How can't we help you?

After spending 18 minutes on the phone FNB consultant Laurelene Vermeulen advised that she can't help me...

I have a cheque account and a personal loan account with FNB, as well as a savings account which was sold to me as the pocket savers. All of these accounts proof to be a huge frustration and irritation for me.

Due to unemployment a bit more than a year ago, I fell behind on my accounts - not only the FNB loan. As soon as I found employment again I called everyone - including FNB and started to make arrangements to have the accounts brought up to date. The other institutions gave me advise and had proper arrangements in place which both myself and them stick to. However with FNB everything seems to be a hassle. Once they saw money coming into my account again they started to deduct two amounts - one of R900.00 and one of R900.01. In March I explained to them that one payment of R900.00 can be kept effective end of April 2018 and the other amount of R900.01 had to be returned. This was done. However in May the very same thing happened again. R900.00 as well as R900.01 was deducted. I phoned the call centre just to be told that the telephone banking department can't help me and I was transferred to another department. This was a process of over 30 minutes on my cost where I was transferred from one department to another. Then the phone would cut.. I would call again. The process would be repeated several times. I wanted to have R900.01 refunded to my account as I needed that to go towards food and transportation. I have cut down on my cost of living to such an extend that I can pay every one their due amount and still be able to survive, thus I use public transport to travel 110km to work and back.

On Saturday, 26/05/2018, I went to the local branch in Randfontein, Village Square just to hear that they also cannot refund my money - it is FNB's money and that's the end of it. When I said that the cheque account is becoming to expensive for me I want to close my account and move to a bank with less fees they said that they can't release the money that is in my account. I went to the branch just after 11 and was told that by 11:45 the cashier is closed for the day already. I need to wait.

So, I have a loss of R900.01 + bank charges + a bank that does not want to close my account + they will continue to charge my account and threaten that it will negatively affect my credit rating.

Can someone please be a little bit more effective at this bank and think for one minute... what if it was you? Would you have been happy to hear that you can't close an account because the bank wants more of your money? Would you have been happy to hear that the bank is not *****ing your money by taking double deductions - if that is the mentality behind it why not try to take my whole salary and tell my I don't deserve my salary it is just too bad? Would you have been happy to lodge a complaint at the bank, have someone call you back just to tell you their manager is not available, and it is just too bad - they are not going to give your money back or try to assist you in any way?

Most importantly... How would you feel if you worked your level best for a whole month, to go home and face your kids without food to give or the possibility to go back to work and earn more money, just because a bank says its their money and not yours?

All I am asking is for FNB to keep one payment towards the loan and give me the second debit back.