PG
Portia G

1 reviews | Active since Mar 2009

29 May 2018, 08:49

Unauthorised transactions on my account but the bank does nothing!

Where do I even begin... I am so angry and frustrated that I give up talking to the bank... They clearly don't care and are not interested in solving my problem! Maybe they will pay attention if I complain on this forum! Let's start at the beginning... on the 15th of December 2017, I noticed a number of debit orders with the reference Naedo and weird names such a Big Five and Revolution all for small amounts of between R79 and R99. A total of R1200 was taken off my account. I phoned Absa and was sent to the branch. I went to Norwood Branch. They were efficient and assisted in reversing these unauthorised debit orders. I also noticed that this had happened before and as far back as in September, October and November. As they were small amounts and as they went off haphazardly, I did not notice them until a string of them went off at one go like that in December. On my internet banking on the same day, I also noticed another unauthorised transaction of R419 which appeared to be an online payment to Gumtree. I have never bought anything from Gumtree ever and I did not perform this transaction which seems to have occurred on the 05th of December 2017. I was in the CCMA in Rustenburg at the time, and could not have been making purchases online. I was told in the branch to phone the *****line, which I did. You hold on forever but finally I was given a reference number: F ********** and was even sent an SMS telling me that they would investigate and get back to me in 5 working days. Good thing I did not hold my breath. I heard nothing further from Absa about this. The unauthorised Naedo transactions kept happening and I had to go back to the bank again, which I kept doing and they reverse them. However, I work and travel a lot, I don't have time to always go the bank. I have now lost a lot of money through this debit orders and I get told I can't reverse them if they happened too long ago. I have asked that this matter be stopped or attended to and no response. I eventually phoned Absa's Complaint line on the 19th of March 2018 where I spoke to Keanu Steady. I told him my frustration. He said that he would sort out my R419 transaction and sent me an email with a form that I had to email to Solomon Mtsweni. I was travelling to the Drakensberg for work at the time and was only able to complete the form and send it on the 6th of April 2018. I was told that my issue would be resolved again in 3 - 5 working days. We are now at the end of May 2018 and nothing has been done. I told Keanu about my unauthorised debit order problem as well. I was told to lay a complaint at the bank itself. I did this on the 9th of April 2018 and received an email from Themba Kunene with a reference number: ********** . He said that the bank would investigate and get back to me and I would have feedback in 5 working days. I am still waiting... Funny that! I am now drawing all the money out of my account because I don't want to lose any more money to unauthorised debit orders however, now I get penalised for that. Absa simply does not resolve my problem - despite all my requests. I still haven't heard about my R419 unauthorised Gumtree transaction - the form was sent - I have heard nothing about the Naedo transactions and they are still happening to this day! What must I do Absa? Transfer to another bank so that this problem stops? Please get back to me so that I can make a decision - I am over waiting for Solomon and Themba to get back to me!

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Replies (3)
Absa
Absa's reply30 May 2018, 11:28
Official

Dear Client

Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention. We will investigate the matter and provide feedback once the matter has been resolved.

Regards
Vanessa Crowe
Group Customer Care
Absa Bank Ltd

PG
Portia G's update30 May 2018, 14:27
Reviewer Update
Great... let me guess... you will get back to me in 5 working days... I am not holding my breath!
PG
Portia G's update27 Jun 2018, 10:48
Reviewer Update
Dear Absa. This has been more than a month now and nobody has bothered to take this matter seriously or get back to me! Do you still want me as a customer or should I approach another bank? I am going to refer this matter to the Banking Ombudsman next! Kind regards, Portia