Frozen Account

<p>I have been with ABSA bank since 2005, to open the account I had to RICA or be FICA compliant, which I was.</p> <p>Nobody from ABSA contacted me to inform me that I had to resubmit FICA documents, no SMS, no email and no phone call. I know they have my contact details because I receive my statements via Email and I get their promotional SMS for funeral cover and all sorts of other stuff I don't want.</p> <p> </p> <p>Last week Wednesday (30th December 2016) I went to town to do my weekly shopping, (as I reside on a farm that is 30km's away from the nearest towns around us), So we decided to go to Petrus Steyn to do our shopping, I get to a till to pay with my debit card and I got declined the reason on the slip was Default / unspecified account. So I go to the ATM to check what's going on and in big capital letters, it says, "FICA IMMEDIATELY" Please note there is no ABSA branch in Petrus Steyn. </p> <p> </p> <p>So I leave town and come home with no groceries and very little petrol in my tank. I log onto internet banking to submit my FICA documents; I try to go onto other parts of my internet banking, and I can't access anything.</p> <p> </p> <p>I then decide I am also going to send my documents via Email just to be sure they get it and to find out how long this will take. This is the email I sent them.</p> <p>"To whom it may concern,<br />I have been an ABSA Client since 2005, and this is how you treat your<br />customers?<br />I went to town today which so happen's to be a town where there is no<br />ABSA branch (Petrus Steyn), as I was trying to use my card, it threw a<br />the message at the counter saying "default/unspecified account" I later went<br />to the ATM to see what the problem was and it big flashy letters, it<br />said RICA Urgently, I RICA'd my account when I opened it, why now all<br />of a sudden am I required doing so without any notification from<br />yourselves?<br />I never received an SMS, Email or phone call,<br />Do you know how embarrassing it is to go to town and you have to go<br />21km's back home without achieving anything?<br />Yes, I am livid, that is my money in your bank, that you deny me<br />access to.<br />I went online to upload my FICA documents as per the ATM,<br />This is an SMS I just received, "ABSA: Thank you, FICA documents are<br />being processed. Case number: 2016/11/ ********** 7."<br />What happens to my account until you have processed it? When can I use<br />MY money?<br />In future send YOUR clients a notification before resorting to<br />blocking THEIR account.<br />I have every mind to close my account with your establishment, as your<br />ethics and morals are something to be desired.<br />Please revert to me ASAP,<br />Thank you,<br />Kindest regards,<br />Yvette"</p> <p> </p> <p>I received a reply saying that someone will be in contact with me by the 6th December 2016, which never happened by the way. I saw on Facebook yesterday that they posted a post about blocking accounts https://web.facebook.com/Absa.Bank/photos/a. ********** ********** 251.328071. ********** 8250/ ********** ********** 251/?type=3&comment_id= ********** ********** 251&ref=notif&notif_t=photo_reply&notif_id= ********** ********** 67&_rdr</p> <p> </p> <p>I also contacted the ombudsman, and this is their reply, "</p> <p>Dear Sir / Madam</p> <p> </p> <p>YOUR COMPLAINT AGAINST ABSA<br /> </p> <p>We acknowledge receipt of your complaint.</p> <p> </p> <p>Please note that the Ombudsman for Banking Services can only intervene after the bank’s internal Dispute Resolution Department has had a fair chance to investigate and try and settle the dispute directly with you.</p> <p> </p> <p>Therefore, we have referred your complaint directly to the bank’s internal Dispute Resolution Department to grant the bank an opportunity to resolve the dispute at a specialized level.</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p>Bank<br />Telephone no.<br />Fax no.<br />E-mail<br />African Bank<br /> ********** <br /> ********** <br ********** />Standard Bank<br />***<br /> ********** <br ********** />Nedbank<br /> ********** <br /> ********** <br ********** />ABSA<br /> ********** <br />***<br ********** />FNB<br /> ********** <br /> ********** <br ********** />Capitec<br />***<br />***<br />complaintmanagement@ capitecbank.co.za<br /> </p> <p> </p> <p>The bank’s Dispute Resolution Department has 20 working days to resolve your complaint. You and the bank ought to correspond with each other directly in this regard.</p> <p> </p> <p>If the bank does not resolve your complaint, we expect the bank to provide you with a reasonable, written explanation as to why it cannot resolve your complaint.</p> <p> </p> <p>Many complaints are resolved via the bank’s internal Dispute Resolution Department and do not require our further intervention. Therefore, we do not keep copies of all the complaint forms that have been referred to the bank’s internal Dispute Resolution Department.</p> <p> </p> <p>If the bank’s internal Dispute Resolution Department could not resolve your complaint within 20 working days (or a period as agreed to between you and the bank); or if you are not satisfied with the explanation given, you must please resubmit your Application for Assistance ********** if you want to request the intervention of the Ombudsman for Banking Services.</p> <p> </p> <p>Please attach the repudiation letter from the bank’s internal Dispute Resolution Department to your completed Application for Assistance form when you resubmit it to us.</p> <p> </p> <p>By following this process, there is a good chance that your complaint may be resolved quicker or you will at least be referred to the right person within the bank that can assist you.</p> <p> </p> <p>Yours faithfully."</p> <p>Does the consumer's opinion not count anymore?</p>