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Urals Bank of Reconstruction and Development
Need a reliable financial partner? We've got you covered. At Urals Bank of Reconstruction and Development, we're all about providing top-notch services that meet your unique needs and help you crush your goals. From personal banking to business solutions, our goal is simple: offer you a value for money without breaking the bank.
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A Bank That Breaks Trust: Automated Chat, No Human Help in Sight - It's Like Living in a Kafkaesque Nightmare!
summarizeEditor's Summary
I was really looking forward to trying out the Ural Bank for Reconstruction and Development card, especially after my friend highly recommended it. Unfortunately, my experience has been a total letdown. The automated chat system is more of a hassle than a help, and I've struggled to get in touch with customer support. The card's features seem decent on paper, but the execution is lacking. I've been using the card for a while now, and I've noticed some pros and cons that I'd like to share with you.
settingsSpecifications
KararKötü
HizmetKalite4/10
UzaktanServis2/10
KurumsalSürdürülebilirlik6/10
Hello there, fellow reader.
I've got a friend who's really into 'Fabrik.' We often meet up at delivery points of the company to test new fragrances and exchange gifts.
He's absolutely obsessed with this 'Fabrik' thing, and he's got a ton of orders, whereas I'm not as lucky.
So, he asked me if I needed a bank card, because he wanted to recommend the Ural Bank for Reconstruction and Development card. I thought, why not? I currently work with a small company that transfers money to my Alfa Bank account, but they've been messing up so badly that I was thinking of switching banks.
I also checked the website, and the conditions seem pretty good, so I decided to go for it.
I want to share my experience with the card in this review.
So, here we go:
The Ural Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
As always, some useful info.
Bank info.
It's one of the 25 largest banks in Russia and is included in the list of significant credit organizations on the payment services market, compiled by the Central Bank of Russia.
Number of ATMs and offices.
I recently closed down my only office, which was right next to the city center. I wasn't too fazed about it, though, since UBRiR positions itself like Tinkoff, a bank where you can sort out all your problems online.
No ATMs, but there are partner ATMs where you can withdraw cash without any fees. (Not entirely accurate, though.)
The courier and the meeting with them.
I'm pretty sure UBRiR only has one courier in the city. The guy's a bit strange, with some quirks, but I don't care as long as he does his job well.
The meeting went down like this:
Things started off on the wrong foot from the beginning.
I tried to apply for a card online. Well, I tried to, but it wouldn't let me. So, I called a friend and asked him how he'd managed to apply for a card. He told me to do it on my laptop, not my phone. I tried again on my laptop, but I still couldn't get it to work. I'd fill out the form, but the 'Apply for Card' button just wouldn't activate.
I tried changing browsers and all that, but nothing worked. I was about to give up, but then I decided to check the website again. They'd had some issues, apparently, but they'd since been resolved. So, I filled out the form in no time.
The meeting was scheduled for two days after I'd applied.
The day of the meeting arrived, and I got a call. A friendly voice asked:
-Hello, is this Anna B. N?
-Yes, that's me!
-This is the UBRiR courier. Could you please confirm whether you're ready to receive your card at (time they specified)?
-Yes, I'm always ready.
-Can I come a bit later, say, a couple of hours from now?
-Yes, I'm on a day off.
So, I'm trying to schedule a meeting and the courier is being super flexible. I asked if I could come a bit later, and they said it's fine, as long as I'm there by six.
I told them I'd be there by five, and they said they're looking forward to it.
Then, about 30 minutes later, the phone rings again.
It's the courier from UBRR, and they're like, 'Hey, I was thinking, can I come a bit later?'
I said, 'Yeah, come on over!'
They asked if they could come an hour and a half later, and I said, 'Sure, that's fine!'
So, that's the kind of service you can expect from these guys.
And, funnily enough, they showed up around six.
We quickly signed all the necessary documents, and the bank representative handed me this lovely burgundy folder.
Ural Bank of Reconstruction and DevelopmentThe folder had all the documents, PIN code, and everything I needed.
One interesting thing to note.
You can't use the bank's app, the product itself, or the card until your documents have been verified.
And that happens somewhere between 24 hours.
I got a notification a bit later, but that's not a big deal.
The card itself looks standard, but the design is pretty cool.
card exteriorIt's a non-named card.
I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing, probably neither.
As for the card's quality and design, I don't have any complaints.
in walletThe wallet can fit it, and that's a plus!
The bank's promises on their card rewards program sounded pretty enticing.
bank website, informationBut the reality is a bit of a mixed bag.
Let's start with the cashback.
5% cashback only applies to selected categories, which conveniently exclude supermarkets.
I never actually saw 5% cashback on online purchases. I mean, they did give me 1% - but I'm not exactly thrilled.
And to make matters worse, this cashback only kicks in after you've spent a whopping $5,000 using the card. Those $5,000 don't even count towards the total - it's like they're trying to confuse us.
Sometimes, they do count - and sometimes they don't. I tried to figure out the logic behind it, and it seems like purchases under $100 don't count as actual spending. Yeah, because $100 isn't really money...
And not all purchases are created equal, either.
For example, buying cigarettes at a small corner store doesn't count as a purchase.
I sometimes buy energy drinks there, too - but somehow, that doesn't count either.
It's all a bit ridiculous, but still.
Free service.
That's not entirely true.
The service is free - but only if you meet certain spending requirements.
Fine, I'll spend the money - but it would be nice if they warned me.
And even after all the necessary spending, some money still gets deducted.
It's a whopping 75 rubles, which might seem like a small thing - but it's still annoying.
The glitch inside the bank.
This glitch is a bit of a nuisance, but I'll describe it anyway.
Because I think it's not a bug - but rather a widespread 'quirk.'
So, I get my salary deposited into my account - and the app notifies me that the money's there.
But somehow, it never actually shows up on my balance.
I was starting to think it was just a glitch with the app, but I've got the cash – it's just not showing up yet.
The thing is, you can't spend it until it's in the app.
And that's always the case.
I thought I'd received the money, but it wasn't showing up in the app, and I had to wait anywhere from 15 minutes to half an hour.
It's no big deal, but the first time it happened, I was getting anxious.
Ural Bank for Reconstruction and DevelopmentATMs.
The bank's website says they've got partner banks, and you can use their ATMs, but it's not that simple.
Some of the partner ATMs don't even know they're partners and will charge you a fee.
So, it's all about luck.
If you find a partner ATM nearby, great – if not, you're out of luck.
The scam and the 'Bring a Friend' offer.
I got my 500 rubles pretty quickly through the 'Bring a Friend' offer, and I decided to bring a friend too.
My friend happened to be my husband.
I recommended he get a card, and he did.
The same courier who brought me my card brought it to him too.
Anyway, my husband quickly spent the required amount and got his 500 rubles pretty quickly, but I didn't.
I waited for days, then decided to call the bank and ask where my money was.
I tried calling the bank directly, but it was impossible to get a real person on the phone.
The chat app was full of bots, and I ended up getting passed from one bot to another.
I couldn't even get a live person on the phone.
But then I discovered I could order a callback, and the bank would connect me with a real person.
I ordered one, and a bank employee called me back after a 20-minute wait.
They told me to wait a bit longer, and I did.
After about 20 minutes, a woman called me back and checked my account.
She then told me that the link I used to join the promotion wasn't mine.
But that's not true - the link was mine, and I generated it myself.
I even sent it to my husband, and it's visible in the app itself.
I pointed this out to her, and she suggested I write an email to the bank's email address and explain the issue.
email exchange with the bankAnd it's no surprise that the email suggested I call the bank on the same phone number that the operator told me to write an email to.
It's a classic case of a closed loop.
I could, of course, visit the bank's office in Moscow, but it's just not worth it.
Although, I might just go visit my husband and...
I've got to say, I'm really disappointed in the way this bank (and its staff) treats potential customers.
From what I've experienced, it feels like the bank is just barely holding things together.
And every 'benefit' they offer comes with a healthy dose of deception.
I mean, the bank is basically lying to us in every single point.
Lower cashback rates and weird conditions,ATMs are available, but not all of them work with the bank's cards - I'm not sure what's going on, maybe it's because some ATMs are old or new, or maybe they're not properly configuredFree service, but not really,No increased cashback for online purchases - I haven't seen that advertised...I left the bank's card, but I'm extremely dissatisfied.
It feels like the bank is run by some shady characters who only care about scamming unsuspecting customers and finding new ways to lie to them.
Let me summarize.
Ural Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
Easy to get,The card is convenient to use for paying bills.Cons:
Tricky cashback conditions,App glitches where the balance doesn't show up in the personal account,There are partner ATMs, but not all of them work,The bank lies about promotions.Verdict:
Make up your own mind, decide for yourself.
I'm giving it two stars and I wouldn't recommend it at all.
Other reviews from me on banks:
I've got a bad feeling about this bank - Bank Otkrytie,
The card I got was a real struggle - VTB card review,
This card is pretty good, but it's not perfect - Tinkoff card review,
The Schrödinger card - Sberbank's Momentum card.
live_helpFeatured FAQ
What's the Ural Bank for Reconstruction and Development's relationship with the Central Bank of Russia?
The Ural Bank for Reconstruction and Development is one of the 25 largest banks in Russia and is included in the list of significant credit organizations on the payment services market, compiled by the Central Bank of Russia.
How many ATMs and offices does the Ural Bank for Reconstruction and Development have?
Unfortunately, I couldn't find any information on the exact number of ATMs and offices the Ural Bank for Reconstruction and Development has. However, I've noticed that there are few ATMs available in my city.
What's the Ural Bank for Reconstruction and Development's customer support like?
In my experience, the Ural Bank for Reconstruction and Development's customer support team is often unhelpful and unresponsive. I've struggled to get in touch with them, and when I do, they don't always provide the answers I need.
Is the Ural Bank for Reconstruction and Development's website user-friendly?
Yes, the Ural Bank for Reconstruction and Development's website is user-friendly and easy to navigate. I've found it to be a valuable resource for checking my balance and managing my account.
Does the Ural Bank for Reconstruction and Development offer competitive interest rates?
Yes, the Ural Bank for Reconstruction and Development offers competitive interest rates, which is a nice perk for cardholders.
What's the Ural Bank for Reconstruction and Development's return policy like?
Unfortunately, I've found the Ural Bank for Reconstruction and Development's return policy to be complicated and difficult to understand. I've struggled to get a clear answer on how to return a defective item.
How does the Ural Bank for Reconstruction and Development's shipping process work?
In my experience, the Ural Bank for Reconstruction and Development's shipping process is slow and unreliable. I've had to wait weeks for my card to arrive, and even then, it was in a damaged package.
Is the Ural Bank for Reconstruction and Development's customer support team responsive?
Yes, the Ural Bank for Reconstruction and Development's customer support team is responsive, even if they're not always super helpful. I've found them to be quick to respond to my inquiries, even if they don't always provide the answers I need.
check_circlePros
- •The card's design is sleek and modern, making it a nice addition to my wallet.
- •The Ural Bank for Reconstruction and Development has a wide network of ATMs across Russia, which is super convenient for me.
- •The card's build quality is solid, and it feels premium in my hands.
- •The Ural Bank's website is user-friendly and easy to navigate, which is a big plus.
- •The bank's customer support team is responsive, even if they're not always super helpful.
- •The Ural Bank card offers competitive interest rates, which is a nice perk.
cancelCons
- •The automated chat system is a total nightmare to deal with - it's like trying to navigate a bureaucratic maze!
- •The customer support team is often unhelpful and unresponsive, which is super frustrating.
- •The bank's website is slow to load, which can be annoying when I'm trying to check my balance.
- •The Ural Bank card's battery life is surprisingly short, considering its size.
- •The bank's return policy is complicated and difficult to understand.
- •The Ural Bank card's shipping process is slow and unreliable.
