided in this response the attachments demonstrate the bank’s deliberate attempt to manipulate facts and mislead your office is a concern that needs separate investigation.

11. Request for Independent Verification:

I kindly request your esteemed office to independently verify the discrepancies in the URLs and the missing prompt for the existing 6 digit credit card information. This will substantiate the evidence presented and highlight AU Small Finance Bank's attempt to manipulate the information provided to your hon’ble office.

12. Misleading Demonstration vs. Actual Experience:

The screenshots provided by AU Small Finance Bank in their response do not align with the actual experience I had during the application process. Their demonstration suggests a specific sequence of screens that I did not encounter, further highlighting the misleading nature of their response. The bank's attempt to showcase a different set of screens from an internal system that is different from actual customer portal raises concerns about the accuracy and integrity of the information provided to your hon’ble office.

I appreciate your continued attention to this matter and your commitment to ensuring a fair and just resolution. Your intervention is crucial to uncovering the truth behind AU Small Finance Bank's deceptive practices.

I urge the RBI Banking Ombudsman to review the presented evidence and request AU Small Finance Bank to retract the unauthorized CIBIL enquiry conducted without my explicit consent or any credit card application. Additionally, kindly instruct the bank to amend their SwipeUp program landing page, explicitly stating eligibility criteria and disclosing the CIBIL enquiry process to prevent potential harm to other prospective customers.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,
XXXXXX

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Attached their demonstration screenshots file which is from their internal system and not actual portal. None of which was actual. This has to be the lowest this bank can get down to by manipulating facts using an internal system that can easily be adjusted to suit your demonstration and case. Just anyone could setup a bogus portal and manipulate it too, that's so unethical and raises serious concerns.

What's d output? U won case against AU.?

 

[doraemon]

What's d output? U won case against AU.?

Nope rbi at the end closed the case under non appeal clause in favour of bank

@SmartSave kudos to you brother u did a great job.it was interesting and informative to read the whole thread.
More power to you