I had applied and used the then newly launched ABN AMRO Freedom Card in 2003. In 2004, I surrendered the card after moving from Kolkata to Delhi in 2004. There were no dues. All of a sudden in June of this year, I received a call from their so called "credit rating bureau" asking that I pay up the accumulated dues amounting to Rs 3500, failing which my credit rating will become negative. On asking about the nature of dues, they quoted two years of annual fees, insurance premiums, interests and service taxes. When I reminded them that I had already surrendered the card, they come with the technical term that "my card had been disabled but my account was still active." After lot of discussion, I came to understand that not paying up anything would result in downgrading of my credit rating and I would have difficulty getting loans. So, I bargained and settled for an amount of Rs 2000......So, anybody out there reading this piece should never ever get a credit card from ABN AMRO.
dipesh