MS
Michela S

1 reviews | Active since Jul 2015

01 Nov 2018, 10:32

FNB App offers Private Clients Credit Card - it's a Trap! Very expensive and cannot reverse without huge costs to me!

Dealing with FNB feels like a dark tunnel of despair for me right now. Last week, on 25/10, I saw an option on my FNB App to apply for a FNB Private Clients Credit Card. I thought this was an option to apply for an ADDITIONAL CREDIT CARD, over and above the Premier Credit Card and Cheque Card I already have. Using the App is so easy but all conditions and costs involved are not simply or clearly explained! Once I had selected the option for what I thought was an ADDITIONAL credit card application, I saw on my App that FNB had UPGRADED me to PRIVATE CLIENTS and cancelled my Premier Credit Card, and REPLACED it with a Private Clients Credit Card. This was not my intention and I immediately phoned FNB Premier Bankers to query this. When FNB explained to me that I had now Upgraded to a higher tier service, and that the Private Client Fees are R395 per month, etc., I immediately told them that this was an error and that they must please REVERSE the process and CANCEL the Private Clients Credit and Cheque card. I explained that I had not intentionally or knowingly upgraded to this service and I was confused by the offering on the FNB App. This is where my dark tunnel of despair and frustration in dealing with FNB started! When calling the FNB Premier Bankers, I was referred to phone the FNB Private Bankers. Several phone calls later, once I had lodged my query I was told it would take 48-hours for me to receive a response. I was informed that my service had now changed, my Premier Credit card had been cancelled and would no longer work, and that a new Private Clients Credit Card would be delivered to me. No matter how much I protested and explained that I did not want to cancel my Premier Credit Card, I was told I had to wait for the query to be processed and someone would contact me within 48-hours. During this time I noticed that pro-rata charges had been debited to my cheque card. I followed up daily and each time I was told I must wait for someone to call me back. Finally someone phoned me back late afternoon 31/10. I explained the whole situation to the consultant handling my query, and again requested that FNB REVERSE all pro-rata charges taken from my account, and reinstate my Premier Credit Card & Cheque service as before. I explained to the consultant that I did not want to change my Premier Credit Card, and nor did I want to upgrade my service, or pay higher bank charges or interest rates. I also explained that I had never knowingly cancelled my Premier credit card! This was done by FNB without my clear understanding and knowledge of the conditions involved, by using the FNB App. I also asked FNB to stop the delivery of the new cards, however the cards were still delivered to me yesterday. The consultant informed me that the only way to cancel the Private Clients card is to accept a new quote for my Premier Credit card. He also could not guarantee me that the Pro-Rata charges taken from my account would be reversed, and nor that my previous personal interest rate would be reinstated. I received an email with quotation from FNB yesterday. If I want to reinstate my Premier Credit Card, the interest rate is now approximately 3 % higher!!! I again asked the consultant to escalate the matter, as this situation is causing me a lot of stress. I should not pay higher interest rates or charges due to cancelling the Private Clients service – which I had never intentionally or knowingly upgraded to. The options provided on the FNB app were confusing and misleading. The consultant said he would see what he could do but was not offering me any guarantees or comfort that the pro-rata charges taken from my account would be reversed and nor that the preferential interest rate I had would be reinstated. I believe that in terms of the National Credit Act, I should have rights to cancel a contract, and I did this within the same day and hour, by calling FNB and reporting this error, and I immediately requested cancellation of the upgrade to Private Clients, and reversal of the process. But for some reason, this seems impossible with FNB. *** Please note: I switched from ABSA to FNB in November 2017. At the time I was on a preferential interest rate with ABSA. In order to gain my business, FNB Credit Card Interest Rate Review Department offered me a lower personalized interest rate . This whole situation is now causing me to lose my preferential interest rate, which I am very distressed by! I am regretting my decision to switch to FNB as it seems that FNB is TOO BIG TO CARE and this situation feels like highway ******* to me. :( I hope that someone from FNB reading this will understand my frustration and fix my problem, i.e., reinstate my FNB Premier Card & Cheque Service at the original interest rate I was sold when I switched in Nov 2017, and reverse all pro-rata charges taken from my Cheque and/or Credit Card.

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Replies (2)
FNB (First National Bank)
FNB (First National Bank)'s reply01 Nov 2018, 10:55
Official

Good Day

Thank you for bringing this to our attention.

We acknowledge your complaint.

It has been routed to the relevant department to investigate and provide resolution.

Feedback will be provided shortly.

I do apologise for any inconvenience caused.

***

Regards,

Client Experience Team

Email address: ***

Tel number: ***

MS
Michela S's update05 Nov 2018, 16:50
Reviewer Update
I have received response from Shivani / Private Clients Banker. Shivani has addressed all my concerns. I have been shown some benefits to stay with Private Clients, which I was not previously aware of. My Private Client credit card interest rate is lower than on my Premier account. I will also get a rebate on my cheque card interest if I stay with Private Clients, provided I don't go over my over-draft facility. In addition, the monthly overdraft fee will be included in the bundle rate. In light of all this, I have reviewed my position and I have agreed to the upgrade to Private Clients. Shivani has given me reassurances on all my concerns and I am not feeling "lost in the FNB Call Centre system" any more. I am now a happy FNB customer again. Thank you Shivani! :)