Title: FNB left me on the streets for 6 days after their mistake with my cellphone number

Title: FNB left me on the streets for 6 days after their mistake with my cellphone number

Complaint:

On Thursday in Pretoria I sent an eWallet to myself on my registered cellphone number. When I tried to redeem it, I could not access the money. After investigation I was told that FNB linked my cellphone number to someone else’s Ezi Zero account, and the money went into that person’s account.

This was not my mistake. It is an FNB system or administrative error.

On Friday I was travelling home to the Free State and asked a Bolt driver to stop at the FNB Boksburg branch so I could sort the problem out. I entered the bank at around 9am and only left after 3pm. Because the money was gone, I could not even pay the Bolt driver and he had to leave me there.

From Friday until today – six days later – I have been stranded with no money because of FNB’s mistake. I have been sleeping on the streets and struggling to get food. From the beginning I told FNB staff that I was stuck and had no money, but nobody seemed to care about my situation.

Today they finally promised that the money would be reversed, but I am still waiting.

Earlier today I was so hungry that I walked into Pick n Pay and started eating food. When I got to the till, the money that FNB promised was still not in my account. I was extremely close to being arrested because of this situation that was caused by FNB.

This entire situation happened because FNB linked my cellphone number to someone else’s account. Because of this mistake I have been left hungry and stranded for nearly a week.

I am asking FNB to:

Immediately return my money.

Explain how my cellphone number was linked to another person’s account.

Take responsibility for the hardship their mistake has caused me.

The public must know about this. A bank that treats customers like this does not deserve our support. When it really matters, they abandon you.