FNB - ITEM PAID NO FUNDS "CHEQUE ACCOUNT" ****, overcharges and highly *********** service

Firstly, FNB doesn't deserve even a SINGLE star in the rating above.

I have a Gold cheque account with FNB, which they pride themselves in marketing because of all the amazing perks. However, when there are issues with the account, one spends ridiculous amounts of money due hours on phone calls to their call centers only to have agents waste your time and not make good on their word of getting back to you. I initially spoke with a pleasant agent, who empathized with my situation and mentioned that an urgent matter would be escalated. Also, the monies for "#item paid no funds" would be returned to me however, I received an email not long before the end of business hours that day stating:

"As Per Feedback I have been advised that the amount was processed to the merchant in time from FNBs side, however, the money was not cleared immediately from your account, hence that’s the reason that we could not see the transaction run off until the 9th November 2020 which is the date the money cleared into their account.

I have been advised that the dispute needs to be taken up with the merchant, alternatively if this is not possible please contact us to send you an online dispute re call form."

FNB is who I BANK WITH yet they cannot give an explanation as to why the monies were not cleared immediately, despite having received an email with proof that the monies were offset from my account. FNB claims that they have no record of any monies going off on 11/10/2020. HOW THEN DID I RECEIVE THE EMAIL STATING MONIES WERE RESERVED ON THAT SPECIFIC DAY?! I even received an email on Worldremits end stating that the monies were received by the recipient. Now FNB says I should contact the merchant! how are they meant to help me? Are they meant to pay the monies FNB has ****** from me? Are they meant to explain why I received an email from FNB stating the amount was reserved because FNB cant? FNB offers pathetic service, poor communication, and ridiculously unexplained charges, thus tricking their clients. I made a payment via Worldremit on 11/10/2020. I received an email stating that the monies were reserved and the monies were in fact taken off my account, judging from my decreased (yet positive balance)at the time, apparently if the merchant (being Worldremit in this instance) doesn't bank the amount in 7 days, the monies are returned to your account. However, I received no notification indicating that the monies were returned to my account. I went about my month thinking I'm spending within budget. On 10/11/2020 a payment of R2520 goes off my account to Worldremit. The money went off a cheque account without an overdraft facility! The transaction should have bounced had there been insufficient funds! Money for #FNB - ITEM PAID NO FUNDS " was then deducted off my account four times: first for R150, then R270, then R30, then R60. Monies were further deducted for "declined foreign transaction" twice - R8.50 each time.

All of the above pushed me even further into debt.

None of my pending transactions would have been unpaid had the Worldremit transaction bounced. I would not have been in a position where FNB had to honor payments and in so doing, indebt me. In this circumstance had FNB properly notified me about the movements of my monies, I would not have been in this dire situation. Why the hell do I pay R109/month for such pathetic and dishonest service?

R497 has been ****** from me! According to the FNB pricing guide charges for honoring payments should be R8.50, why was I charged the other exuberant amounts that should never have been taken from me in the first place?

I'm a recent graduate, unemployed, and struggling to make ends meet. When payments were made to me for part-time work while my account was in arrears, I saw none of my monies as they went toward FNBs ridiculous charges and thus still sat in debt.

I cannot afford to be taken advantage of this way! I DEMAND MY MONIES BE RETURNED!

In addition to this matter, I also spent over an hour (collectively) yesterday requesting a statement on my account for the last 3 months of the year 2013. The first call-center agent emailed me a statement for the past 3 months THIS year. I then called again only to have the 2nd agent do the same thing! I was even charged for every incorrect statement sent to me! How many times do I need to contact FNB and how much money does one have to spend to get anything from this bank? I've had it to the ceiling in frustration with all the charges, horrible and *********** service! This may sound redundant but I'm honestly not ashamed to express my frustration and anger here.

Despite all this trouble, it's not like they would even offer any compensation for all the money wasted in an attempt to get these basic matters sorted.

FNB is honestly one of the worst banks to have an account with.

I'm utterly disappointed!

2 complaints were supposedly escalated on early Friday 13/11/2020 and early Monday 16/11/2020, yet there's been no helpful response or help to resolve the issue.