A Debt Prison reader contacted me two months ago in regards to the desperate financial crisis she was facing in the UAE with outstanding debt. She began calling her creditors daily to convince them that negotiation was in their best interest as well as hers. With persistence and daily phone calls she convinced the creditors that they must agree to a workable payment plan. For Iara, the key to success against the UAE collectors was to keep the lines of communication open and contact them daily until a favorable solution is gained. The same can often be said about collectors here in the U.S..
**Disclaimer – Debtprison.net does not administer legal or financial advice. The contents of this website are my opinions on collection agencies and how to deal with them. Nothing on this website should be interpreted as legal advice or council. No opinions on this website should be used to replace the advice of your financial advisor or your legal council.
Without the valuable real-life experiences of my readers this blog would not serve as a reliable source of information for debtors. My thanks to each and every one who has taken the time to share their experiences with collection agencies! Here’s the comment Iara posted about winning against her debtors in the UAE.
Dear Barry,
You asked me to come back to you, so I came back to tell you what happened to me after that disastrous affairs with credit cards in UAE. I mentioned to you how helpless I felt, and I wanted to run for my life and go back to Philippines, my home country. Well, the end was quite the opposite. “FIGHT OR FLIGHT”, I’ve chosen to fight. I am not a criminal to run away.
I started my personal struggle by reading your articles, and it really inspired me, and it taught me the things I need to know: the lies & intimidation of the collections department and how to deal with it. It hasn’t been an easy journey. I decided to tackle my Royal Bank of Scotland credit card first because it was smaller & easier to kill (only AED 6600). I spent almost two months calling them every single day. I’ve gotten to know all the people working there in Collections Department, from the several agents to the Team Leader and then finally the overall Manager.
I was turned down many times or was being referred to various, different people. They kept on telling me that someone will call me back, but nobody ever did. But I never gave up, I called the customer service and I asked for their help. I told them how unhelpful the agents of Collection Department were and if they could just give me the Manager’s number and name. Surprisingly, I got the information, and I talked to the Manager and recounted to him that I’m willing to pay but nobody’s helping me. I told him that I am planning to leave the country for good, and if nobody will arrange my account, I will just leave without paying it. After 30 minutes somebody called me back, they told me to pay the AED 1640.00 and for the succeeding 5 months, I will pay only AED 1000, INTEREST FROZEN (CREDIT CARD SETTLEMENT).
My other credit card started calling me, but I followed your advice. I didn’t talk to them, they would just make me depressed, and there was nothing I could do, having no money to pay the AED 5000 they wanted. So I just dropped AED 200 or AED 500 monthly to that said bank, and I was continuously charged the OVER LIMIT FEE & LATE PAYMENT FEE & ALL THE INTEREST (which is shockingly more than AED 850 per month)!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Weeks crept on. Then few days ago, I received an email from FGB offering me an Easy Payment Plan that has no other fees but only the 1% per month (so that’s only 12% per annum), and payable for 36 months . . . I was really happy when I received it. Imagine, I am charged more than AED 800 per month for the penalties and interest alone, but with this plan, I am actually paying only AED 238 interest per month with my outstanding divided to 36 months.
I signed the offer, and now I cannot imagine the relief I feel for having a debt-free life. ALMOST.
I hope that my story will serve as an inspiration to those desperate souls out there.
6 months ago, I thought about ending my life because of debt.
Now, I am sooo good. I lost a lot of money, but I earned an experience and I learned a lesson.
Grateful,
iara
Instead of understanding the customers problem the banks are engaing collection agencies to recover the the money. 90% of agencies are really not professionals and third class gundas. Banks should bring the customers to thier desk as should assistant them by providing a settlement plan.
hi everyone.
I accidentally stumbled on this website as a result of i don’t know… feeling of hopelessness maybe?
I came to Dubai to be with my family, 2 years ago I found out they were waist deep with credit card debts and loans. And then December 2009 happened.and with it came the recession. While I’ve been doing my share to help them out of this mess. My dad alone has like AED 250,000 worth of credit card debts to settle, excluding the loans from the banks. and because of harrassments from collectors, they were forced to take loans from other people with interest ( 10%) which did not in any way close a single card. Now, to say that they are neck deep in debt is an understatement!
While I’ve been doing my part to be a good daughter to help them out of this situation, I sometimes feel that my life has been put to a big halt. i took loans to close some of the cards and i applied for credit cards to cover for my dad’s other cards. I give them half of my salary every month. most times, more.Still my salary and their salary is not enough because instead of getting a complete salary every month, penalties from bounced checks from bank loans and everything are eating their salary before they can even get hold of it.
I try not to complain,because after all, part of the reason why they have these debts are the car that I enjoyed using as gift after graduation from a prestigious and expensive university, a newly renovated house and a once comfortable life.
But we have limits.My mom said how can I complain when I’ve been here for 2 years only, I was mumbling about not wanting to end up in the same situation as them.as it is I have 2 loans and 4 credit cards and i don’t wish to add more because in my opinion, this is all my salary can take.And because most times, i give them more 70 to 80% of my salary to them.
why?
because one minute i will get a call from my dad that Mashreq collector is in his office, barclays collector is in his office, FGB collector is in his Office, HSBC collector is in his office…… and i can’t say no. Mashreq had the audacity to call for police and embarass our family for a meer 6 thousand credit. Because I can’t find it in my heart to say no, I end up being unable to pay my cards as regularly as i would have hoped.
I feel so frustrated and depressed. I am in my early thirties I feel I cannot abandon them in this situation. although they keep telling me that its high time i get married, I cannot sem to process it in my head even if I wanted to. How can I? I have plans for further studies in the United States, I had to put it on hold because I can’t afford to save any money and all i can ever do is plan and plan and plan.and nothing ever happens.My frustrations are building up. While they are not obliging me to help,it has become mandatory because my God these debts just keep piling up instead of going down!
I feel.like I am crawling in a dark long tunnel and the light is nowhere to be seen. Debts has taken its toll on my family. Gone are the loving happy days, because we are all highly strung on how to make ends meet. Stress is coming from all sides. I have become a sour faced girl, my smiles have become so rare. i am a manager and as if managerial work is not stressful enough, even from work, my dad’s collectors are calling ME?!
I feel i am nowhere near my dreams and accepting that somehow these dreams have to be temporary put on hold,its not an easy process. I wish it were easy to give up on your dreams with just a flick of the hand.Giving them up is a slow process for me.Thre are negative notions in between and the reality hitting me hard in the face with these amount of debts to pay, do i even deserve the right to dream them? sounds melodramatic i know but this is my reality.And I know I cannot let my parents down.
Hi Barry,
I just read all the comment regarding credit cards debts same as here. I just like to ask if i can pay only the credit card limit not including the interest? Because I was planning to pay it to get a police clearance. Hoping for your immediate response. Thanks!!!
f.p.
I don’t know! Sorry but you’ll need to research laws for those two countries and extradition treaties and such. Sorry!
Dear bary
first of all thank you for your useful website which aim feeling very happy and save to read it.i need your advise
ive been working in dubai as sales manager for the past 6 years and i was earning 20000 dhs a month and have a very good banks credit history after the crisis i end up without job and have a lot of credit cards and loans which i recently stopped to pay them last 5 month ,so i save my self to not go to the prison and i run away to other country.aim from jordan .at the moment i cant pay for any of this banks and aim afraid from the dept.. collection in jordan to sue me a case ,my question can the dept.. collection file a case in the court even if aim out of home country?and incase if i renew my passport after 2 years would the embassy will know that i have some case in jordan and they will hold my passport as aim planning to live in eu?and regarding the non criminal certificate is the court in jordan will flag my name? because i need the non criminal certificate to done my citizen application i the future .aim afraid from the embassy in the future to not renew my passport or to not issue for me a ncc.i need your help and advise regarding that because aim afraid. . please email me back
Regards
f.p
Regards
Hi Barry – I have left Dubai but not for reasons of Debt – I did lose my job and chose to leave on my own accord. I have a sizable credit card bill with RAK bank but, unlike others, I have been paying it by sending money from overseas to friends in the UAE to deposit it on my belhalf, or simple sending in a check. On friend was late only one one payment, but made it a few days back. Its a month late – but in, and I already have the next minimum to pay. I am Australian but I am in the UK as its where my wife works. Last week RAK called my father, in Australia at all times of the night. Hed informed them I am still overseas and he had not heard from me as to my latest whearabouts – I am traveling through Europe, plus to be fair he was not going to devalge any information.
They told him if he loves me, he should make contact with me as they are going to jail me, WTF????????
My immediate impulse is to fly back and bounce this guy – however I am contemplating putting fear into him by suggesting to my father he get the guys direct contact, I call him fro Europe, and inform him, if he makes one more call to my family in Australia I will simply pay them nothing at all – I am happy not to go back to Dubai if this went furhter, and am out of there. Do you think its sensible to advise them all my current details in EU or just send the money as I have been? Do banks such as RAK chase debt in home countries – and if so, I would be certain your home country laws for harassment etc would apply is this correct?
Thanks in advance
Greg
Hi Barry, I am in a similar situation and considering forming a harassed bank customers forum in Dubai. lease advise interested readers to contact me on traderdxb@gmail.com.
If we have enough people we can deal with these banks effectively. Strength in Numbers!
Also. Barry, can you help me get those numbers from Lara please? You can send her my email too if you think it’s ok.
Regards
TD