Absa sends old customer packing because of stupid system fault.

About 12 to 18 months ago, Absa implemented changes to their credit card system. One particular change includes a system generated SMS message that is sent to account holders on or about the 25th of each month. This message informs the account holder that their account is in arrears, quoting the identical amount due from the statement received earlier that same month and which happens to have the due date for payment if the minimum amount as the 2nd of the next month. This SMS goes on to instruct the account holder that the outstanding minimum installment amount will be deducted from their current account on the due date, again quoting the identical due date from the received statement. The rest of this SMS message then instructs the account holder to ensure that sufficient funds are available in said current account on the date specified. It then proceeds to basically threaten the account holder that failure to ensure that this outstanding minimum payment is made, will result in the account holder losing their credit status as well as forfeiting access to any future credit products. In addition they will be black listed and will be held liable for any legal costs and extra expenses Absa incurs in order to recover this outstanding amount. My mother has had an Absa credit card for close to 25 years. She also has a stop order on the credit card account to deduct, on the 2nd of each month, the full outstanding balance, which obviously includes any budget installments, from her current account at Absa. She has never fallen in arrears or had the stop order returned unpaid in all this time. Upon enquiry at the Rivonia branch, she was told that it's a standard message that is sent to everybody automatically, presumably meaning all credit card account holders. She is extremely upset and annoyed with this, especially because she understands that it is actually a bug (i.e. a flaw) in their computer system which should be easy and simple to fix. This situation has now actually made her decide that she no longer wants to have a credit card with Absa and she is planning on cancelling this product as soon as the final budget installment is paid. Absa must definitely feel very proud of themselves and properly vindicated now that they have managed to throw away a very profitable customer, as my mom always buys everything with the credit card, in order to let the bank gain the higher service fees. Despite the current financial situation South Africa find itself in, Absa clearly don't need the money.