# Internet Banking



## anoush333m (Jan 18, 2011)

Hello everyone and hope all doing well...I will be moving to Dubai in June (hot times) and want to know if banks in Dubai have internet access where you can transfer from one account to another or view your statement online...
If so, what bank do you recommend...any amercian banks like Chase?

Also we will be listing our son in Dubai American Academy and we are thinking to live in Garden or Greens. What are your thoughts on that as far as the nieghborhood and traffic...

Thanks so much for any answer.


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## Jumeirah Jim (Jan 24, 2011)

Most banks do online services. I'm with HSBC and despite their poor reputation here their online service works well for me. Ive linked up UAE, home and offshore accounts and easily transfer between them all. Barclays, Lloyds and Citibank offer similar options. Not heard of Chase here. 

Don't know where your chosen school is and no place here called Garden. Do you mean The Gardens, apartments near to Ibn Battuta mall? Where are you working?


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## Jynxgirl (Nov 27, 2009)

Citi bank is the only one I have seen. And never bothered so do not have info  sorry. Maybe google them or someone will come along.


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## Gavtek (Aug 23, 2009)

Emirates NBD have an excellent online system. You can link your credit card, DEWA (utility bills), SALIK (toll gates), police fines, phone bills, and a whole heap of other things to your bank account so you can settle bills (and check balances) at the touch of a button.

They're terrible to deal with over the phone but their online system is the best I've seen, including western banks.


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## dizzyizzy (Mar 30, 2008)

Gavtek said:


> Emirates NBD have an excellent online system. You can link your credit card, DEWA (utility bills), SALIK (toll gates), police fines, phone bills, and a whole heap of other things to your bank account so you can settle bills (and check balances) at the touch of a button.
> 
> They're terrible to deal with over the phone but their online system is the best I've seen, including western banks.


Yeah I second that - I am very happy with them as long as I don't have to actually deal with someone over the phone or god forbid at one of their branches. I use their online system to pay DEWA, Du, Salik, etc, and I even do my transfers to Mexico online because I'm too 'busy' (aka lazy) to go to the money exchange :clap2:


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## Maz25 (Jul 6, 2008)

I use HSBC and as Jumeirah Jim has stated, I find that their online banking facilities are good...so much so, that I've never set foot in a branch despite being here for 2.5 years!

In regards to living in The Greens, lately, in the evening, there seems to be quite a lot of traffic at the exit for the Greens for Sheikh Zayed Road. It's primarily caused by poor lane discipline and lack of courtesy by drivers cutting in cause as soon as you successfully exit from SZR, traffic flows again!


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## anoush333m (Jan 18, 2011)

Jumeirah Jim said:


> Most banks do online services. I'm with HSBC and despite their poor reputation here their online service works well for me. Ive linked up UAE, home and offshore accounts and easily transfer between them all. Barclays, Lloyds and Citibank offer similar options. Not heard of Chase here.
> 
> Don't know where your chosen school is and no place here called Garden. Do you mean The Gardens, apartments near to Ibn Battuta mall? Where are you working?


Thanx for your reply, yes I am talking about the Gardens and the school is Dubai American Academy.


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## anoush333m (Jan 18, 2011)

Gavtek said:


> Emirates NBD have an excellent online system. You can link your credit card, DEWA (utility bills), SALIK (toll gates), police fines, phone bills, and a whole heap of other things to your bank account so you can settle bills (and check balances) at the touch of a button.
> 
> They're terrible to deal with over the phone but their online system is the best I've seen, including western banks.


Thanks, this was helpful.


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## cami (Aug 11, 2010)

anoush333m said:


> Hello everyone and hope all doing well...I will be moving to Dubai in June (hot times) and want to know if banks in Dubai have internet access where you can transfer from one account to another or view your statement online...
> If so, what bank do you recommend...any amercian banks like Chase?
> 
> Also we will be listing our son in Dubai American Academy and we are thinking to live in Garden or Greens. What are your thoughts on that as far as the nieghborhood and traffic...
> ...


you need to find a bank that has a branch in your city/country to avoid interbank fees. if you start saving here, you'll find it a pain to transfer money home to another bank as they'll rip you off. citi service is okish... it takes 10 usd for transactions under 5,000 or so but lately they use london to transfer anywhere in europe, so that's an additional 15 euros... 

hsbc is ok (i haven't tried the local arab banks), and you could trust their online system. customer service is slooooooooooooooooooooow, but generally they sort you out if you have any problem. just make sure it's not an urgent matter...


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## Jumeirah Jim (Jan 24, 2011)

As the American Academy is in Al Barsha the Greens would be more convenient, perhaps 10 minutes drive. The Gardens is a bit further out so perhaps 15-20 minutes drive to school.


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## zin (Oct 28, 2010)

Gavtek said:


> Emirates NBD have an excellent online system. You can link your credit card, DEWA (utility bills), SALIK (toll gates), police fines, phone bills, and a whole heap of other things to your bank account so you can settle bills (and check balances) at the touch of a button.
> 
> They're terrible to deal with over the phone but their online system is the best I've seen, including western banks.


Online system you descibed is the same with Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB) and incredibly they are good on the phone as well.


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## cami (Aug 11, 2010)

i think i spoke too soon. hsbc texted to let me know the interest rates on my accounts would go down coming april 1... nice joke eh... the really funny thing is they can modify interest rates as they please for existing deposits. pro'lly need a higher figure in their annual bonuses...


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## Lita_Rulez (Nov 4, 2010)

All local banks here allow for linking with utility bills.

3 things to know about banking in the UAE, especially if you are american (ie, a credit card junky):

1. There is NO insurance on your credit card. If there is fraud in the amount of 20 00 AED on your card, you are out 20 000 AED plus the credit charge.

2. In case something happens to you here, the first thing that will happen is freezing all your assets. This includes your bank accounts. No one (not your wife, not your kidsà will be able to touch them. Somehow, they will still be liable for your debts though.

3. There is no customer service whatsoever in 90% of the banks. First there is no privacy, they will invite you into the office while they talk with the previous customer, and will invite the next customer while talking with you. A couple of annecdotes for you :
- After arriving here, I received for 2 years SMS from one of the big banks here claiming I owed them in excess of 50 thousand Dirhams, whereas I never even had an account with this bank. And in order to stop sending me the SMS, they needed to cancel my mobile number from the account. To do that, they were asking me to rpovide them with... the account number !
And at the end of each complaint, they would still try and pitch me a card in their bank...
- A friend of mine requested a credit card. She was told repeatedly over the phone it would be ready for collection "next week" for 2 months. She decided to show up one day at the bank, and they told her that if she wanted a credit card, she should have filled out an application...
- My wife wanted a debit card. The bank she is with does not allow for Debit card. You get ATM and Credit Card. 


Also bear in mind that not all international banks are what they appear to be. They might have the name, the logo, and be allowed to use the Internet system of the real thing, but they are not. HSBC for instance has been the worst bank in the UAE a couple of years in a row, and it is no mystery why : they are not part of the HSBC group, they are a Jersey holding licensed by HSBC...

If I were you, I'd research a bank I am comfortable with in my country, make sure they have offices here, and get everything set from home. The less you have to deal with them here, the better.



Oh, by the way, they have just come up with a new set of banking fee rules. On top of the usual mambo jumbo of petty fees for lost card, check books, being below the minimum balance and such, the transfers in foreign currency can now be applied a commission of up to 2% on top of the exchange rate by the banks.

Something to think about...


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