FNB's System Error Costs Me R4,930, and They Refuse to Refund Me

In November, I started noticing funds of various amounts disappearing from my account (R1,200, R700, R350...). I immediately contacted FNB’s service suite, only to be sent from one department to another with no solution. Frustrated, I visited a branch, where I was told there was a pending amount being settled and advised to wait a few days for the issue to resolve. That was early November.

However, the problem persisted throughout November, with funds continuing to disappear in varying, inconsistent amounts. On December 4th, I visited another branch, where a branch advisor, Nokukhanya Mhlophe, finally conducted a proper investigation. She discovered that FNB’s system had failed to fully process a transaction I had made in October, which was causing irregularities in my account.

Even then, I had to follow up myself. On December 17th, I emailed her for progress, and the issue was only resolved on December 24th. During this time (November to December), FNB continued deducting funds from my account, totaling R4,930. When I requested a refund for these undue deductions, they declined.

This is infuriating for two main reasons:

FNB’s system error caused this issue, yet I’m expected to bear the financial consequences. I had to chase FNB every step of the way. Their systems failed to identify or resolve this mess, and I was left to manage their incompetence. I am deeply disappointed by FNB’s handling of this situation. As someone who also does business banking with FNB, this experience has completely eroded my trust in them. I have already started migrating debit orders from my personal FNB account to another bank. I had also considered an investment product for my business account in December, but I paused due to this ongoing ordeal.

If FNB refuses to refund me for this clear error on their part, I will strongly consider migrating both my personal and business accounts to another bank. This situation has shown me that FNB prioritizes extracting money from its clients over resolving its own mistakes.

This experience has left a very bitter taste in my mouth, and I would not recommend FNB to anyone who values accountability, efficiency, or proper customer service.