ABSA credit card - worst ever.

I have been with ABSA Bank for close to if not more than 20 years. I have had a Homeloan, Car Finance, Personal Loan, Will, Life Cover and my personal bank account with them. Needless to say, a very loyal customer.

Four years ago, I signed up for a credit card, as I needed to travel and this took the burden off me in terms of cash, etc.

I ended up keeping this card, and during Covid times it came in handy. Finally as i financially recovered after the pandemic, I started using it less and less, and I started noticing how despite making payments and not using the card, the balance outstanding just did not change.

Three months after paying R4.3k on the account, my outstanding balance moved by around R800 or so. I made enquiries as all the statement says is finance charges and payment, and the balances don't move. I received no feedback regarding my query. Finally, I called the call center as I wanted to close it, and in turn used this opportunity to query the "Finance charges" and why my account balance has not moved.

i learned that they had been charging me for a garage card, which I never app**** for or received or used, for life insurance, and the rest was interest and nothing basically came off my account.

I queried the charges on 25 November, when I received a settlement fee and paid it. I was informed I will be contacted regarding the closure in the week of the 28th, and did not receive a call. On 28 November I went in to the branch in Rosebank to query this. The teller could ot assist and again we had to wait on the call for the card division to assist. They informed me that it is because I am paying minimum fees. (I did not know R4.3k is minimum).

No feedback on the charges I queried. I asked to cancel this life insurance on 28November whilst they still investigate.

On Sunday 3 December, I had still not received a call from the closure department, nor was my query resolved - this after I paid the outstanding closing balance which included interest(as it was more than what i could see pending and the call center agent advised it is because of interest)

On 3December, another installment of R4.3k went off my account, and another R1.6k for interest on a ZERO balance account! I called them Sunday 3 December. The call center agent put me on hold for a few minutes to "investigate". After a long pause, she returned and suddenly could not hear me. She cut off the call and never returned my call.

On the same day I sent an email requesting feedback. I could not call again as I was working. No feedback was received.

On 5 December,(on my birthday) I went in to the branch(this time my branch in Cape Town), and spent another 1hr on a call with the call center. At this stage my account was in credit by 4.5k

Once again, the Life cover I had cancelled and queried came off. They only credited three months of the garage card I never received, and that was that.

I never received back the interest OF R1.6K for the last month, which was charged on a CREDIT balance. I did not receive any credits for this Life cover I signed up for on my CC.

I opted to close the account right then and there, as they left the account open due to my query, however, it was just a convenience for them to charge me again and again.

This has been a nightmare of an experience, that costed me plenty of time and money, and I have still not received my money back.

STAY AWAY. Noone calls back, and they will charge you more and more until you die of starvation.