Iāve been using credit cards for the last 12 years, and Citi was always my main go-to card. Their customer service was top-notch, and I never had any issues with after-sales support. No annual fee either, because my spending covered it. The benefits werenāt huge, but for consumer protection, it was solid.
In 2024, Iām left with six cards: two from Axis (Edge Rewards after Citi left, and Flipkart ), SBI Simply Click (which used to be Big Bazaarās FBB, but Big Bazaarās gone too), HDFC Regalia First, OneCard, and Amazon ICICI.
Last night, I needed to make an international transaction with a major, reputable merchant. Weāre talking about one of the top global merchants, handling millions daily. I chose my OneCard for its low forex rates, but it returned errors. No SMS, no emailājust wouldnāt go through. I tried customer care, but their hours are only Mon-Fri, 9 to 6 PM. Great, so Iām supposed to use the card only during their working hours, huh?
Then I tried my HDFC Regalia. Same error, no notification, and customer care hours are only 8 AM to 8 PM. Perfect.
Then came Axis, which at least sent an email:
āPlease note that transaction attempt for USD xxx.xx on your Axis Bank Credit Card no. XXXX has been declined due to security reasons. If this transaction is not initiated by you, please call 18001035577 / 18604195555.ā
I tried contacting their customer care, but theyāre only available 8 AM to 8 PM, Monday to Saturday, excluding national holidays.
Finally, I tried the Amazon ICICI card, which processed the payment, but the order went on hold and no money was deducted. I called customer care, and thankfully, someone answered. But all I got was, āSarrr, contact the merchant sarrr; they are storing the card for recurrring charges sri, merchant fault sarrr; card is all good sarrr.ā
So, I made an international call to the merchant, who was super professional and confirmed what I suspected: a bank authorization issue. The merchant said my best bet was the ICICI card, so I called them back. After being on hold, they asked me to try the payment again, and finally, it went through with the merchant on the line.
Six credit (five) cards, and none of them worked when I actually needed them. My credit limits are fine (except for SBI), but I really miss my Citi card. The worst part? These cards offer little to no consumer protection. I canāt even imagine dealing with disputes and chargebacks when customer support isnāt there when you need it.
Honestly, Iād rather pay Rs 5,000 a year for a card that actually works. This is why Iām seriously considering getting the basic Amex card, but I have no idea what to expect.
In 2024, Iām left with six cards: two from Axis (Edge Rewards after Citi left, and Flipkart ), SBI Simply Click (which used to be Big Bazaarās FBB, but Big Bazaarās gone too), HDFC Regalia First, OneCard, and Amazon ICICI.
Last night, I needed to make an international transaction with a major, reputable merchant. Weāre talking about one of the top global merchants, handling millions daily. I chose my OneCard for its low forex rates, but it returned errors. No SMS, no emailājust wouldnāt go through. I tried customer care, but their hours are only Mon-Fri, 9 to 6 PM. Great, so Iām supposed to use the card only during their working hours, huh?
Then I tried my HDFC Regalia. Same error, no notification, and customer care hours are only 8 AM to 8 PM. Perfect.
Then came Axis, which at least sent an email:
āPlease note that transaction attempt for USD xxx.xx on your Axis Bank Credit Card no. XXXX has been declined due to security reasons. If this transaction is not initiated by you, please call 18001035577 / 18604195555.ā
I tried contacting their customer care, but theyāre only available 8 AM to 8 PM, Monday to Saturday, excluding national holidays.
Finally, I tried the Amazon ICICI card, which processed the payment, but the order went on hold and no money was deducted. I called customer care, and thankfully, someone answered. But all I got was, āSarrr, contact the merchant sarrr; they are storing the card for recurrring charges sri, merchant fault sarrr; card is all good sarrr.ā
So, I made an international call to the merchant, who was super professional and confirmed what I suspected: a bank authorization issue. The merchant said my best bet was the ICICI card, so I called them back. After being on hold, they asked me to try the payment again, and finally, it went through with the merchant on the line.
Six credit (five) cards, and none of them worked when I actually needed them. My credit limits are fine (except for SBI), but I really miss my Citi card. The worst part? These cards offer little to no consumer protection. I canāt even imagine dealing with disputes and chargebacks when customer support isnāt there when you need it.
Honestly, Iād rather pay Rs 5,000 a year for a card that actually works. This is why Iām seriously considering getting the basic Amex card, but I have no idea what to expect.
