In August 2015, Anshul Raheja stood in front of a billing clerk at an upscale jewellery store in Bengaluru. He was embarrassed and angry. It was his wife’s birthday and she had selected a diamond necklace. He had asked the store to swipe his AmEx card.
Payment declined.
“Try again,” he asked the billing clerk.
Same result.
He had to give up the necklace. He walked out of the store, seething.
“This was not the first time the card wouldn’t work. I could not let it go this time,” says Raheja (name changed on request).
