Absa Tax Free Fixed Deposit advertised 6.2% but billed at 3.8% ...

This is so difficult I don't even know where to start ... 09/10/2021 : - I go to Centurion Lifestyle Branch - they are closed for fumigation ... - I go to Centurion Mall - they are busy out until the entrance of the mall ... - I go to Mall@Reds : I should have rather eaten glass

31/12/2020 I opened a tax free fixed deposit at Centurion Lifestyle, on the website, it says 6.2%, limited time, visit the branch ... This is not confirmed on my opening docs - no interest rate is confirmed actually ... but the consultant confirmed it is 6.2%, I even said this is the highest, I think Old Mutual is offering 5% and she was even surprised ...

I got a statement and it shows the interest rate at 3.8% ...

Hence my travelling on the 1at Saturday of the new year to query it ...

Mall @ Reds oh you disappoint ... the manageress attending to the queue tells me NO the rate is 3.8% even after I showed her the screenshot from the website : do you think I sit on the net like a hacker and make up bogus interest rate sxreenshots ?

So I said but this is on your website : now I don't know if Absa Mall@Reds has its own sub website, but this is on the Absa main website : https://www.absa.co.za/personal/save-invest/products/tax-free-fixed-deposit/

So she says I have to see the consultant ... ok so this is around 1130 going into 1200, my mum was at PnP Mall@Reds and I told her send me a message when you're done so I can give her the cars keys - at about 12:30 I think the branch closed but the security couldn't open the doors so I could give my mum the keys ... she said she'll shop around elsewhere and after this I thought you know I should just leave and see to my mum because something is going to go wrong ...

Well it did - when it was my turn to be served, the consultant told me that the interest rate is 3.86% on the Tax Free Fixed Deposit - even after showing her the screenshot of the website ... she said there is nothing she can do and I must call ActionLine : ***...

Heres where the plot thickens ...

I asked her for the e-mail address so that I can send a mail with the screenshot of the statement and website attached as proof - which is what they will ask me to do on the phone anyway ...

The consultant calls someone in the branch because she didn't know what the e-mail address was, she said I should call Actionline and they'll give me the e-mail address ...

Heres where the plot thickens more : I am an ex Absa employee - I know when someone is trying to cut to the chase and pull a fast one because its closing time - we are all human, I get it ... I worked with Actionlines for credit card complaints from 2*** : while I did not send the e-mails, I did receive the e-mails, but 11 years later I do not remember the address ...

Here is ActionLines e-mail address on Absas main website : https://www.absa.co.za/talk-to-us/

All she had to also do was open a blank e-mail, click search on the To field, type in Actionline and the details would have come up - easy ...

I was fuming because ITS MY MONEY ! But you know its not her fault, Barclays cut corners with proper training and left it to chance that their existing unhappy staff will out of the goodness of their hearts train the new threat to their promotion with on the job training and not show them the bad habits that was developed ! PS I still have my manuals from 2006 before the takeover ...

So I am sending all this to Actionline with the screenshots and highlighted timestamp ... I know that they are probably going to tell me the 6.2% has expired or was only available at selected branches in the main metropolitan centers : I have the books, I know the responses ...

Why is the product still advertised on the main Absa website as '6.2% for a limited offer, visit your branch' if after application, you get billed with 3.8% ...

So here is how I am going to checkmate you ... Aparantly PFA Complaints cost the company around R5000 - free to us as consumers, but someone pays the bill ... drag this out and the complaint I forward to the banking ombud is going to cost you more than the interest you pay me at 3% or 6% after the term of my fixed deposit ... you decide whether you keep or lose customrs because after 12 months I would very likely take my business elsewhere after almost 15 years ...

Absa Bank this is a quick fix, sort out my interest rate on the schedule or tell me what is going on, or you really put your foot in your mouth by not advertising correctly and making the process complicated for the customer when the FAIS Act KYC says otherwise ...