Voiceless and Powerless

FNB has been the bank that I enjoyed their banking services and customer care, especially the way they assisted clients and their overall banking environment. Since 2009 I have been banking with FNB. But on a sad note I encountered a problem with one of the branches but with no joy of getting things sorted out. I took the matter to OBS (Ombudsman for Banking Services) and at first no joy but had to request them to re-open my case after they had closed it. One or two of the banking staff made a very big mistake that tarnished both my spouse and myself images and deformed my character in a very big way at my former workplace. Initially we had gone to open a joint account for debt review purposes but we were told that the bank does not offer such and they advised us accordingly and gave us another option of which we agreed to it. That my husband opens a new account and gives me permission to use it. A letter was written to my employer requesting for the re-direction of salary to FNB something that we did not request. Contents of letter included : FNB received an instruction to switch the banking details for salary payment for the following client:- Name: my spouse (not mine) Employee ID Number : my spouse (not mine) Employee number : mine ( not mine) Current pay date: 31st ( usually pay day its on the 25th) again looked suspicious

The body of the letter then had my banking account details and the new account that my husband had opened and gave me permission for the account. This did not look right in the eyes of my former employer and looked like "*****" One of the banking staff also called following what has been put on the letter to confirm employment for my spouse at my former workplace, person was told he does work there but there is a female with that surname instead. A letter was sent to my workplace email address not specifically directed to HR or Manager. As the manager I did not receive it but given by chairperson of the board. Branch concerned did not bother after several times going into the bank to request for the letter detailing and accepting that the mistake was done by the bank, I did not go to the bank to instruct them to switch my salary. In their defense through the Ombudsman was that I signed the form of which yes I did and the form I signed had just 1 mistake again with all my correct information. BUT the letter that was written and sent to my employer was from Braamforntein branch from Head of Switching I did not sign that as it was generated internally and we as customers do not have access to. If the letter was part of my consultation on the day I could have rectified the matter but it was done on a different date and different place. Thus where the mistake was with all my husband information sent to my employer. I was seen as having committed ***** as I was also doing payroll.

My character was deformed very badly and tarnished. So far as an FNB Customer nothing put in writing saying the branch concerned "accept their mistake/ sorry for what happened to you/the bank accepts their wrong actions. How then does the bank manage "Damage Control ". Maybe its because am of the "poor class" maybe if it was someone from another class the bank would have put it in writing and compensated the person for damages on their name in terms of deformation of character and tarnishing their image. As on my part and being an African "viral damage" was bigger than the world. Some of my former colleague say that (" she had put her spouse in the payroll, so he can get a salary" thinking that it wont be discovered) . It is bad what people say about me because of this action and mistake by the bank. You can imagine what happened next. I had to answer and try to explain things. they believed what the bank sent to the employer.

I still have not received a tangible response from the bank and OBS. Am told I should go to the high court really? cant the bank sort this? I do not have the money to engage a lawyer. I have tried all communication channels to ask the bank to put it writing for me so I can clear my name with my former employer and the community that I worked with. FNB should take responsibility of their actions that affected me so badly.

From October 2019 I tried to get the bank to accept their mistakes, no one cared as no one wrote to me nor my husband. The bank has all our email addresses and contacts. I have been banking with FNB since 2009 up to date. There is really something wrong maybe its me I do not know. I have waited for long for the OBS to conclude the case after they re-opened it. I had to go back to Ombudsman to rectify that the mistake is on the letter and I did not sign acknowledging that everything is correct . Its a clear matter that needs one party to accept that it happened than me going to the court for the bank having deformed my character. Also when I went to FNB Eastgate branch to collect my card, consultants knew about my case as this is the "talk of the town" this then means it also went viral within FNB. It happened between Bedfordview branch and Braamfontein branch. It has taken so long for the bank to accept and acknowledge what happened from October 2019 to date

How many customers have encountered the same that I have gone through? You are told if you want the bank to compensate you for their actions on tarnishing your image and deforming your character you should go to court, yet this can be solved by the bank it self. Am a customer I have to go through all this, I have never been to a court room before. I am really disappointed.