Flooded with credit card-related complaints, the state consumer affairs department has decided to take up the matter with the Centre and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

From delays in dispatching card statements to unfair imposition of late payment fees, the department has been receiving hundreds of complaints every month.

“We regularly receive complaints related to credit cards. Most of the complainants allege lapses on the part of the card issuer,” said director, state consumer affairs department, P. Mukherjee.

According to him, the department was forced to get in touch with the Centre and the bank. “Most banks and financial institutions provide only the helpline number. As there is no address, consumer grievance redressal is a big problem,” added Mukherjee.

The most common complaints, said department officials, pertain to late charges and interest slapped on dues. The department has found that both private and public sector banks do not dispatch monthly card statements on time and then slap late payment fees.

“I received the bill just a day before the due date. Though I deposited the cheque the next day, the bank charged me a late fine,” said B. Mukherjee, who has a nationalised bank’s credit card.

The consumer affairs department has also received complaints of cheques deposited at banks to pay card dues not being credited and going missing.

“We think there should be a procedure of providing consumers with a receipt when they deposit cheques. We have taken up the matter with the RBI,” said secretary of the department K.N. Behera.

After the consumer affairs department wrote to the State Bank of India (SBI) regarding the problems, the bank took some measures. “We have received complaints regarding credit card services and are trying to improve the system,” said Gautam Banerjee, deputy general manager (personal banking), SBI.

To resolve the problem of cheques going missing from drop boxes or not getting credited on time, the bank, acting on instructions of the consumer affairs department, has asked its branches to provide cheque deposit receipts, added Banerjee.