03 February,2010 10:22 AM IST | | PTI
Nobel laureate Venkatraman Ramakrishnan was in for a surprise as he tried to buy an iPhone, putting down his first name as Venki.u00a0
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British mobile phones major O2 did not find him credit-worthy enough to sell him the phone right away, leading to the scientist suspecting an element of racism behind the bizarre case.
Ramakrishnan, an Indian-American currently researching here, was forced to pay a three-month deposit of 325 pounds at the O2 store in Cambridge in December last year, when most applicants with good credit histories are not asked for a deposit.
Every contract with a new customer is subject to an automatic credit check, using credit reference agencies such as Equifax and Experian. The rating is then used by companies to offer or decline credit.
"I am actually slightly suspicious that there is an element of racism at play here as well, since I can't think of a logical reason why I should be denied credit," Ramakrishnan said. He told a newspaper that he was outraged in principle that the company should require the deposit from someone so completely credit-worthy - he had been given loans in excess of 200,000 pounds for his house in Cambridge.
However, Sarah Taylor, an O2 spokeswoman, said: "I was dismayed to hear that Prof Ramakrishnan would suggest that this decision was in any way related to race.
"Whilst we are honoured to have a distinguished Nobel prizewinner among our customers, I can assure you that every customer is treated exactly the same regardless of their race, creed or colour and in accordance with the law."
