I have a debit card issued by HDFC bank which I use to pay my expenses during my frequent international business travel by drawing cash from different ATM machines abroad. This time I went to Russia and have a very bitter experience with transaction of this debit card. I had drawn only 500 Ruble(Rs. 600) from one ATM machine. Immediately my mobile phone start ringing from a Chennai number. Only after two rings the call disconnected even before I receive the call. Immediately I received SMS message from the same number informing that I could not be contacted in verifying the ATM transaction by HDFC bank, they have blocked my card for further transaction. Now I am in deep trouble as this debit card was my only means to get Forex to meet my expenses. I tried to call their customer care without much help. I sent mails to their managing director complaining about such arbitrary action without any help. Fortunately next day they did re-activated the card. But I doubt this will happen again as I have received a mail(attached) from their MD’s office telling that this is their normal process to secure our account. The is concerned more about my money than me. Even they demanded my itinerary whenever I go abroad to void such thing.
I STRONGLY RECOMMEND PEOPLE NOT TO USE HDFC BANK CARD FOR ANY INTERNATIONAL TRANSACTION AND I AM ALSO STOPPED USING IT IN FUTURE AND ARRANGED ANOTHER CARD FROM A PSU BANK. I DOUBT THIS THEY DO TO SELL THEIR FOREX CARD TO EARN MORE PROFIT THAN ATM CARD.