Banks admit aggressive strategy of building customer base
Ukrainian banks took to issuing credit cards to customers without their knowledge or consent. Lawyers unanimously agree that this violates the Civil Code of Ukraine, Comments.ua reports.
Customers, to whom such credit cards were issued, complain that this was done without their knowledge, and in order to close down this card one must go to the main branch of the bank, queue up, and write a statement for closing the credit account, which takes time, money and nerves.
Moreover, banks even resort to extreme measures, like sending credit cards by mail.
Bank sales departments explain these steps are part of their marketing policy «It's our strategy of so-called aggressive building of customer base», said employee of one of Ukraine’s largest banks.
Legal experts, in turn, say that such banks’ practices violate articles of the Civil Code of Ukraine. They also offer tips on how to protect oneself «aggressive marketing».
A credit card is issued on the grounds of the contract for opening a bank account a particular financial institution. Therefore, no contract means no credit.
Interestingly, if a client has not signed a contract with the bank, it would be virtually impossible to recover the money spent from this credit card in a legal manner. “If a credit card was issued without signing relevant contracts, client risks regarding the bank’s justified claims are minimal”, states Iehor Shtokalov, lawyer with law firm «Alekseev, Boiarchukov and partners».
