#FNB Frustration

Getting FNB to assist you with a dispute is a mission, and this thing of clients not being able to call directly to the bank they logged a dispute at is annoying. I went to withdraw money (R2000) at a local Absa Express ATM, my money never came out but it went off my account. I immediately called the number on the ATM and the lady told me to go to my branch and explain to them, because they have my bank account; the lady just opened a query call for me and gave me a reference number to give to the bank because the ATM rebooted while we were busy talking and did't issue any receipt. I went to FNB Mahikeng to relate my story, after a while convincing the lady who was assisting me to call the Absa cause I had a reference. She did and they confirmed my story, even she told me that on her system it shows that my money is just hanging. They did paper work of filling dispute form so that she can send a reference from FNB side to her. She told me about 7 working day, even though the Absa person said it will take 3-4 days for them to confirm that the ATM in question had an over of R2000.

I travelled back to JHB which is where I work and stay. On 25 Feb I called FNB call centre to make a follow up, cause there was no correspondence from the dispute department to say that they received my query or something. They told me that they are unable to check anything on disputes, therefore I will have to go to the branch. I told that person that the dispute was done in Mahikeng at the time and I am in JHB, making it impossible to go to the branch. He said I can go to any branch close to me.

On 26 Feb 2020 I went to FNB Marshalltown, the lady told me that there is no note of any dispute on my profile. So she said she's going to call the branch, she came back to tell me that the dispute was logged but I'll have to wait for 14 working days. I asked the lady to call Absa because I need to know how far is my query, she did and the Absa person told them that an e-mail of a credit form was sent to FNB and there's no response. When I asked them to follow-up, they told me that they did by sending another e-mail marked urgent on 25 Feb 2020 and still no response.

After hanging up, I asked the FNB official who was helping me to check what the delay was with responding to an e-mail. She told me that "hence there is a turnaround time, they will respond to it" I asked for the Mahikeng branch contact number, she gave me a number that goes to a call-centre. The call centre lady told me that there is no way I can call the branch, because clients are not allowed to call the branch.

Even now, I haven't received any form of communication regarding my query.

I am so frustrated, because the R2000 I was withdrawing was to pay the building contractor. Now it's like I'm full of lies :-(

Please help.