I've have had HDFC as my banker for over 20 years, however they have been getting over nerves slowly and slowly, and now I have had it. HDFC is the most valued bank in India.. I even own their shares, but I say this bank is guilty of extremely poor service.

Lost Rs 30,000 cause HDFC Smart Buy was the Dumb

Back in 2017 or something, I had bought return tickets online via HDFC smart/dumb buy portal. All seems ok, till I wanted to cancel one my tickets. I realized HDFC bank smart-ass-buy didn't give me the ticket id number, without which I wasn't able to connect with their ticket selling partner's (makemytrip.com most likely) customer service.

And NO! airline ticket PNR wasn't enough, as they airline (indigo) told me to approach the agent. Pissed already, I tweeted makemytrip customer support for help and fell for an online scam. Though it was my fault I fee for the scam, but it all started with HDFC Bank smart buy nudged me into this ordeal. Forget getting some cancellation money for my ticket, my bank account got wiped with Rs 30,000 or so. After with I have never trusted UPI payment system and still don't use it till date.

Address Change at HDFC Bank - Gotri-Sevasi Branch, Vadodara

It's early 2024 in my hometown, I had forgotten the trauma that HDFC bank had given me 8-9 years ago. Since my account was Chennai based, I thought it will be good to change the postal address, as online address change in net banking, never worked for me for last 3-4 years, but never failed to taunt to update my address.

So, I finally took out some time, approached the bank near me for an address change, and all went smoothly, after signing dozens of forms. They customer service lady rep, said she would visit my house and get my home address which is barely 150 meters away from the HDFC bank branch. So, I thought, finally that online address change prompt would go away on my HDFC bank login, and my address has been updated, and I forgot that I even had an HDFC bank account.

It's early 2025, I had to renew my passport, I wanted to address proof from HDFC bank, which I was supremely confident that it was matter of 10 mins to get it from the bank a day earlier to my passport appointment on Valentine's Day. And so it happened, everybody at HDFC Gotri-Sevasi branch is clueless and running all around like headless chickens when I vented my frustration, and started avoiding their past sin and blaming some past customer service rep. Disappointed with HDFC again, I left, because I knew inse kuch nahi ho payega (they wont be able do it time).

Disappointed again!, I left their plush cold AC office, where everybody is just pretending to work.

My Tipping Point and Curious Case of Stupid Captcha

Just a few days have passed since my passport appointment, police called me for verification and all is going smoothly. On a lazy Saturday, I get a message for some recurring annual online transaction, which I wanted to cancel. Conveniently the services provider's RocketCDN (yes, I'm gonna name names), website doesn't let me sign-in or do a forgot password on my mail id where their received.

So, coming back to HDFC bank net-banking, it directs me to another site BillPay (billdesk.com) to cancel this transaction. So, after registering and countless captcha tries, after which I lost it. Captchas for everything which make me doubt my eyes, and they won't let me cancel a merchant or add a card, unless I fail a thousand captcha.

Somebody please stop me with this rant! I know is the Indian government is taking steps to help its citizens, but our banks need to do way better. I had to vent out my frustration someday about HDFC bank, so here it is. As of now, I've quietly quit using HDFC and using ICICI more, but they are not saint either. Chalo, let's me take your leave. Thanks for reading.

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