When bank does not read small letters...

Russian Dmitry Argarkov (42) has tricked a leading Russian online bank in a way typical of a bank. He altered the credit card terms offered by the bank that just signed the paper without noticing that.

In 2008, Dmitry Agarkov received an unsolicited letter from Tinkoff Credit Systems (TCS) offering him a credit card with what he found to be unattractive rates, so he scanned the document into his computer and made a few changes, Dnevnik.hr reports.

According to the Russian national television RT, his more favourable terms included unlimited credit, zero per cent interest and no bank fees or fines. He also added a clause that he could fine the bank three million ruples (USD 91,000) every time the company failed to comply with the rules and a further six million ruples (USD 182,000) if they tried to terminate the contract.

Mr Argarkov, from Voronezh, Russia, then sent the amended contract back to Tinkoff which didn't pick up on the alterations and returned him the signed paperwork along with a credit card.

His lawyer Dmitry Mikhalevich says that, according to the contract, the opened credit line was unlimited.

- He could afford to buy an island somewhere in Malaysia, and the bank would have to pay for it by law - Mikhalevich adds.

After two years of using the account, the Russian company terminated Mr Argarkov's credit card in 2010 because he was late on his minimum payments, Russia Today reported. The company then took him to court to try and reclaim 45,000 rubles in unpaid fees and charges.

But as Mr Argarkov's contract with Tinkoff stated he did not have to pay the bank any fines or account fees. The judge ruled: "They signed the documents without looking. They said what usually their borrowers say in court: 'We have not read it'."

Mr. Argarkov is now suing the bank for 30 million rubles (USD 909,000) for not honouring the amended contract they signed.

Oleg Tinkov, founder of the bank, tweeted: "Our lawyers think he is going to get not the money, but really 4 years in prison for fraud."