FNB ***** and Misrepresentation by their clients using their systems hiding behind the POPI Act

Hi Everyone,

I would like to report a ***** that has happened on the 02 October 2023 and was reported to FNB on the 03 October 2023. My contact details is ***.

I was buying a car from a bogus dealership which is registered, and they are using FNB Account to **** unsuspecting buyers. They have a call Centre autoreply PBX and even Whatsapp Business, West Bay Motors- PTY (LTD) REG: ***. This company is registered at CIPC through this link you can verify through, Step 1: Click on link https://eservices.cipc.co.za/NameSearch.aspx this company is trading as Westbay Motors. We concluded a transaction of R 80 000.00 on the 2nd of October then I travelled to Beaufort West. I have reported the transaction before 9 O'Clock while I was at the Police station at 08:50am, The consultant that I have spoken to, requested the account number which the money was deposited into and the consultant verified that the account is blocked I asked him if the was money still remaining in the account, he confirmed there was a balance of an undisclosed amount. I registered the case, and I went to FNB branch as I was advised. As I got in at FNB branch in a panicking mode I just showed the lady at the Enquiries desk that I was being ****med and I showed her the proof of banking details. She punched in the account numbers, and I have been informed that the account does not belong to any company but an individual. I even saw the name of the individual that the money was deposited into, strange enough the reference was a company with the registration number even on my proof of records and my account=t statement. I have been informed that there is still a balance of R17 000.00 on the account and there is an amount of Plus R 44 000.00 which is being transferred to other banks but not cleared. I saw the amounts and there were two EFT transactions almost showing R 22 655.00 on the screens two different EFTs. I saw the R80 000.00 that I have transferred it was showing pending, the two ladies confirmed that it was cleared in that status and the other amounts were EFT'd to Standard Bank. They also verified that the account is locked, and the account cannot be scrutinized further. In essence they confirmed that the amount that was withdrawn earlier could not be reviewed because the status of the account was blocked. I went to ABSA which is my bank to report the matter and the collected all the evidence and the police report. I had to wait for the period of Investigation to complete but FNB has never attempted to contact me. I received a letter from my bank regretful and apologizing about the incident that FNB has disclosed that the were no funds recoverable and that was on the 17 October 2023. The FNB reference to the event was given as ***-2397-637. I tried several times to contact FNB and I was told they are protecting their client information and the FNB staff was not supposed to show me the details on this transaction to protect their client. I have an SAPS case number for this as part of documentation that was forwarded to the investigating officers at my bank which is ABSA. I was informed that FNB has concluded the case on the 24 October 2023, and I was given a name and an investigating officer whom I tried to send an email to, but I did not get any reply. I Will load all the screenshots for the conversations I had with FNB consultants even the business unit that was not cooperative on the matter. Except with only one reply that was shutting me out " We are protecting our Client" and there was no further advise to that. FNB has shut ABSA out from retrieving the balance or the monies that were transferred to other banks, FNB has been protecting a ********, FNB has not advised to the police case that is pending and FNB has given insufficient Information. They have stopped the process by exhausting timeframes and just disclosed the account has no money to reverse. FNB further after I have reported to the Bank Ombudsman still came with the same statement that the account funds were exhausted. Now the results I saw with my own eyes from their systems gives me a different perspective of this whole issue that FNB is actually protecting a ********/*****ster. When I reported the case there was still a balance. Days later there was no funds, FNB has been ignoring me and not being cooperative. The SAPS asked the name of the suspect and according to the evidence from what I saw from their systems I have the name of the person whom the account was belonging. I have reported the issue about ABSA to the ombudsman till today I have not seen FNB being cooperative on the matter instead ABSA keep sending me a regretful letter. *****ster Company Below:- Further to this I will publish the account numbers the screenshots and the presentation of the statement showing whom exactly I was paying and what has been masked from FNB system. I have exhausted a lot of time contacting FNB with no win!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The ***** Company is still working online the lines are still working the web registration is not a ****. The company registration online is verifiable. I paid a verification fee at ABSA when I was transferring the amount, and my reference was the company registration not the individual, but FNB released the money to the account which does not correspond with the detailed information as per transfer information. Martha Catharina Pieterse Vehicle Sales Specialist West Bay Motors (Pty) Ltd www.westbaymotors.co.za 11 Sunset Avenue, Beaufort West, Western Cape Postal: P.O. BOX 802, Beaufort West, 6970 South Africa Direct Line:***