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Firstly, I'm a customer of Emirates Bank, and I find them OK, but today I got a phonecall from then and they tried to employ a marketing tactic which I tend to think leaves a bad taste in ones mouth.

They rang up and said:

"Hello Dr. D. you work for [x] and you have your monthly salary transferred into [x] correct?"

"Yes I do" I said.

"Ok, we would just like to confirm your details for your Free For Life Emirates Gold Credit Card - can you confirm your employer is [x]?"

Well, I hooked onto this straight away but be careful if you don't. If you go through and agree on your employer, your salary, and perhaps your postal address - I have no doubt you will be sent an Emirates Bank Gold Credit Card. Now... it's free for life, which might sound good.... and you could always send it back.... but.... that never happens does it?

The aim is to confirm your details, send you the card... and a lot of you will use it! The interest rate on this card is 1.9% per month, which is a whopping (and I say whopping) 22.1% p.a. - this is not cheap money, and using it comes at a price.

OK, owning a credit card aside (these are bad things) - the means as to which they get this card into your hands is just too sneaky. Say No, end the call, do not confirm your details.

You can thank Dr. D later for this friendly advice.

Also did you know after Christmas / NYE is the highest month for new CC signups? This has been well thought out, well executed, they should have just been upfront about it from the start.

That and not telemarketed me.

Cheers for the head-up,

but the minute I get a call from any bank (except HSBC), I say "sorry, I do not need a loan or a credit card, good day" and hang up!

Yes, its abrupt, but I am tired of this crap, I get it perhaps twice a week. I would like to know where they got my details from in the first place. I don't sign anything with my details on unless there is a condifendiality clause.

If I find out who the little whipper -snapper is who did leak info, I will shove my phone and that of all the office where the sun don't shine.

wanna hear a good one !!
I have a friend working in City Bank who told me the story of their emirates CC which was released cheap or I think free of charge (not sure) and Citibank people were able to attract alot of "victims" for this CC. after 2 months or so, they incresed the interest rate to almost the double if I am not mistaken. He told me that people were calling them like crazy asking why did they do it all of a sudden !! He siad that most of the people already reached the limits of their CCs and were paying the min. but with the incresed rate they were being "fuked"
Bottom line, never trust a bank!!