Strangers typed my email into card applications, twice

Card issuer · Credit enquiry · wrong-email

Complaint no.: N202627016012638
Against: SBI Cards
Filed: 16 Jul 2026
Closed: 17 Aug 2026
Time taken: 32 days
Scheme: RB-IOS 2026
Closure clause: 14(8)(e)
Did it help?: Partly helped
Compensation: None

What happened

Enquiry alerts for two card applications, in December 2024 and May 2026, made by other people who had entered my email address. I had reported the first one in December 2024.

What I asked the Ombudsman for

Remove my email from both applications, and explain why nothing was done after I reported the first one in December 2024.

What the entity said

The issuer confirmed both applicants had entered my email in the online form. Their PAN, mobile and date of birth were different, so my credit record was unaffected. Both applications had been declined. It suppressed my email from both.

My reply to the entity's response

I pointed to the repeat: I had warned the issuer in 2024 and it happened again in 2026. My reply was sent on to the issuer for further comments.

Did the closure deal with it? In part.

What the Ombudsman decided

Since the email had been suppressed as I asked, the complaint was treated as dealt with. No compensation, and nothing on verifying email addresses at application.

Partly helped

Did the Ombudsman help?

Partly. The suppression happened only because the office sent my reply back to the issuer. The repeat failure was never addressed.

What I took from it

"No impact on your credit record" is usually enough for the Ombudsman to close without compensation. The systemic point, that unverified emails are accepted, is outside what an individual complaint can fix.

Related complaints

Loan enquiry alerts for strangers arriving at my email (TransUnion CIBIL, 2026) Rejected

Summarised from the RBI closure letter and my own correspondence. Names of individuals, account numbers and reference numbers other than the complaint number have been removed.