If Your Mailing Address Has Changed, Please Complete And Sign This Form, And Return: Fill & Download for Free

As mentioned by Tungala Suresh, schedule an appointment at least 5-7 weeks prior to your planned date of travel.Check German Mission Website (German Mission in India) for the latest requirements, they already have en-listed all the steps to be followed for Visa. I am enlisting the ones which I followed, after completing my applications.STEP 1: Open you blocked account. If you are planning to go for DB, Germany, it will take a good 3–4 weeks (in the best case scenario)STEP 2: As soon as you get your admit, book appointment for Visa Interview. As getting a suitable date is really difficult, because generally VI slots get full quickly (at least at Delhi Consulate).Book the appointment for Visa interview from German Mission Website or VFS webiste or by calling VFS.STEP 3: Get the photos for Visa, specifications are mentioned on German Mission WebsiteSTEP 4: (Optional : If you are planning to take a loan) Submit the admit letter in bank, and the requirement from consulate that you need to block XYZ EUROS in a blocked account for VISA along with your loan application. Bank will then issue you a sanction letter, after processing your loan application.And, you should try to convince the bank to disburse the loan. (Explain them that visa wont be stamped until XYZ EUROS is not blocked in the blocked account)STEP 5: Start Collecting documents as per the checklist mentioned on German Mission Website. (Carry Originals and two copies of every document)Following is the list of documents which I took along and were asked at the time of VI at Delhi consulate.Visa application form [Can be downloaded from German Mission Website]Declaration form [Can be downloaded from German Mission Website]Cover letter - I used following cover letter:4. TOEFL/German language fluency proof5. Admission letter from German University ( They kept the German copy of it, but I suggest taking both English and German copy)6. (Optional : Applicable only if you have completed enrolment procedure already, i.e. submitted the insurance proof from any German public health insurance company to university, paid the fee, and have received letter of enrolment from your university)Letter of enrolment along with Fee (semester fee and course fee,if your course has any course fee) payment confirmation in German and English7. Academic documents:Bachelors degree (you can carry provisional if you have not received your degree from college, but cross check with the consulate once)8th to 1st semester mark sheets (both front and back copies)12th mark-sheet and certificate (they might return the certificate)10th mark-sheet and certificate(they might return the certificate)8. (Optional : If you have some gap between your Bachelors and masters)Salary slips and salary account statement of last 3-6 monthsWork experience letter issued from your employer(Many people went without it and consulate did not have any objection. But, if your employer issues such a letter then I suggest you carry it)9. Proof of financial meansBlocked account opening confirmation in German and EnglishBlocked amount transfer receipt from your home bank (the bank from which you transferred the money to your Deutsche Bank blocked account)Blocked amount receipt confirmation from Deutsche Bank in English and German(Optional : If you have taken education loan )Loan sanction letter along with two years ITR of co-borrowerAffidavit to support for the second year of your study from your sponsor( Now sponsor can your parents, relatives) along with ITR and 6 months salary account statement, if your sponsor is working ;6 months savings account statement, if your sponsor is not working;//Affidavit to support: This should be printed on a Stamp paper, you can confirm the amount of stamp from the respective consulate.10. Three months travel insurance (I suggest to take it along, as it was asked in many cases. Although, the lady returned it in my case giving me the reason that I'll need this insurance at the time of visa stamping.)STEP 6: German Embassy accepts Visa Fee through Demand Draft, issued from Nationalised bank. Check the updated amount from the German Mission Website. [NOTE : As of July 2016, the rule was that the DD should not be older than 2 months]STEP 7: On the day of your VI, just be calm and confident. And, in case you don’t have any document - the interviewer is asking for, just politely request the interviewer to let you submit it later.My VI Experience : 20 July, 2016 ; Delhi Consulate; 08:15 AM Slot[ Note : Don't paste your photographs on the visa application form, VO will do it.]Me : Good morning ma'am !VO : Good morning ma'am, you are applying for which visa?Me : German national student visaVO : Please pass your passport, two photographs, DD and one Set of documents that you have got.Me : Passed themVO : Ma'am, you are going to which university ?Me : toldVO : What is the duration of your course and the medium of course?Me : toldVO : Where will you be staying?Me : I have applied for studenten union housing, results are yet to be declared. And side by side, I am looking for private housing options as well.VO : What does your father do?Me : ToldVO : What does your mother do?Me : ToldVO : Do you have any siblings?Me : ToldVO : What are they doing ?Me : ToldVO : Who will be financing your studies?Me : Ma'am, I have saving of xxx amount, and I have taken a loan of xxx amount. Apart from that, I'll be getting a support of xxx amount from my sponsor. I have already provided the letter to support for this.VO : Ok, Please fill this questionnaire (She passed a questionnaire and started arranging documents in some order, discarding the ones which she din't need)Me: Ok, sure. (Following are the questions from the questionnaire.)VO : Ma'am, I'll be taking your finger prints now. .Me: (Left hand fingers, right hand fingers, thumb of both hands)VO : Ma'am, Do you have cash ? ( My DD was of 4600 INR, but the visa fee changed to 4500 INR just two days before my interview. I din't bother to change it because I called the consulate to confirm if I can use 4600 INR DD, and they said I can use old DD)Me : NoVO : Ok, no issues. I'll return your 100 INR. Ma'am, Please correct the address of contact person to University's address and sign above itMe : Done ( I had mentioned department's address as I kept course coordinator as contact person)VO : Ok ma'am, I have arranged this one set in a particular order. Please arrange the second set in exact same order and submit the documents.Me : (Done and handed over)VO: Ok ma'am, here is your receipt and 100 INR. You will receive a mail from us for further details.Me : Thank you ma'amSTEP 8: Visa Stamping (After you have received Visa confirmation e-mail from consulate)You can get your VISA stamp either at Embassy or at any VFS centre. VFS has an advantage of passport drop facility after the stamping is done. At the time of stamping, you are asked to submit your tickets and a travel insurance (of three months, generally).I received Visa confirmation mail on 16 August, 2016 ; less than a month. I submitted my passport at Shivaji Stadium, New delhi, VFS center on 17 August, 2016 and received my stamped passport at home through VFS’s courier service on 24 August, 2016.Hope that helps!

It’s important for home buyers to understand that a mortgage commitment letter in NYC does not guarantee that the bank will fund your loan.As you will see from the NYC mortgage commitment letter sample below, there are many contingencies in place for the bank to revoke its loan commitment to you. If you’re about to submit an offer and deciding whether to waive the mortgage contingency, it’s important to understand what a mortgage commitment letter entails and how much assurance a loan commitment offers you in the first place.What does a NYC mortgage commitment letter sample look like?This is an example of a standard mortgage loan commitment letter that would be issued to a New York City condo or co-op apartment buyer. There are additional sections in this NYC mortgage commitment letter sample you should review such as Commitment Conditions.MORTGAGE LOAN COMMITMENTBorrower Name(s):Borrower Mailing Address:Lender:Property Address:Type of Property: [Condo, Co-op, etc.]Commitment Expiration Date:Date:It is a pleasure to notify you that your application for a mortgage loan has been approved subject to the following matters set forth below and on pages 2 and 3.INSTRUCTIONSPlease sign, date and return Lender’s copy of this Commitment, along with any required fees and items requested, to the Lender at the following address, within 15 days of the date hereof, or at the option of Lender, this Commitment shall become null and void. Should you have any questions, please contact:This approval is not a final commitment. Due to the fact that interest rates are subject to change without notice, your approved payment and loan amount may change if interest rates increase or decrease.EFFECTIVE DATE AND COMMITMENT FEEThis commitment will become effective upon compliance with the terms herein and, if applicable, the receipt of your check in the amount of any non-refundable commitment fee (“stand-by fee”). It is understood and agreed that if this mortgage loan is not settled in accordance with the terms and conditions of this commitment, the Lender shall retain this fee as earned charges for the origination and approval of this loan.AMOUNTS, TERMS AND FEESAmount of Loan $[Amount]Initial (Contract) Interest Rate [Rate]%Loan Term [Number] monthsAmortization TypeBalloon Term (if applicable) [X] monthsLoan TypeLien Position 1st LienPAYMENT (P&I)Your initial interest only principal and interest (P&I) amount is $[Amount]. This amount does not include any escrowed amounts and may change if there is a change in loan terms.ESCROW[ X ] An Escrow Account is not required.[ ] An Escrow Account is required.Even if an Escrow (Impound) Account is not required at time of settlement, subject to the terms of your specific loan documents, the Lender may set up and require an Account should the taxes or insurance on the subject property ever become delinquent.EVIDENCE OF TITLEThe Evidence of Title is to be provided to the Lender and must indicate no liens, encumbrances, or any adverse covenants or conditions to title unless approved by Lender. The Evidence of Title must be issued from a firm or source, and in a form, acceptable to Lender. Borrower will be charged for the cost of providing such title and the cost of recording documents, all of which will be ordered by Lender unless requested otherwise.CANCELLATIONThe Lender reserves the right to terminate this commitment prior to the settlement of the loan in the event of an adverse change in your personal or financial status, or if the improvements on the property are damaged by fire or other casualty.REQUIRED ITEMS OR CONDITIONSAll Items Listed on the Commitment Conditions Addendum Apply.THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS MAY APPLY TO YOUR LOAN DEPENDING ON THE LOAN TYPE AND TERMS.BALLOON MATURITYA balloon loan matures before the loan is fully amortized. The balance of the loan will be due in a lump sum payment at maturity.FIRE AND EXTENDED COVERAGE INSURANCEPrior to settlement, we will require an original insurance policy and/or binder containing fire and extended coverage (i.e., windstorm, hurricane, hail damages, or any other perils that are normally included under an extended coverage endorsement) insurance in an amount equal to the lesser of 100% of the insurable value of the improvements, or the unpaid principal balance of the mortgage as long as it equals the minimum amount (80% of the insurable value of improvements) required to compensate for damage or loss on a replacement cost basis through a company acceptable to the Lender, and a receipt showing premiums paid in advance for one year. The insurance policy shall also contain a standard mortgage clause in favor of Lender. We cannot require you to obtain a policy which exceeds the guaranteed replacement cost of the improvements securing the loan.If the property is new construction and you are not able to occupy the property immediately after closing, you will be required to furnish an original fire/hazard insurance policy or binder, including a Builder’s Risk Rider. If this is a renovation of an existing dwelling that will remain occupied, a Builder’s Risk Rider is not necessary.GOVERNMENT INSURED LOANSLoan Commitments issued for these types of mortgage loans, including, but not limited to FmHA, RHS, FHA, and VA, are subject to all the terms and conditions of the Agency’s commitment, or the VA certificate of reasonable value, as well as the rules, and regulations, and all applicable requirements of the Farmers Home Administration, Rural Housing Service, Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and/or other state or municipal authority.FLOOD INSURANCEBy signing and accepting this commitment, you acknowledge that if the property securing this loan is in an area identified as having a special flood hazard you agree to these insurance requirements.Our policy, in order to best protect collateral interest, is to adhere to the more common industry practice of requiring flood coverage for the lesser of: the full 100% Replacement Cost Value or the maximum amount of insurance available under NFIP for the particular type of building; currently $250,000 per residential dwelling/condominium unit. A copy of the declaration page or application signed by the agent, along with proof premium has been paid, is required prior to closing.Flood insurance is mandatory now or in the future if this property has been or will be determined to be in an area which has a special flood hazard. Federal Law requires that flood insurance, available through any agent, must cover the lowest of: the outstanding principal balance of the loan[s]; the maximum amount of coverage allowed for the type of building under NFIP or the full replacement cost value of the building or contents securing the loan.TAX AND INSURANCE PAYMENTSMonthly deposits and initial deposits as determined by Lender are required to cover the payment of estimated annual real estate taxes, special assessments and, if applicable, FHA or Private Mortgage Insurance Premiums. Lender may also require additional deposits for hazard or other insurance if required for this loan. Such deposits are to be placed in a separate escrow or impound account.SPECIAL ASSESSMENTSIf required, all unpaid and future special assessment installments must be paid in full prior to, or at time of settlement.DOCUMENTATIONThe mortgage or deed of trust, note and other pertinent loan documents will be provided by Lender and must be signed by all applicants that are to be contractually liable under this obligation. Further, the mortgage or deed of trust must be signed by any non-applicant spouses if their signature is required under state law to create a valid lien, pass clear title, or waive unclear rights to property. Note: Samples of loan documents are available upon request.ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS FOR CONSTRUCTION LOANS.CONSTRUCTION LOANS: ONE PAYOUT AND MULTIPLE PAYOUTImprovements are to be built in a good and workman-like manner in strict accordance with plans and specifications furnished Lender and in compliance with applicable building codes. After completion, said improvements shall be approved by a representative of Lender and an occupancy permit shall be issued by local municipality. Any changes, whether they be additions, deletions, or alterations, of the plans and specifications, must be approved in writing by Lender in order that this loan commitment remain in effect.CONSTRUCTION LOANS: MULTIPLE PAYOUTEvidence must be submitted that the net proceeds of our loan are sufficient to complete the construction of the building, free and clear of all claims of Mechanic’s Liens for labor and material. All disbursements will be made upon the order of the borrower upon presentment of proper waivers of lien, subject to compliance inspections by the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Federal Housing Administration, or Lender, not to exceed 80% of the value of the work done. The remaining funds will be held back until the certificate of completion and/or occupancy certificate is issued.I (WE) accept the terms and Conditions of this Commitment and will notify Lender if there are any changes to the information provided on the application before the closing of the loan.Borrower DateCOMMITMENT ISSUED ON BEHALF OF LENDER BY:Take special note of the cancellation clause listed above. If you lose your job or suffer some other financial setback, the bank will have cause to terminate your loan commitment!What are some typical commitment conditions in a NYC mortgage commitment letter sample?This is an example of a some typical commitment conditions in a NYC mortgage commitment letter sample. Note the long check-list of tasks that must be completed in order for the lender’s commitment to be valid.COMMITMENT CONDITIONS(Attachment to Mortgage Loan Commitment)Borrower: The Closing Disclosure will be provided to you in advance of your closing indicating your loan terms and is followed by a government mandated waiting period before the actual closing occurs. Receipt of the Closing Disclosure does not indicate all loan conditions have been satisfied which must occur prior to closing. Changes of any kind that occur after the final Closing Disclosure has been delivered to you may result in an additional waiting period prior to closing.Borrower: This loan is also subject to all other lender specified conditions and must comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations.Lender: Verification from the Lender’s Closing Agent / Attorney that a Recognition Agreement has been executed by the the Cooperative Board and received by the Closing Agent/AttorneyLender: Title to have Recorded UCC1 lien search at time of closingLender: Recognition agreements and stock certificate required at time of closingLender: This loan is approved for a maximum interest rate of — [ ]% (qualifying pmt)Lender: If the loan does not close by the expiration date of the credit documents which includes verification of employment, assets and credit, re-verification will be required. To avoid re-verification the loan must close by: [Date] (rate)Lender: Obtain a completed and signed Form 4506-T (written permission to request tax returns from the IRS) for all borrowers at and before closing. — ** rcvd prior to closing **Lender: Closing agent to verify borrower(s) identityLender: Fully executed and signed Social Security Administration release (form OMB #0960–0760)Lender: Loan was approved based on the following parameters: Debt to Income Ratio not to exceed [ ]%; Total Reserves required for Transaction are $[Amount] or 12mos (subject to change) plus closing cost & prepays of $[Amount] (subject to change). Required Liquid Funds for transaction can be no less than $[Amount]. If any of these parameters change, as required by product guidelines, the loan will be subject to re-underwriting.Lender: If the loan does not close by the expiration date of the following documents, re-verification will be required:Appraisal: [Date] Verbal VOE: [Date] Rate: [Date] Lien Search: [Date] Co-Op Approval: [Date]Lender: No subordinate financing allowedLender: Seller paid closing cost may not exceed actual costs, the maximum amount that can be paid is — $[Amount]Lender: No cash out to borrower(s) at closingNote that this hypothetical lender does not allow any subordinate financing. That means you won’t be able to take out a 2nd lien home equity line of credit at a later time. Please also note that if your purchase doesn’t close in time, the lender may need to re-do the underwriting process.Sample Mortgage Commitment Letter InstructionsCONGRATULATIONS!Your application for a [Bank Name] Co-op Loan has just been approved. Enclosed you will find a commitment letter which provides you with specific details regarding your loan approval. We urge you to read it carefully as it contains important information on the financing terms and the documentation that is required in order to close your loan.WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS?You must sign the commitment and return it to us within ten (10) days of the commitment or before the expiration date, whichever is sooner with any fees specified. Please note that this commitment letter contains two critical dates. If you elected to lock in your interest rate and points there is a rate expiration date. If you do not close your loan on or before the rate expiration date, the terms and conditions will change.In addition, there is credit document expiration date. If you do not close your loan on before this date you will need to satisfactorily update certain credit documents in order for the terms and conditions of this commitment letter to apply. If your rate and points have not been locked, the rate expiration date will be established once you elect to lock in your rate. You must lock in your rate at least five business days prior to loan closing.Please read the commitment letter and riders carefully, as they contain conditions that must be satisfied prior to your loan closing. It is incumbent upon you to make sure that we are in receipt of all items listed. These items must be reviewed and approved at least three (3) days prior to loan closing. Again we must emphasize that you cannot close your loan unless all these items have been satisfied.We have notified the closing attorney for [Bank Name] of this loan transaction.Arrangement and instructions for closing your loan should be obtained by contacting the [Bank Name] attorney named in your commitment letter. A loan closing can be scheduled shortly after all necessary documents have been received by [Bank Name].The [Bank Name] attorney will be able to provide you with specific information regarding the following:-Closing Date-Closing Location-Prepaid Interest and Escrow Funds-Co-op Lien Search Requirements-Survey Coverage Requirements-Insurance Requirements (Hazard/Flood/Condominium/Co-op)We encourage you to have your attorney contact the [Bank Name] closing attorney to review the requirements. This should help to ensure that your closing goes smoothly.Thank you for choosing [Bank Name] for your financing needs. We are delighted to have you as a client.What are sample closing conditions in NYC?Dear [Borrower],We have received today from [Bank Name] a copy of a commitment letter for a co-op loan and will represent [Bank Name] at the closing. Please be advised that we cannot schedule a closing unless we receive confirmation that the conditions required by [Bank Name], prior to closing, have been satisfied and the conditions required at closing will be obtainable and brought to the loan closing.Enclosed with this letter you will find three copies of Recognition Agreements. The Recognition Agreement must be delivered to and executed by an Officer of the Cooperative Corporation. The fully executed Recognition Agreement must be delivered to our office prior to loan closing or it must be brought to loan closing. We will be unable to close a co-op loan without the original executed Recognition Agreement with the corporate seal.Enclosed with this letter you will find a Uniform Commercial Code Authorization Form. This document must be signed by each person who will be on title and promptly returned to our office. This document is necessary for [Bank Name], to obtain a security interest in the cooperative. Upon our receipt and/or confirmation of certain information i.e. section/block/lot numbers of the building same will be inserted in the financing statement prior to filing. Please be sure to note that the executed Uniform Commercial Code Authorization Form and the check required by paragraph 3 below must be remitted to our attention at the time you accept your commitment letter to a assure a timely closing.To ensure that [Bank Name] has a proper security interest, a Cooperative search of the appropriate records will be conducted solely for [Bank Name]’s benefit. The search will be ordered by our firm and will be reviewed and approved by our office prior to loan closing. Payment of the lien search must be remitted to our office at the time you send back the UCC-1 Authorization form. The cost of the search is $275.00 and the filing fee for the UCC-1 is $100.00. Please remit a check for $375.00 made payable to [Name] for the lien search and the recording of the financing statement.Unless paid prior to loan closing, all charges and fees due to [Bank Name] must be paid from the loan proceeds. If you call our office the day before loan closing, we will advise you of the exact amount being deducted from loan proceeds.The commitment letter has two expiration dates; one is the Commitment Expiration and one is the Rate Lock Expiration. The loan must close and funds must be disbursed on or before the earlier of the Commitment Expiration or the Lock-In Expiration. In the event the loan is a refinance transaction and it is subject to the required three (3) business-day right of recission it must close four (4) business days prior to the expiration of any applicable rate lock agreement.Please note that a closing cannot be scheduled until the following items have been completed:– We have been advised by [Bank Name] that all commitment conditions have been satisfied.– The U.C.C. -1 financing statement has been filed.– The co-op search has been reviewed and approved– We have a copy of the proposed Stock Certificate and the first page of the Proprietary Lease. At closing, the original Stock Certificate and Proprietary Lease must be delivered to [Bank Name] Closing Attorney.– We must be in receipt prior to or at loan closing of a blanket insurance policy for the co-op evidencing sufficient dwelling coverage.[Bank Name] requires at least two (2) business days to schedule a loan closing.We are committed to providing you with the highest level of customer service. If you should have any questions please feel free to call us at [Phone Number].Content courtesy of https://www.hauseit.com/nyc-mortgage-commitment-letter-sample/Disclosure: Hauseit and its affiliates do not provide tax, legal or accounting advice. This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for, tax, legal or accounting advice. You should consult your own tax, legal and accounting advisors before engaging in any transaction.

The scam which I am about to detail ruined my Roommate cum Best Friend's life for 3 years. It took him a while to come out of this.We both come from a small city in India and below to middle-class families. We have known each other since school days, and by fate, we got admission in the same college in Mumbai. We both rented a flat along with four other students but mostly kept to ourselves. As we were sharing the room, we became the best of friends and did everything together.During our second year, my best friend's father passed away due to cardiac arrest. It was such a big shock and completely changed his family's life. After a month or so, the financial problems took over emotions, and they were clueless on the path ahead. They were living hand to mouth and had very little savings. His younger brother was still in school, and his mother was a housewife. Knowing the importance of finishing basic graduation, my friend decided to complete his study before taking a full-time job. He came back to Mumbai and found a part-time job working in a call center.Around two months later, his mother gave him a number saying it is some insurance people who wanted to speak about his father's death. When my friend called the number, he found out that his father had taken a Life Insurance Policy worth Rs. 20lakhs and they wanted to give it to the nominee (my friend's mother). Before hanging up, they made a funny request which we never thought much of it during that time. They asked him to keep this information to himself because it may hinder they claim.This news overjoyed him. He even cried thanking his late father for doing his duty for the family.He received an email asking for some primary documents life proof of death, identity proof of his mother, address proof, bank details, etc. My friend scanned and sent all of it the very next day, and they confirmed him over the phone that it is under process and funds will be released soon.My friend already started making plans on how he will utilize the money. We both started researching about the stock market, SIP, Short Term Deposits, etc. 20 lakhs was huge. I mean a huge amount for us. We both were super excited.However, the excitement was short-lived. He received a call from them saying the nominee's name does not match with the id provided. In the insurance form that his father signed up, the nominee name was Lekha whereas his mothers' name is Rekha (name changed). We could not understand it. How could something like this happen? After going to and fro with the life insurance company, we were told that the claim could not be processed and if not resolved soon, the insurance will be canceled. They sent us a copy of the policy where the wrong name was mentioned. It looked very professional and genuine.There is always a light at the end of the tunnel. And that came in the form a lovely lady by the name Saloni. Saloni called my friend about 10 mins after his call with the insurance company identifying herself as the customer service manager. She said she works for a special department which performs to ensure the family members of the deceased receives the best service during claims processing. She emphasized that she is on my friend's side. She spoke to my friend as a mother would. She was very kind, listened to everything. She even went so far, asking how much savings he got? How is his current financial condition? Who are all in the family? Close relatives? Etc. Before ending the call, Saloni told my friend not to worry, and she will take care of the problem.That night was extremely difficult for both of us. He was not able to sleep. Neither was I. We had 100s of things going in our mind. What if we do not receive the money? What if Saloni could not help? Where will we go? Why his late father could not be careful while signing for the form? In the end, I had to comfort him saying not to worry because it is not a big problem and no way the insurance company is so stupid not to realize that it was a simple mistake. All the other details match perfectly.Next morning we tried calling Saloni but did not receive an answer. We were growing impatient. We started talking about going back to our city and meet with the insurance people face to face and sort this matter out. Just before making any decision, Saloni called us and apologized for not picking up our call. She said she was working on our matter and did not want to call before having a piece of good news to deliver. She asked us to write down a phone number, a unique case number, and a person's name- Amit. She said Amit would solve all their problems, but we are not to share his details with anybody. We did not understand the last part but was least bothered with it.We immediately called Amit and told him the unique case number. Amit asked us what did Saloni tell about him? My friend said that you would be able to get our claim processed. Amit said, "yes, that is, I do." He further added that he usually takes cases where the policy amount is in crores, but because Saloni has sent to us, he will be kind enough to consider. My friend could not thank him enough. He said he would call back in an hour. We soon received a call back from him, and he said (in Hindi) "your work will be done. The charge for getting the work done will be 2lakhs cash upfront. He felt the need to add that this is a very secretive work. If a word goes out about this, then their policy will be canceled. So we should not tell anybody about this".This was a shock to us. We had no idea that money will be demanded here. Saloni had never indicated anything close to them asking for money. We decided it would be best to give Saloni a call and tell her about this. We called her, and she calmly listened. She then got back to her motherly tone (in Hindi) "see child, your father made a mistake. It is not a small mistake as the nominee name is completely different. Amit will get the mistake corrected for you. If it was in my hands, I would change the name tomorrow, but I cannot do that. You have to understand that this is a big insurance company having offices all over the world. There are a large system and a lot of paperwork. We have to keep all the people handling you are paperwork happy. I told Amit to ask the least amount possible otherwise, he would not charge anything below five lakhs".After a day of negations between Saloni, Amit and us, Rs 65,000 was finalized. We had given them all sorts of offers. We even said we would pay them three lakhs but once the money is received. All the offers were turned down. Sometimes both Amit and Saloni came across as professionals, but sometimes they would seem like some goons. I would also like to mention that we received calls from Insurance company asking us for the correct nominee's id otherwise the policy will be canceled.These all should have been red flags, but we were naive young adults who had very less idea about the real world. We were living under the protection of our family. Now all of a sudden, we had a situation where we were negotiating with people to fraud an insurance company. Even though the money rightfully belonged to my friend; what we were doing wasn't legal. But with the only two options in hand i.e., either forfeit the Rs 20 lakhs or do something illegal, we decided to go with the latter.The next big challenge was to arrange the money. My friend was able to manage about Rs. 50,000 from what he had in the bank account. I had Rs. 5000 which I gave him. The other ten he borrowed from multiple people. We were called in a public place where Amit's associate would come and take the money. We asked the associate for some details, but he said to contact Amit as he is only here to take the money.The wait was insane. We were initially told it would like about 3–4 days to have the nominee name changed in their records, but we still called both Saloni and Amit daily to put pressure. Finally, on the 5th day, we received an email from Saloni. It contained the changed insurance policy form with the name corrected. We called Saloni, and she said to forward it to the insurance company id. She further added that she would talk with the claims department and tell them to process it ASAP.We received a mail the next day from the insurance company saying "Congratulations." The mail read that our claim has been processed successfully and the money will be credited to my friends account very soon.We couldn't thank Saloni and Amit enough, but we still decided to remain calm until the money got credited. My friend would check his bank account every hour in anticipation. But the money never came. What came was another set of problems.We were in constant touch with Saloni and the insurance company and were always assured that the payment would be out in the next batch. Saloni was always reassuring. After two days, we received a call from Saloni, and now her tone had changed. She sounded irritated and rude. She shouted, "If you had the ID proof of Lekha, why did you waste my time? Why did you get the name changed? You nearly made me lose my job. Never call this number again". And she hung up. This was all extremely weird and too much to understand. We had no idea what just happened,We called her back, and she didn't pick up. We called the insurance company and were informed that the Insurance Policy status had been changed from "Cleared for Payment" to "Under Investigation." They said they could not provide further details at this stage and we should wait.We both couldn't believe what was happening to us. This was so unreal. We called Amit and explained everything to him. We begged for his help. He said he would investigate and let us know.We called Saloni, and she picked up. Somewhat calm this time. She asked why did we submit id proof of Lekha after the name change was done. My friend said he never did. How could he have id proof of Lekha? Saloni said the insurance company has received those and thought we were the ones who did that. Some different agent processed the claim and passed it. When the payment department received both the forms, they realized it is for the same policy. So the matter is under investigation, and there is nothing that can be done.We were dumbstruck. We asked her how could this happen? She put blame on us. She stated that we should have told the insurance company to put the claim on hold. This is very basic, and she had assumed we did this. Now because the case was open, this happened.We once again asked how such a thing could happen? Can't she do anything about this? She said, "sure I can get our department on it. But then they will also find out that the nominee on the policy was changed after the death without proper documents and the policy will be canceled. We all will go behind bars for fraud? Do you want to spend 5–10 years in jail?"My friend broke down over the phone and begged her for help. He said he would do anything to resolve the matter. Saloni said she would see what can be done. She told us to not to speak about this to anybody because now it has become a serious matter. She said even if someone gets a hint of what has happened, we will be put in jail.We didn't hear from Saloni or Amit for the next two days. Anxiety levels were over the roof. It was like my friend was living in hell. His family was in a bad state as well. Without knowing details, they were aware my friend was going through a tough time related to insurance.Amit called and said he knows what happened. He blatantly put blame on us saying it was due to our carefree nature this problem happened. Had we not been busy negotiating the amount and used those brains in this matter, then my friend would have received his money by now. He said some agent in the company found out about our case and decided to produce fake documents in the name of Lekha. He got the claim processed. The money was about to be transferred to his account, but just then our file came in the last minute. Had we paid the full two lakhs, it wouldn't have taken so many days to process the claim. He called us mad, idiots, and whatnot. Now, as even we had committed fraud, nothing will happen by complaining. There is only one way. We pay the person who produced fake documents and tell him to withdraw his claim. He and Saloni will use their internal contacts and make it look like this never happened. He said as per the insurance company's internal policy, any case under investigation if not resolved within ten days goes to head office. Once it goes to the head office, then nothing could be done. We were told to pay 2.5 lakhs, non-negotiable.My friend had an FD of around five lakhs. The last of any money his family had. He had told about this to Saloni during the initial call. This was a big mistake from his side.We called Saloni and told her about our conversation with Amit. She said it's best to do as he says and just end this case. Even she is tired of it now. Once again, the negotiations started. It was finally decided that we will pay Rs. 1.5 lakhs now, Rs 1.5 lakhs after we receive our claim amount. The extra 50,000 was the penalty of not paying the whole amount upfront. This would all be done in person. First, they were hesitant about this but then agreed.We both had decided we will travel to our hometown, meet with them face to face, and then only pay. We met them at a restaurant. Amit was no way we had imagined. He was a short, lean man. Saloni, on the other hand, was proper aunty types. The meeting wasn't friendly at all. They were irritated with our questions; they were irritated by being there. They tried to get the money ASAP and leave, but we kept asking them questions. We told them to give us in writing that the money will be credited in the three workings days which they promised. They first refused but seeing how adamant we were, they then wrote it on the blank piece of paper. Finally, we handed the money over to them. They left immediately.The emotions which we had at that point cannot be explained. More than receiving the money, my friend wanted this to be over. The last few days had been hell for both of us. Much much more for him. We didn't meet each other the next day. I was at my home, and he was at his. I just texted a few times asking if he has heard anything from the insurance company?Next morning my friend forwarded an email to me. The email was from Saloni, and it contained a letter written by Lekha requesting to withdraw the claim. Attached were her passport copy having the exact DOB and other details as my mothers. Only the name was changed. In the letter, the reason was mentioned as "Claim withdrawn due to change in personal circumstances." Then another email was forwarded by my friend to me from the Insurance Company. Policy's status has now been changed from "Under Investigation" to "Payment Pending."Me: Congrats, brother. Finally, you did itFriend: I hope so, brother, I really hope so.Next day my friend called and said the status has changed to "Paid," but no money has come in the bank account yet. He sounded very low. It takes a while to receive the money, so it's okay. My friend came to my home, and it was clear he hadn't slept that night. He didn't look too excited. He said he just wants to get over this and go back to his normal life. We went to my room to check his bank account but no money yet. We decided to call the bank and ask, and they said they have no details regarding the payment and we should ask the sender. We called the insurance company, and they said it had been paid and we should wait. Till 9 pm we waited but nothing. We gave Amit a call, but he didn't pick up. We called Saloni, and even she didn't.The unsaid thing was loud and clear. My friend has been scammed. But no one dared to speak those word. Worried, I made my friend sleep at my place that night. We canceled our return journey to Mumbai and decided to go only when this matter is sorted out for good. We barely spoke, and in the dead of night, the only noise in the room was of my friend sobbing in the pillow.Next morning, we gave a call to Amit after checking the bank account. It was around 6 AM. He was still sleeping and told us to call after 11 and hung up. We called the bank, and they still had no details of the payment. Once we connected with Amit again, he enquired the reason for the call. We said the money hasn't come. Amit said its paid, and we should wait. We told him there is definitely something wrong because it shouldn't take this long. He said he would find out. We both decided that now we will only deal with Amit and not talk to Saloni. Saloni just listens to us and then sends us to Amit.Amit called again after lunch and told us there is a problem. He said we people are lucky to be so alert and bring this to their notice before it was too late. The finance department made a mistake. They processed our form but paid the money in the bank account of the person who produced Lekha's id. But luckily before the person could withdraw the money, the insurance company put a stop to it. So the money is lying in an escrow account. The process is pretty simple. We will have to write a letter to the insurance company giving our correct bank details. The insurance company will do the follow-up process to clear the money. The bank charges 0.5% because RBI clearance needs to be obtained. Then insurance company also has to get a clearing agent to do the process on their behalf. It is another 0.5% charge on that. But we need no worry; it is the insurance company who bears the amount as it's their mistake. However, the customer will need to pay upfront, and the insurance company will refund once the head office clears it. My friend listened to all this with no emotions. He askedFriend: so they will deduct the amount from 20lakhs?Amit (kind tone): No bhaiya (brother). It has to be paid.Friend: Why can't they just deduct it? Can I authorize to deduct 20,000 from that amount?Amit: Company policyFriend: But it is not my mistake? Why should I pay?Amit: It is the company paying. You will get refunded. I guarantee.Friend: I want to see proof that the money has been transferred to the other account.Amit: Sure.I had no words to say. My friend looked at me in dismay. I said, let's wait for the proof. In about 2 hours my friend received an email from Saloni showing some letter from Bank of Baroda and screenshot of some account showing 20lakhs credited. A lot of things were masked so we couldn't tell exactly what it is. We called Amit, and he told it is the escrow account showing the money is there. We called up the bank of Baroda but couldn't get any information because we weren't sure what to ask.My friend said, "I guess I have no option but to pay the Rs. 20,000"Me: I won't let you. I think we should do something which we should have done on the first day itself.Friend: What?We went to my father and told him everything. It was already around 9 pm. My father was cool at first, but when he heard the amount we paid, he got very angry and scolded us for trying to handle this matter ourselves. He said to go to sleep now, and we will attend to this tomorrow.Next morning he took us to some uncles place. The uncle happened to be a LIC agent. As on my dad's advice, we had taken all the documents such as policy received from the insurance company. The uncle heard our story with great interest. Once the story was completed, he looked at my dad and said in the local language, "They have fooled these kids." Then he looked at my friend and said, "Son, I am an insurance agent for 30 years. Till date, there is not one single company who will make the first call. We will call you 10000 times to take your money but never to give it to you like Hello, sir please come and claim your 20 lakhs rs". The uncle clearly was feeling at the top of this world like someone has solved the biggest murder case out there. My friend had no emotions at all.My dad asked what to do now? The uncle said, just forget it. What can we do? Who wants to mess with these people? Just delete their number. My dad agreed with him, but my friend wasn't satisfied. He asked what if we go to the police.Uncle: "We middle-class people don't get involved with police and criminals. These are obviously smart people. Go back to Mumbai and study. Forget this happened."My dad dropped us back home and left to his office. My friend burst down in tears in my room. I have never seen him or any man cry like that. I tried to console him, but internally, even I was dead. Whatever came out of my mouth made no sense.My friend in rage called Amit and told him that he would kill him. Amit first tried to defend himself but then just laughed, realizing that his game is up. He said to do whatever you want; you were not even a big account for us. We have taken 50lakhs from so many people, and no one has been able to do anything. Do whatever you want but do remember we are a big gang and we have all your details. You live in Mumbai, but your mother and small brother live here and that too alone. I took the phone and told Amit that we wouldn't do anything, and he could keep the money. Just don't ever contact us again. I cut the call and told my friend to forget it. I said you would earn back this money, but you don't have to get into all this. I didn't leave my friend until we went back to Mumbai.My friend would never be the same jolly person for the rest of the college years. He would talk about suicide and had last all the self-confidence. I tried to take a lot of blame as well saying it was not his fault and the people were extra smart. Two emotional students cannot take on a gang.Now he is in a comfortable state. He has earned back the money lost in the scam. The first thing he did after getting a job was to save up and put back the fixed deposit amount with potential interest. We do still meet and sometimes talk over the phone but never on this subject.In hindsight, there were red signals from the very first call itself. But us not knowing anything about how the insurance industry operates coupled with the fact of so much money and willingness to trust people, my friend in particular or we turned out to be the right targets.