I was holding a silver credit card of HSBC bank for many years. This card was issued to me stating that it is ‘FREE FOR LIFE’ and there are no joining fee or Annual fee or any other hidden fee at any point of time.

I was not charged any fees for the first one year. however after completing one year they charged Rs. 700/- plus service charges towards annual fee

I sent an email requesting them to waive off the annual fees to customer care department in their email id info@hsbc.co.in but I got a reply mentioning that there is no FREE FOR LIFE credit card and that there was some promotional campaign going on at that time, which is not there currently and I should pay the annual fees as above.

I wrote again saying that I was not informed of any promotional campaign earlier and also I was not informed of closing of any promotional campaign. I requested them to cancel the card immediately. They responded saying I have to pay the annual fee as above and offered to wave of only 50% of the fees.

I do not intend to make the above payment as I feel cheated by HSBC by giving false information and their deliberate intention was to cheat.

My questions are

1. Why the annual fee all of a sudden on a card promised to be FREE FOR LIFE?
2. Why was I not informed of the promotional campaign to waive annual or joining fee at the time of taking the card? What are the details of the campaign?
3. Why was I not informed of the closing of the so called promotional campaign, if at all it were there?
4. Why was I not given an option to cancel the card before levying annual fees?
5. Why was I not informed prior to charging Annual fee.
6. Why was there no mention of the period for which annual fees are charged?
7. Where can I take legal recourse and what are the legal remedial courses available to me from this daylight robbery.

Regards
harshal.hr@gmail.com