UAE credit card dues: Fines, travel bans; all you need to know

UAE credit card dues: Fines, travel bans; all you need to know

Question: I was a UAE resident for 12 years and returned to India in June 2020 after I lost my job. I had two credit cards, with an outstanding amount of Dh22,000. I could not settle the amount before I flew back in a repatriation flight from Dubai due to my financial situation. A representative from one of the banks called me, asking me to pay the amount. He claims that he is a private debt collector appointed by the bank. What can I do to protect myself legally? I am willing to pay the amount in instalments.

Answer: Pursuant to your query, it is assumed that you were a resident of Dubai and had availed credit card facilities from banks which are based in the emirate (the ‘Bank'). It is also assumed that the Bank had collected security cheque(s) from you against the limit of the credit cards facilities.

It should be noted that in the UAE, when a personal loan or a credit card facility is granted to a borrower, banks or financial institutions may obtain from the borrower, a signed personal loan agreement or a signed