FNB slogan: “how can we help you” is a ruse

FNB slogan: “how can we help you” is a ruse.

I have been an FNB loyal customer since 2016. I have been having a credit card with them. I went into debt counselling and was paying my credit card through Debtreview. My financial state improved and I decided to withdraw from debt review and since then I have been paying FNB via debit orders of R300.00 monthly since August 2018 for credit card account ********** 487452. An amount of R500.00 in December 14th 2018 and R999.30 in January 31st was paid respectively. All this time I have been using the same method of paying through my FNB banking app. When I paid an amount of R999.30 on 31 January 2019 at 8:44am, my balance was R995.37 which would mean I paid more than what I was owing FNB as my final payment.

On the 28th February 2019 I received an email from a certain Molokelwa Virginia( FNB contact debtreview) stating that the last payment they have received from me was in 2018 December 14( please see attached for proof of payments and communications I had with Molokelwa Virginia and FRB). I then emailed her all proof of payments including the last payment in January 31st of R999.30. I also went to my FNB branch( maponya mall) and spoke to her telephonically to explain my plight.

In March 14th I received a text message from Hammondpole attorneys who claimed to have been instructed by their client FNB to recoup monies I am owing to FNB credit card. I immediately dismissed them and stated that my account is in dispute and under investigation for the last payment I made in January. I sent them my communications with FNB and Molokelwa Virginia in particular. By that time I had not received any feedback from Molokelwa Virginia nor Hammondpole.

On the 29th of March I contacted Molokelwa Virginia and protested on the manner in which FNB and herself are treating me. To my dismay, she asked me to resend all proof of payments so she could investigate. Even though she already had the proof previously sent, I duly resend. Someone from my branch advised me to also send my proof to FRB, ********** and I did.

On Thursday 11th April I sent Molokelwa Virginia an email out of frustrations reminding her that since the call I made on March 29th she hasn’t given me any feedback on her investigations and she did not respond. On Tuesday the 23rd of May I received a text message,email and a call from Groenewald inc who claimed to have been instructed by their client, FNB, to recoup the credit card money I am owing. Just like Hammondpole, I dismissed them and explained to them the same story that FNB and Molokelwa Virginia had been lying about(that they are investigating and tracing my payment). I forwarded them all my communications with Molokelwa Virginia and FNB and proof of payment. Strangely, immediately after Groenewald inc called me, I received a worse and confusing email from Molokelwa Virginia just about the same time. The email stated that my credit card account was reinstated with debt review so I would have to pay my credit card account through them. There and then I realized FNB’s actions has been very unprofessional, absurd and ridiculous, especially Molokelwa Virginia who appear to be a deadwood without any interest of assisting me as a customer but just raking in money in salaries. How can a banking institution of FNB calibre be unable to trace monies in their system?

Can FNB explain to me why I am supposed to pay them through Hammondpole, Groenewald inc and debt review at the same time and yet my account is still under investigation/payment being traced? I feel betrayed by the banking institution I trusted for the mere fact that they seem to be unwilling to trace just an amount of R999.30 that is in their system despite all the proof I have provided since February. My financial life has been in limbo since January because I can’t get a clearance certificate of payment to submit to Debtreview.

These actions from FNB are tantamount to harassment and bullying and I am so fed up. My next stop would be radio 702 and the banking ombudsman if I am taken advantage of as a customer( no threats intended). I demand a resolve on this matter and Molokelwa Virginia to be removed from my case effective immediately. I demand a senior manager deal with my case for a speedy resolve. Your FNB slogan: “how can we help you”seem to be a ruse.

Regards Very disappointed and angry Matsea NG