Chennai
January 1, 2013





Sub:- Compliant with respect to fraudulent means adopted to by Bag It today and withdrawing a sum of Rs.1,69,494/= from two of my Credit Cards.


Dear Sir,

I am Mr. D. Jagannath, aged about 72 years,residing at Beach Road, Chennai. I have been cheated to the tune of Rs. 1,69,494/- while purchasing an item worth Rs.1,399/- by ‘Bag IT Today’, an e-commerce website run by India Today magazine. I narrate below the sequence of events that have resulted in a loss to me and I request you to help me recover the said amounts.

I saw an advertisement in the “India Today” magazine during Diwali, for the sale of Table and Floor Lamps at discounted prices. There was a Terracotta Table Lamp which I liked, but was sold out. I enquired as to if the lamp gets damaged in transit , what is the procedure, I was told that they will have the damaged item taken back and replace with a fresh item. I placed an order for the purchase of a “Wooden Floor Lamp” for Rs.1,399/- on the web site of “Bag IT Today” on the 7th of Nov ’12, and paid for it with my Visa Credit Card issued by HDFC Bank, through the e-commerce website of ‘Bag IT Today’. The purchase and payment receipt are attached in Annexure 1.

I had given my Address in Bangalore for delivery, where I was going there for about 12 days. I told them that I would be in Bangalore from the 17th of Nov till the 29th of Nov, and had requested that the lamp to be delivered there after the 17th Nov. I had provided them with my Bangalore cell phone number (9241279127) and my Chennai cell phone number (9840015895). I got a call from Bag It Today’s Delhi office on Saturday the 17th of Nov in the evening (on my Chennai cell phone number) to inform me that the Lamp had reached Bangalore. I was asked to contact “Quantium Couriers” in Bangalore on Monday the 19th of Nov, and when I did that, they asked me to call their delivery centre person, Mr.Govindaraj. When I called Mr. Govindaraj on the 19th Nov, he told me that he would have the same delivered between 2pm and 6pm. Since the delivery did not take place in this time, I called him the next day, he told that he was sorry he could not come as it was late, but would deliver in the evening. There was no sign of any one. I called him once again on the 20th Nov and was told that the parcel was sent back to Delhi on the 17th November itself, as they had tried to contact me on the 16th of Nov and there was no response, and I should contact Bag It Delhi for re-dispatch. When I called Delhi Office I was told that the parcel had not reached them and that I should contact after a few days. I called them on the 22nd of Nov and was told that the Lamp will be in Bangalore in 2 days. On the 25th of Nov I called and was told that the Lamp was still in Delhi. I told them that I was going back to Chennai my place of permanent residence on the 29th of Nov and should deliver it there. I gave them the Chennai Address and my cell phone number (9840015895).

I got an E-mail from ‘Bag It Today’ on the 1st of Dec, to say that the Lamp has been sent to Chennai. Their local courier delivered the lamp on the 5th of Dec. On opening the parcel, I found that the item was badly damaged. I immediately called the courier company who delivered the Lamp to me and informed of the damaged lamp, they asked me to call Bag It Today and it will be replaced. Accordingly I called Bag It Today on the 6th of Dec and complained about this. Mr. Rahul of the Company who attended to my call, registered my complaint and allotted a complaint number 1026183, and told me that somebody will contact me in 2 to 7 days. I confirmed my Chennai residential address and my cell phone number as 9840015895. I left for Kerala on the 8th of Dec leaving the parcel for return with the House Keeper. I contacted ‘Bag IT Today’ again on the 13th of Dec and was told by a Mr.Rahul that they were not able to reach me on my Mobile, so again a fresh complaint was registered and a new compliant number 1034032 was allotted.

I received a phone call from Bag It Today on the of 14th Dec to say that they will instruct their local Courier company to have the Lamp picked up and I should provide the Invoice of purchase and a covering letter. The Lamp has been packed in its original packing and the Invoice and covering letter attached and is still waiting for collection. I contacted ‘Bag IT Today’ on the 17th of Dec and was told by one Mr. Bhupinder that my complaint was being processed and that since the complaint was registered on the 13th of Dec there was still time.

On the 17th of Dec I got a call on my Chennai cell phone number around 5.30 PM from a Mr.Dinesh Sharma and claimed to be from the Head Office of ‘Bag IT Today’. Since I was driving he was asked to call back. He called back around 6.15 pm , He said that I am one of 5 persons selected for special discounts and free gifts and various offers , and offered a Platinum Membership and started telling me all the advantages and special offers, like 80% discount on all future purchases form ‘Bag IT Today’ and Diamonds worth Rs1,50,000/= for about Rs.30,000/= . I told him that I was not interested, as I am retired person and cannot afford this. I was so stressed out because of all the phone calls and E-mails I was sending regarding my Lamp, and was never permitted to speak to the Manager or Supervisor. So when Mr.Dinesh Sharma said that he was from the Head Office, I told him that I am having a problem with the Lamp, for which he said he would check and call back after 5 minutes. He promptly did, so I thought he was genuinely going to help me. He asked me for my address and I gave him my Chennai address, he said the address registered in the Lamp Order was Bangalore address . He asked for my address and cell phone number for verification I gave him my Chennai address and my cell phone number as 9840015895, and this I told him that I have mentioned in all my e-mails and to every person I had called and spoken to. For verification of my address and cell phone number, he asked me as to how I paid for the Lamp, and I said with my Credit Card, he asked me which type it was and in his conversation with me due to my vulnerable situation extracted my HDFC Credit Card Number including the CVV number, then it appears he has generated a ‘one time password’, which was sent to me by SMS and he asked me to read it out, I did this without a second thought. Instead of helping me solve the problem of the damaged lamp that I purchased, I realized to my shock and horror that this person has started charging my card huge sums of money without my authorization and I started getting SMS messages from the Bank on the withdrawals of Rs.29,999/- at 18:21:24hrs Rs.17,799/= at 18:23:56hrs and Rs.29,999/= at 18:26:4hrs. I called him and asked him why he did this, he said that since my Lamp problem was solved I would buy this, I categorically told him that I did not want any of the items. He said okay I will get it cancelled, but told me that first I will have to accept the items and then he will get the cancellation. Accordingly he had some some lady who wanted to know if I accepted the offer and after I did as Mr. Dinesh Sharma had advised, he called and said that he has the file with him and will get the cancellation department call me and I should tell them that I cannot afford this large sum of money. Immediately, I got a call from the cancellation department and they wanted to know why I was cancelling this to which I informed them that I could not afford it and they then said okay and promised to return the entire amount of money charged to my credit card within 12 days to 1 month. For my own safety, I called HDFC Bank’s Credit Card division and had the said credit card cancelled and asked them if they could stop payment but they said that as I had given the Card Details and also the one time Password it was not possible to stop payment, but I should request the merchant to return the money.

My problem did not stop here. On the 18th of Dec I got a call from Ms. Jyothika from the Accounts Dept of ‘Bag IT Today’ Delhi, and told me that since I had cancelled the credit card that I had used before they will not be able to revert the money and asked if I have any other credit card. I told her that I should not be divulging that information but she said that she was from the accounts department and it is okay, and she will reverse all the amounts deducted so far.

Therefore, I gave her the number and CVV number of my other credit card again. Instead of reversing the previous amounts, she has now charged this credit card in the pretext of generating a purchase ID for me and with drew funds of Rs.72,998/= at 19:01:12hrs and Rs.18,699/= at 19:11:08 hrs. She told me that the same procedure will be adopted for cancellation, and made me go through the acceptance and cancellation procedure. However, I have not received any reversal of credits in any of my cards.

I realized the gravity of the whole situation when I received E mail from Bag it Today about the various orders and SMS on the 20th of Dec . I have now cancelled my 2nd Credit card also and then have called ‘Bag It Today’ and was asked to send an e-mail about stop supply. I sent a mail and told them that I was tricked into the whole purchase and that they should cancel all the orders immediately. I once again called at 12.30pm to check if any action been taken and I was told by Mr.Rahul that he will generate a complaint number for each order with a remark that I did not want due to a dispute, he told me that all conversations are recorded and they will investigate and reply in about a week. He also told me that 2 or 3 of the items are already with the courier for packing and dispatch, I requested him to get it stopped, he said he cannot he can only generate the complaint I also told that I will not accept any parcel sent by Bag It Toady. I have not received any reply to date.

I have been cheated by ‘Bag It Today’ and they have stolen Rs.1,69,494/= from my credit card by using fraudulent methods and I request you to take immediate criminal action against the culprits and help me recover my hard earned money.

Yours Truly

Mr. D. Jagannath
9840015895