JJ
Justin J

1 reviews | Active since May 2014

07 May 2020, 11:33

No help with loan re-payment problems due to COVID-19

Getting hold of Woolworths financial Services has been a nightmare. My first attempt was on 08 April 2020- I contacted the insurance department and and email as well to specifically Gerard van Straten. I received no response from anyone in those two departments, and on 17 April 2020, I tried again to contact both Gerard and the insurance claims department, with no joy. I then again emailed on 22 April to complaints@wfs- I received an email from the insurance claims department advising me that they are evaluating potential relief options and please could I supply my ID number. I also sent an email to queries@wfs on the same day with no response. I then took to Facebook and private messaged Woolworths for assistance, and I was advised that someone from that specific department would get back to me. Still no response. Went onto Facebook again where I received the same response within 24-48 hours, and again no resolution. I eventually got an email from the queries, store card and personal loans department explaining that due to the COVID-19 pandemic the WFS contact center was closed since the beginning of April (why was I not advised that from the beginning?). I was then advised by Grace Dwadwa that I could contact payments@wfs to assist me with a payment arrangement as I had explained in numerous emails that I had insufficient funds in my account to cover the debit order. I was contacted about 48 hours later requesting my ID number- nothing came of it as I had no further feedback or calls. By this time I was in an absolute panic as I have never missed a payment on my Woolworths loan, and was worried about the debit order coming off, and went onto Facebook and posted on Woolworths posts that I needed assistance urgently. I also private messaged to which I received the same generic message that someone would contact me, but unfortunately, no response again. I then took to Facebook again in a rant, trying to get some attention from anyone who would assist me, and didn't even receive a response from the Facebook team. At the end of the month the debit order came off, taking my account into an overdraft and I now sit with no money in my account. The only option I had was to draw from the loan to get as much of the money back as I could. While I understand that institutions are under pressure due to this pandemic, and have skeleton staff, as a financial institution Woolworths should at least have some means for clientele to contact them and sort out financial issues. Other financial institutions have made contingency plans for clients, and assisted with debit relief. Messages saying the call center is closed and just not responding to messages is not only unacceptable, but completely unhelpful. Clients are trying to make sound financial decisions and ensure coverage of debit, but the lack of assistance make me have no confidence in the Woolworths financial brand. I need someone to contact me today (07/05/20) before 4pm to have this resolved.

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