Just Jack Posted August 9, 2013 Share Posted August 9, 2013 $700k windfall: Russian man outwits bank with hand-written credit contract Disappointed by the terms of the unsolicited offer for a credit card from Tinkoff Credit Systems in 2008, a 42-year-old Dmitry Agarkov from the city of Voronezh decided to hand write his own credits terms. The trick was that Agarkov simply scanned the bank’s document and ‘amended’ the small print with his own terms. He opted for a 0 percent interest rate and no fees, adding that the customer "is not obliged to pay any fees and charges imposed by bank tariffs." The bank, however, didn’t read ‘the amendments’, as it signed and certified the document, as well as sent the man a credit card. Under the agreement, the bank OK'd to provide unlimited credit, according to Agarkov’s lawyer Dmitry Mikhalevich talking to Kommersant daily. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajzepp Posted August 9, 2013 Share Posted August 9, 2013 "They signed the documents without looking. They said what usually their borrowers say in court: 'We have not read it,'” says Mikhalevich. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Tom Posted August 9, 2013 Share Posted August 9, 2013 "They signed the documents without looking. They said what usually their borrowers say in court: 'We have not read it,'” says Mikhalevich. When the consumer doesn't read corporate fine print, I blame the consumer. Likewise...this is entirely the bank's fault. Morons. READ THE FINE PRINT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajzepp Posted August 9, 2013 Share Posted August 9, 2013 (edited) When the consumer doesn't read corporate fine print, I blame the consumer. Likewise...this is entirely the bank's fault. Morons. READ THE FINE PRINT. No doubt....I learned that lesson the hard way when I had a dispute with my landlord this past February. Sure enough, they showed me in the lease where I was wrong, so I just had to take my medicine. It was sort of funny, cause I had been very calm and professional the whole time, and once I saw where I needed to admit they were correct, it was almost like they had more respect for me than if I had actually been corrrect! Apparently people still argue and B word even when proven wrong. A little integrity goes a long way sometimes...sort of a sad testament, but true in this case. Edited August 9, 2013 by ajzepp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Jack Posted August 9, 2013 Author Share Posted August 9, 2013 No doubt....I learned that lesson the hard way when I had a dispute with my landlord this past February. Sure enough, they showed me in the lease where I was wrong, so I just had to take my medicine. I was able to break a lease years ago on an apartment because the landlord wasn't following their own rules in the lease. I thought I'd be a nice guy and let them know two months before I was going to move out (approx. 4 months before my lease actually ended) that I needed to move out. I knew that they were going through and rehabbing apts before re-renting them, so I figured it would be nice of me to leave early since they had a lot of work to do in my place. They said nope, I got to finish my lease. On the advice of a lawyer, I went through my lease and found about 10 items they were in violation of. So I sent them a certified letter stating these are the things you're in violation of and if I do not receive a written reply via certified mail, I'm going to assume you are accepting me leaving my apt early. Never heard a peep from them again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajzepp Posted August 9, 2013 Share Posted August 9, 2013 I was able to break a lease years ago on an apartment because the landlord wasn't following their own rules in the lease. I thought I'd be a nice guy and let them know two months before I was going to move out (approx. 4 months before my lease actually ended) that I needed to move out. I knew that they were going through and rehabbing apts before re-renting them, so I figured it would be nice of me to leave early since they had a lot of work to do in my place. They said nope, I got to finish my lease. On the advice of a lawyer, I went through my lease and found about 10 items they were in violation of. So I sent them a certified letter stating these are the things you're in violation of and if I do not receive a written reply via certified mail, I'm going to assume you are accepting me leaving my apt early. Never heard a peep from them again. What about getting a reference from them in the future? Does that come into play at all, or do you have confidence that even if you pissed them off that they'd still refrain from giving a bad reference since you showed some firepower? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bowery4 Posted August 9, 2013 Share Posted August 9, 2013 What about getting a reference from them in the future? Does that come into play at all, or do you have confidence that even if you pissed them off that they'd still refrain from giving a bad reference since you showed some firepower? Just have a friend write one, I did this in the past. They didn't call him either but we even had a little story worked out. Any landlord that does ask for references is kind of a tool in my experiences anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Jack Posted August 9, 2013 Author Share Posted August 9, 2013 What about getting a reference from them in the future? Does that come into play at all, or do you have confidence that even if you pissed them off that they'd still refrain from giving a bad reference since you showed some firepower? I didn't worry about a reference, because anytime I needed to rent since, I was forward with the complex that 'this is what happened and why'. Plus I've heard the place has been sold at least twice since I left. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajzepp Posted August 9, 2013 Share Posted August 9, 2013 Just have a friend write one, I did this in the past. They didn't call him either but we even had a little story worked out. Any landlord that does ask for references is kind of a tool in my experiences anyway. lol, nice... I didn't worry about a reference, because anytime I needed to rent since, I was forward with the complex that 'this is what happened and why'. Plus I've heard the place has been sold at least twice since I left. I see...one of the things I did when I was thinking I had a dispute was to review the online feedback for this apartment complex. People were naming one office supervisor in particular and saying some pretty intense things about the way she handled their moves. People getting screwed over (according to them, anyway) with excessive charges when they moved out, stuff like that. I've been here nearly four years, so unless I went with the Bowery method, Id like to try to remain on good terms with them. But at the same time, I have an attorney who is always a phone call away in the event I ever needed him, so I'd like to think I could handle any situation similar to how you handled yours and not worry about any sort of retaliation or antagonism if I ever moved away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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