A Yekaterinburg dweller is about to place a complaint against Alfa-Bank, a local online banking forum states. The person who’s uploaded this piece of news claims that a bank customer was unable to use one of the services offered by Alfa-Bank.


‘The girl had a Cosmopolitan Visa issued for her by Alfa-Bank. The card was delivered with a booklet with the names and addresses of all the companies that offered a discount to customers paying by this card type. This discount bonus actually costs an extra 299 RUR a year; this money is supposed to pay off when the cardholder makes purchases in the bank’s partner shops. However, the shop assistants at the clothes shops that the girl visited refused to offer her a discount and insisted on not even knowing what kind of a bank card Cosmopolitan Visa was,’ the message says.


It is reported that when the unfortunate cardholder called Alfa-Bank’s office, she was informed that the discounts were only available at Moscow-based stores.


‘We can’t afford to print separate advertising booklets for each and every Russian Region, so the brochures are the same for the entire Russian territory,’ the bank representative allegedly said.


‘Now I have placed my complaint and I am waiting for the bank’s response. So think twice before you try to get this Cosmopolitan Visa from Alfa-Bank,’ the online message reads.


Now Alfa-Bank actually does have a special Cosmopolitan Visa card offer.


‘Alfa-Bank’s Cosmopolitan Visa lets you get discounts and gifts at shops, cafes, beauty salons, fitness clubs, and your city’s most fashionable venues,’ the bank’s advertisement claims.