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HDFC Deducts Money From My Account Automatically(AMB CHRG INCL ST & CESS )

Update: Today (24/02/15) one HDFC representative contacted me after reading this complaint and explained to me the circumstances under which they levied AMB penalty. She explained me, HDFC had sent me a post about the change of account status from salary A/C to normal savings A/C but the postal address listed in the bank details pointed to my old office. Unfortunately, they changed the office in the meantime and couldn't deliver the post. She also informed me HDFC doesn't intimate customers about account change via SMS but only through the post.

For those who are managing multiple bank accounts may don't recognize the white collar theft by banks in the form of hidden charges and penalties. I have been facing such a situation for the past few months, but yesterday I found it.

I have one HDFC account which was started as a salary account and then transformed into an ordinary savings account later. They told me it's a salary account and the minimum balance can be 0 rupees at the time of account opening. However, after leaving the job, HDFC converted my salary account to a regular savings account automatically.

The problem is, they didn't inform me the minimum balance I should keep on the account. According to Reserve Bank guidelines, every bank is required to inform the customer about the minimum charge he should maintain prior in his A/C to levy penalties.

I have added a link to the Reserve Bank guidelines for levy of penal charges on non-maintenance of minimum balances in savings bank accounts at the end of this article under resources. Now let me explain my situation.


Instructions To Delete DDFC Bank Beneficiary


Yesterday I logged on to my HDFC bank account to purchase an item from Snapdeal and got confused with the final amount after finishing the purchase procedure. So I decided to have a look at the mini statement to check the last 20 transactions. Everything looked fine until I found small withdrawals in the code name of AMB CHRG INCL ST & CESS.

They reduced the same amount in last month also. HDFC is charging 393.26 rupees per month under the same code name. I was confused about the meaning of the term - AMB CHRG INCL ST & CESS FOR JAN2015- and found that it is the short form of -Average Monthly Balance and they wanted me to keep 10,000 rupees in average a day in a month.

So in a month, the net amount I should keep must be 3,00,000 or more. The irony here is that they could have informed me about not having a minimum required balance. Instead of that, they deducted 393.26 rupees every month. The screenshot I have provided below will explain it.



I have marked two AMB CHRG INCL ST transaction on the bank statement screenshot. One is just above the NWD code and the other is above CHQ DEP - MICR CLG statement.

PS: If you have seen the code NWD DEC CHG on your account statement, it means the charge deducted for the withdrawal through ATM. The code "CHQ DEP-MICR CLG" describes the cheque deposited.

According to RBI guidelines, there are no guidelines for making a minimum balance, but it is mandatory to inform their customers about the same. You can read the story by visiting the RBI page below.
http://www.rbi.org.in/scripts/NotificationUser.aspx?Id=1022&Mode=0

Despite the strict guidelines, HDFC is taking my money without informing the reason. No one can tolerate such an attitude. They should have at least send me SMS regarding non-maintenance of minimum balance.

However, HDFC publishes the minimum required balance for every type of accounts on their website. The link below will show the current HDFC minimum balance requirement for different accounts.
http://www.hdfcbank.com/nri_banking/accounts/savings_accounts/nre_savings_account/nre_savings_account_fees.htm


Resources

  1. RBI urges banks to inform their customers about the non-maintenance of minimum balance prior to levy penalty.

    http://rbi.org.in/scripts/NotificationUser.aspx?Id=9343&Mode=0

  2. Some interesting threads which discuss the same issue.

    • http://www.consumercourt.info/topic/hdfc-deducted-more-than-4000-rs-from-my-saving-account

    • http://www.consumercomplaints.in/hdfc-bank-amb-chrg-incl-st-amp-cess-for-apr2014-c894201

    • https://forums.digitalpoint.com/threads/why-is-hdfc-bank-deducting-amb-charges.2650630/

    • http://www.complaintboard.in/complaints-reviews/hdfc-bank-l4627.html

    • Adding Beneficiary to Start Money Transfer Process