Extremely Disappointed with FNB Private Wealth Service

I’m compelled to share a deeply frustrating and upsetting experience I recently had with FNB Bank, despite being a Private Wealth account holder — a service that supposedly comes with a higher level of support and priority through a dedicated Private Advisor.

I was in the process of purchasing a car as a gift for my wife. Due to FNB’s limits on online instant payments, I followed the correct procedure and submitted a form requesting a Pay & Clear (immediate payment) through my Private Advisor.

On the morning of the purchase, I was contacted by Zanele from FNB who confirmed that the payment had been processed. A proof of payment was sent to me, and we proceeded to the dealership under the impression everything was in order.

However, upon arriving at the dealership, we were informed that no payment had been received. This was shocking and deeply embarrassing. I called the Private Wealth suite and was told, to my disbelief, that the payment was actually processed as a normal EFT.

I then contacted my Private Advisor, Logeshnie, who insisted the payment had been done as an immediate payment and said she would investigate. After keeping us waiting for a significant amount of time, she eventually called back and claimed that the receiving bank (Absa) had received the funds but was experiencing a backlog in allocating payments.

Trusting this explanation, my wife and I waited at the dealership for over three hours. My wife was in tears. What should have been a joyful and memorable moment was completely ruined. And in the end — we left the dealership without the car.

Later, I contacted senior staff at Absa directly, only to be told there were no such backlogs and that no payment had yet been received. This means I was not only misled by FNB, but they also attempted to cover up their mistake rather than being honest and proactive in resolving the issue.

Mistakes can happen — but lying to a client and causing emotional distress, wasted time, and ruining a once-in-a-lifetime moment is simply unacceptable. Especially at the Private Wealth level, where service, integrity, and accountability are meant to be guaranteed.

FNB failed me and my family on every front. I am sharing this to hold FNB accountable and to warn others who may be trusting that Private Wealth means peace of mind — because in this case, it delivered the exact opposite.