Such incidents are not uncommon, a banking expert said.

A bank customer was surprised to see that his credit rating was negatively affected after he forgot to pay Dh0.01 (one fil) that was due on his credit card after he asked the bank to cancel the card.



According to Arabic daily Al Khaleej, a customer called a bank to check why his credit rating was in the negative, after which the bank replied that it was because of the unpaid balance of Dh0.01.



Awatef Al Harmoudi, an expert specialising in the banking sector, said that such incidents are not uncommon as these banking systems are digital, and being unable to service a debt for more than three months will affect credit rating, she noted.



All customers must ensure that the credit card was completely cancelled by calling the bank after 40 to 45 days. Many banks ask their customers to call them after this period to ensure their credit cards were closed. Additionally, she said that all clients must get a clearance letter after cancelling the credit card to make sure there are no additional fees pending. Any unpaid debt will affect the credit ranking of the clients, she noted.