ABSA Private Bank Does Not Have Private Bankers Any More

I am an ABSA Private Bank Client. I got a new phone on 29/12/2017 and did a SIM swap. I use Internet Banking and DO NOT have the ABSA app on my phone and will never download it (for my own bank security). When I tried to use Absa Internet Banking, I get the message that a SIM swap was detected and my Internet banking is blocked. I phoned the number provided and the lady explained that 1. All calls are recorded and 2) She will ask 5 questions which I have to answer correctly. When we got to the eighth or ninth question, I said I had enough - I had answered more that 5 questions. The lady explained that we are not finished with question 4 yet. That to me is totally unacceptable and I asked for the supervisor and got through to Mr Dazel Mentoz. Mr Mentoz tried to explain to me that there are only 5 questions. I asked him to listen to the call, count the number of questions posed and phone me back. He promised to phone back in 40 minutes. After 2 hours, I phoned twice to get hold of Mr Mentoz (since he did not phone back). He twice refused to take my call. Since I am a Private Bank client, this issue can easily be solved - I phoned my Private Bank Branch and got through to Raderick Potgieter, who claimed to be a private banker. When I explained that my Internet Banking is blocked due to a SIM swap, he explained to me over and over again that he cannot help me at all - he only provides advice on opening new accounts and which insurance his clients need to get. At this stage I realized that Private Bank was dissolved to be part of the normal ABSA bank. I tried a last time to phone ABSA Private Clients help desk. I got through to Musa - no surname to protect anonymity. After I explained the situation about mr Mentoz, he offered to assist in the following way: 1. To log a compliant and 2. To be so kind as to put me through to the call centre I phoned right at the beginning. I explained that my understanding is that nothing will happen with the complaint and he is not willing to do any private bank assistance.

The effect of the SIM swap on my phone cost the following: 1. I spent three hours of time to resolve the issue 2. When my cell phone bill ran over R200, I stopped to pursue the issue to resolve the problem. 3. I still cannot use ABSA internet banking (despite the fact the I do not have the ABSA app on my phone) 4. Although Private Bank started out with outstanding service, it does not exist any more.

C Basson ********** 600