Approval Details

Date & Approver of the Policy

Approval Date- January 2024

Approver- Vivek Singh / A Ganesh

Introduction

This Airtel Payments Bank’s Debit Card Policy consists of standards and practices, which, the Bank will follow while issuing a Debit Card (or any form factor associated with it). . The aim of Bank is to enhance the customer experience at the same time ensuring protection by strengthening the process controls around card transactions. This document explains the features, charges, security aspects etc. associated with the card in a transparent manner to customers; ensure that the product is regulatory compliant; and the risk mitigating measures put in place by the Bank.

Objectives

The objectives of Airtel Payments Bank Limited to provide customers with the physical Debit card for withdrawing cash from ATM/Micro ATMs/POS and provides virtual/physical card & wearable for transactions at POS, contactless transactions and online payments with simple, fast and secure ways.

What is Debit Card and Wearable?

Airtel Payments Bank’s Physical and Virtual Debit card is an open loop payment instrument to withdraw cash, make payments over POS or to online merchants accepting payments from the co-branded card association.

Wearable – Issuance of wearable is an form factor of debit card - an open loop payment instrument to make a contactless (tap n pay) transactions.

APBL Debit Card is issued to all eligible savings/current bank account holders, and wearable against their request. The following variants are issued to the customers. Bank may decide to add/update/remove variants of the card as per the business decisions with approval from competent authority.

a) Platinum Debit Card – Personalized -This is issued to the customers of the Bank who have opened Savings Bank and with the name of the card holder imprinted on the card. This card could be physical or virtual card with customer name printed on card. This variant will be used to issue other form factors like wearables.

b) Personalized Classic Debit Card – Personalized - This is issued to new/existing savings account customers as per customer’s wish to facilitate immediate online usage of the card. This card could be physical or virtual card with customer name printed on card.

c) Insta Classic and Business Debit Card – This is issued to new/existing savings & current account customers respectively. This card is a physical card, which will not have the name of the card holder imprinted on it.

d) Business Debit Card - This is issued to the new/existing current account customer as per customer’s wish This card could be physical or virtual card with customer name printed on card.

e) Wearable Smartwatch/Other form-factors – This is issued to new / existing customers as per their wish. This smartwatch is issued in partnership with leading smartwatch manufacturer in the country.

f) Transit Debit Card – This card is issued to savings bank account customers. Apart from regular online transactions like E-commerce, Point-of-Sale and AM transactions, this card would process offline transactions with a stored value on the chip of the card. Both personalized as well as Insta cards variations would be available for customers.

Card Association

In line with the arrangement made by the Bank, the Bank’s Virtual/physical Debit Cards and wearable are issued presently in association with M/s MasterCard Inc. and RuPay and will have either MasterCard logo or RuPay logo. The card can be virtual or physical cards in nature as per the choice of customer and can be viewed on customer’s bank app (Thanks App).

The Transit card could have an additional logo of the Public Transport Operator for cases where cards are issued at the operator premises

The following are the common features of the Bank’s Debit Card:

Card/Wearable Features:

Airtel Payments Bank’s Debit Card / wearable is a substitute for cash. One can use the card at ATM/Micro ATMs to withdraw cash, card and wearable at POS machines and at the online Merchant (e-commerce portals) accepting MasterCard or RuPay. The usage of our Debit Card is governed by the Terms & Conditions annexed to this policy document. For pricing structure, please refer Terms and Conditions.

About the Card: 

The Debit Card is valid for domestic transactions in Indian Rupees only. The card is valid up to the last date of the month & year imprinted on the card.

 Protect your Card 

·       Do not give anyone access to your card information electronically stored.

·       Do not write PIN anywhere

·       Do not hand-over your card to anyone

·       Please see the annexure document for more details on the security of card.

Usage at Merchants

Airtel Payments Bank’s Debit cards are affiliated to MasterCard or RuPay. These cards are accepted at all merchants that display, among others, MasterCard logo or RuPay logo.

Usage of Airtel Payments Bank’s Debit cards (or its form factor) is subject to transaction limit as decided by bank for the product types. Bank reserves the right to change these limits basis risk or product proposition with approval from competent authority. This will be duly informed to customer and will be hosted over website for transparency

Hot Listing of Airtel Payments Bank’s Debit Cards

In the unfortunate event of the stored information of the virtual or physical card (or its form factor) is lost or compromised, the Cardholder is requested to block the card on his app or call the following number available for hot listing the Debit Card.

Telephone Number of our Bank’s Call Centre: 400 or 8800688006.

Customer should always keep the card number readily available for hot listing in case of any exigency.

Dispute/Grievance Resolution/Redressal

As the card transactions are undertaken at various channels, there is possibility that there will be dispute arising on the transactions happening on ATM, Ecommerce, POS which may or may not have merit. Considering the same, the Bank may accept requests from customer for due diligence and reversal of the transactions as a matter of grace under such circumstances where it is feasible. Such disputes should be reported within a period of seven days from the date of transaction. The Bank will take up the matter with the acquirer/shared network operator for resolution of dispute, as per the rules. The customer is required to submit such documents as may be required by the Bank in this regard.

Customer complaints/grievances arising out of Debit Cards would be covered under the Customer Grievance Redressal Policy and Customer Compensation Policy of the Bank as well the Banking Ombudsman Scheme of Reserve Bank of India. Customers can lodge their complaints relating to Debit Cards through various modes. It would be the endeavor of the Bank to resolve such complaints within a reasonable time in collaboration with the acquirer and card network.

Risk Acceptance Policy for the Fraud

The risk acceptance policy for debit card will be same as that of any other product offered by bank.

Fraud Handling Process

Fraud Handling Process: (Zero/Limited customer liability)

Fraud Handling Process: (Zero/Limited customer liability)

Rule 1: Card blocking & replacement process.

1. Permanently block the card immediately.

TAT to block the card – The customer must block the card permanently.

• Blocking done within 0 to 3 days from the 1st fraud transaction – As per bank’s internal fraud handling process.

• Blocking done from 4 to 7 days or after 7 days – Full customer Liability.

Please note that if the card is not blocked as per above time lines, the case shall not be considered for further processing. However, bank may handle few cases in generous manner as suggested by RBI.

While the card would be blocked as per customer request, Bank might receive transactions on the balance earmarked for offline transactions. Bank would not be liable for the amount earmarked for offline transactions in customer account. In order to ensure reduce liablity, the customer would be allowed to store a maximum of Rs. 2000 earmarked for offline transactions at any point of time.

Rule 2: Documents Submission

1. Documents required:

• Customer Dispute Letter (CDL) – Customer will share the transaction details and other details related to the case with the bank at the wecare@airtelbank.com.

(a) Account number, Card number, Date of loss

(b) Details about Possession of card at the time of fraud transaction (whether it was in possession of customer or not) & information about how did customer come to know about the fraud transactions in his/her account.

(c) Any other additional information about the fraud incident.

• Original FIR / Online FIR / Incident Letter addressed to Police authorities/Cyber cell with police acceptance stamp (Stamp must be clear & visible) mandatory for transactions where bank is liable to pay. The letter must mention the card details & transaction details.

Please note below points –

(a) When fraud is in ATM transactions and location is outside India (International transactions), & customer is present in India at the time of fraud then FIR is not required.

(b) If customer is in same country (outside India) as the location of fraud, then FIR from local authority of that country will be required. In such cases Police intimation to local police of that country through email will be acceptable.

Rule3: Important TATs to be noted.

1. TAT to lodge fraud dispute by customer

• The customer must register a complaint with the bank by T+3 where T is date of transaction (via Customer care channel or Email) & submit all the documents strictly within 20 days from the date of 1st fraud transaction.

• Any documents submitted after the above mentioned TAT, the claim shall not be taken up.

Review of the Policy

The policy will be reviewed whenever there is a change in the regulations or at periodic intervals the Bank deem fit to revise the policy.

Terms and Conditions

Bank shall host the T&Cs of the card (and its form-factor like wearable) on website 24X7, and during the issuance of the card / form-factor for easy reference to customers.

Pricing Structure

Airtel Payments Bank may impose issuance fee, annual maintenance fee, replacement fee and transaction fees as per regulatory guidelines or business decision for all the cards/form factors issued by Airtel Payments Bank. Any changes in the pricing structure will be done as per the approval from competent authority. The fees/charges applied to customers are subject to change from time to time. The bank will notify to customers of such changes on its website, email, SMS etc.

Review of Card

Bank will review the card operations on an half yearly basis which shall include issuance, usage etc. and basis the risk perception – we may plan to temporarily disable their transactions (for virtual card customer/ wearable) for customers who have not done any transaction in last 90 days. The same shall be informed to customer via notifications/SMS. This notification will be sent to customer as on need basis (not necessarily before 30 days of temporarily disabling the card). Also, customers will have option to activate the card on Thanks App instantly.

Multi-Card Feature

Bank will provide the customers feature of once account multiple card – basis the business decision, propositions and form-factors.

General Conditions

The cardholder shall undertake to furnish to the issuer, changes, if any in respect of any information furnished in the Account Opening Form within 7 days from the date of occurrence of such changes. The issuer may take cognizance of such changes after the expiry of 10 days from the date it receives the information. The customer is required to submit such additional documents/information as may be required by the Bank in this regard.

All suits and proceedings against the issuer relating to any claims, dispute or difference arising out of or in respect of the card shall be instituted only in the courts situated in the city of New Delhi where the Head Office of the issuer is situated. The issuer may, however at its option institute any such suit or proceedings against the cardholder at any place where the cardholder resides or carries on business or works for gain or maintains his/her/its account with any branch of issue.

The issuer reserves their right to add, to delete from these terms and conditions as the Bank think fit in its absolute discretion and without assigning any reason whatsoever and such changes shall be binding on the cardholder. However, notice of the change shall be made available on the website of the bank to enable the card holder to withdraw if he/she so chooses so.

Airtel Payments Bank Limited or its vendors/associates never ask for customer’s CVV, PIN, MPIN, OTP, Password etc. over phone, through e-mail, SMS or through any other mode at any point of time. Never share/ divulge such vital information with any one. The Bank is not responsible for losses if any incurred by the customer on account of such divulging/compromising of sensitive information pertaining to the card indicated above.

Any changes/addition in card variant, pricing, transaction charges can be modified post approval from CEO or jointly by COO & CFO of Airtel Payments Bank.