ABSA Bank
Reviews and Complaints

I had a sum of R25, 000.00 deposited into my account in May. Absa made a payment to my credit card of R10, 000.00 without my permission.
I complained and was told that I should contact debt collectors who I didn't know.
I had a payment arrangement since I owe the bank with certain attorneys who I was paying monthly when funds Available.

I contacted the so called attorneys ( debt collectors and told me they were not willing to reverse the payment of R10, 000.00.

My complaint is that the bank never communicated this and just because they have access to my funds can do as they please with client funds.

Is this how the bank runs its business. To further afflict poverty to those that are unemployed and doing their best to bring food on the table and their children at school.

Good day,

I had a personal loan with ABSA and it is paid up last year and in last week i requested my credit report form Trans Union and it showed that i still owe ABSA money R307-00 and this is effecting my credit risk now since last year.
Yesterday i went to ABSA Windemere Durban to question why is it on my credit report the person said he will help me to speak to the personal loan department and he made the call from the branch, i was help by a person called Trevor i explained to him my story and he said he will sent me a paid up letter to my email address at [protected]@wavelengths.co.za and that my credit record will be update automatically.
Since i was in the bank yesterday i have not received any letter so this is a concern will my name be cleared as i did not even receive my letter from the loan department

Please clear my name with Trans Union

Account number [protected]
contact number [protected]

had taken out insurance with Absa I direct on my Iphone 4s (insured value R7 500) and iphone 6 plus (insured value R10 000). I was unfortunately pick pocketed and logged a claim for re-imbur*****t. After a week long wait of awaiting feedback and being highly inconvenienced, I receive authorization and approval of my claim, but only for R4800 and R8499 respectively for my items.

Now, my understanding is the when I took up this insurance, I was asked for how much I am insuring my items for and I stipulated the amount. A premium was derived and I have been paying. Nowhere had the insurance said between then and now that the value of items have depreciated thus the premium will be dropped to align to the new value. When I claim, I'm told I'm been placed in the same position as I was when I had the phones. Granted, but that does not put me in the same position and value insured when I had the phone.

What is been conducted here, is unfair and unscrupulous practice and someone must look into this. I am willing to listen to someone who can reasonable tell me how what is done to me is fair and just. I have had it with Absa I-direct. My insurance policy does not stipulate that I will be paid less but the value insured. I hope this will get your urgent attention, as I have been inconvenienced for so long now.

In your investigation, please listen to the recordings as well as reading policy issued to me of when I took up the policy and make these available to me, as I would like to hear what I agreed to. Having been given terms and conditions which are not part of my contract that is in black and white is outright unscrupulous.

Claim number 3187807 (policy number [protected]) was lodged for damages incurred from a burglary on 30 November 2016. The claim was approved and I did some of the repairs myself and eventually got send a cash in lieu settlement form on 23 February 2018.

The remaining repairs were supposed to be completed by a contractor. The repairs have still not been completed and the cash has not been refunded to me.

I have send numerous emails regarding this confirming that the claim is approved and the contractors will start but nothing happens. I have send another mail requesting if I can arrange a contractor myself to do the work and what process they would like me to follow but I do not receive any feedback. It has been 18 months now.

Dear ABSA

I am complaining about unauthorized debit orders that I have failed to stop from my account. I reported the matter at the nearest branch in Arcadia, Pretoria but they informed me that it is not easy to block criminals but I cannot only reverse the debit orders. My question is: How safe is ABSA at the moment if we cannot be protected from malicious acts such as these? What is the bank doing to protect us as clients? Further, I have noticed similar complaints from social networks.

Please respond

My wife Marna Magaretha Johanna Fourie has a bond with ABSA: Acct [protected], For Capri Unit 37 In Parow. Around 2012 an additional loan amount was applied for and granted. Prior to this our interest rate was around prime less 1%. After the additional loan was granted our new oustanding loan ie R162000plus minus) plus R32000 additional loan was interest rated at a new interest rate above prime lending rate. Can you investigate why the total amount was rated at the higher rate and why not only the the newly applied loan amount of R32000?

Regards

Christo Fourie

Good morning

Your web site indicate approval in 10 min. It has been a week since I have sent my documents and still no answer to my application, and this after you pestered me for my documents to be submitted and I indicated that I do not want the credit card anymore.

I then decided to take it up and sent the required information, this was on Tuesday. It is Friday today and still no answer.
I tried several times to call the number stated on your sms, but to no avail as nobody is attending to the calls. I ended up dropping the phone after 10 minutes of waiting for the operator to carry on and on.

Now I know why I am not dealing with ABSA!

I hope to get a response today, otherwise I will have to take it further.

Regards

I am Xolani Gift Ndaba (ID no. [protected])

On the 20 May 2018 my wife and I went out for dinner at the Durban beach front. The following morning we discovered that whilst we were at the dinner an unknown vehicle had reversed into our bakkie and sped off damaging the front bullbar and bumper.

We reported the incident with SAPS timeously and notified Absa Idirect of the accident requesting assistance for the fixing of the damage.

Three and half weeks later Absa I direct informed me that the claim was approved but not inclusive of the fixing the bullbar because its an "extra" that was not mentioned whilst telephonically taking out the insurance.

I purchased the vehicle second hand and it came with the bullbar, I did not install it as extra item - it came standard that way - hence it was not seen as an "extra".

None the less, its an insurance requirement that the vehicle be sent to PG Autoglass to validate what was said on the telephonic agreement reagarding the vehicle's status on alarm, mobiliser, glass conditions, scratches, extras etc. are correct and true.

I submitted the PG glass assessment to Absa Idirect and on the report all the now "extras" are validated. Why did Absa Idirect not object to the "extras" on the vehicle versus what was said telephonically?

Had I misrepresented the vehicle and said it had an alarm meanwhile on inspection it was found that it didn't and this increased the risk to Absa Idirect surely they would object because of the higher risk and the premiums would have to re-evaluated.

I have been a loyal ABSA client since my first internship job in 2001 (19 years ago). This is my first accident claim since owning my first vehicle in 2004 (14 year ago).

I am pleading with ABSA to revisit this case and fully cover the claim.

I can be contacted on:
Tel : [protected] / [protected]
Email : [protected]@gmail.com

Banking ombudsman

After numerous efforts to resolve our problem on our account, with our local banker, Thulani Maswanganye, this is our last effort before we turn to the banking ombudsman.

We noticed that our cash withdrawal fees on the above account increased more than 200%! since April.

We are a cash loan company that has had ABSA as our main bank for the past 8 years.

Our cash withdrawal fee on the account was capped at R999.99 per withdrawal and without ANY notice what so ever, it was increased - to levels that it basically makes banking with ABSA impossible.

eg:

date cash withdrawal normal fee new fee difference:
14/4 R190, 000-00 R999.99 R3214.53 R2214.54

20/4 R 90.000-00 R999.99 R1554.53 R 554.54
25/4 R270.000-00 R999.99 R4542.53 R3542.54
26/4 R230.000-00 R999.99 R3878.53 R2878.54
15/5 R165.000-00 R999.99 R2799.53 R1799.54
22/5 R110.000-00 R999.99 R1886.53 R886.54
25/5 R255.000-00 R999.99 R4293.53 R3293.54
28/5 R170.000-00 R999.99 R2882.53 R1882.54
15/6 R140.000-00 R999.99 R2384.53 R1384.54

This alone is an extra R18436.86, without any explanation from Thulani. Which works out to more than 205% increase!

I find this shockingly unacceptable.

The service that we receive from ABSA Phalaborwa is especially poor, with any queries taking weeks - even months to get answers.

Another example is that we have also applied for a property development loan of R5mil, nineten weeks ago, still not finalized. With no answers forthcoming from ABSA about the long processing time. I just don't get any answers.

ABSA advertises that they are the businessman's friend and partner, this is definitely not so in our case.

It seems more that they are the greatest hindrance for a business to succeed.

Standard Bank and FNB have contacted me on many occasions to take over all our ABSA accounts - we have 5, but always said no. This is the first time that I am really on the verge of changing my main business bank and even my personal one.

Regards

Mr DF Janse van Rensburg
[protected]
Owner

Regards

The team at Essential Finance and Developers

We were forced to move over from the normal nr 1 or 2 approvals on our phones to making use of the ABSA application for smart phones, initially it worked well, but recently I am experiencing alot of issues. I would for instance create a new beneficiary, and then need approval from the app, I don't get any notification on the phone, then I go into the app, sometimes still nothing, then I have to wait until the time for approval expires, then ask to resend. The app is then still open, I would then get a notification, but when I accept it says there has been a technical error and I have to restart. I then do, but the application then keeps on sending the acceptance message and I have to restart my phone, and eventually get the two to work together and get a new beneficiary loaded. This happens 9 our of the 10 times, and is very frustrating. I have a Huawei phone, and all other apps are working fine on it.
Could you perhaps look into this?

Absa Balfour park and Norwood are the worst on earth and they are my nearest unfortunately. I always have to go back for the same problem or errors in my account worst part they always had short of stuff at Balfour park since I've been going there I hardly get 2 consultants there's always 1 ( Indiana)Handria is her name, and she's always so slow, today had to wait for 2 hours (with my new born baby)just to draw my money from target save, it was really a matter of emergency im so sick my high blood was so high I was supposed to go right to the doc from the bank, but the machine stuck with money 6000, I then had to wait on the que for customer service ( they also short of stuff always 2)I tried explaining that I don't even have petrol money to go and fetch my children from school so we go home, all they did they shouted and tell me there's nothing they can do I have to wait up to 10 days, I couldn't believe it, I mean they should fix their machine as soon as possible so that I get my coz this is their problem not mine!almost fainted. Then they said I can go they will log in the case and call me to give me my case number, they never did had to find airtime and call them again.

To whom it may concern
On 26 august 2016 my mother in law anneleen rymer passed away. She had an investment with absa. As we are currently busy working through lawyers because absa don't co-operate he are now almost 1.5 years struggling to get the money from absa. As we submitted al the documents to absa secunda branch and the gentleman working at secunda even phone the people regarding this matter and was said the money would have pay out in march 2018 already. Everytime the lawyers submit the documents there are excusses from absa. We are very disappointed with absa on how they handle this situation.
The investment was from anneleen rymer id nr: [protected]
We would like to have feedback regarding this matter as the lawyers is also busy taking further steps against absa regarding this matter.

For any more details call anneleen rymer's daughter who is also the executor of her will : leigh-ann [protected] or the laywer gerrie jordaan @ jordaan & coetzer inc at [protected]

Thank you very much.

I do not have an overdraft facility on my cheque account and an amount of r13 premium is being deducted from my account every month despite bringing it to the attention of the business manager. I was told its hoard life cover. I would like a complete refund for the duration of the
Debit order going off my account.
Being in country town volksrust my business manager is in ermelo. I personally drove down to bring it to their attention but nothing is being done. Not even a contract to prove that it's insurance premiums.
My request is to refund my money from the time this policy started. How can I be covered for overdraft when I don't have one.

Heinrich smith has been handling the claim but no concrete information comes back to me
My car was a write off but I would like to have it in my possession so I can try and fix it - but I have no idea where it is and call center has minimal info on all of this because only one person deals with a claim.
I called 0860 202122 call center and (011) 501 8665 stephan but I am not getting anywhere with the claim being resolved and me getting my car.

I am still having to pay them premiums for no service at all

Im not happy about security guards that stand behind us when we are withdrawing / depositing cash at your ATMS.

I've noticed more than one occasion, they stand very close to us, we can't trust anyone this days, everyone is corrupt. Maybe it's the way those ATMs are designed, not all of your ATMs, just Convention House, Florence Nzama & Bramfischer road in Durban. But that doesn't justify that they must stand behind you, they must get a seat and seat by the door.

In one occasion i heard one of them helping someone who was trying to deposit without even asking for help, it's because they can see whatever we are doing, they are very close. I work around that area so i use it almost weekly, i know what im talking about.

Sihle Mdlalose
sgs.[protected]@gmail.com

Dear Absa I tried to close my credit card after I paid it off... so one of the people That the customer care convince me to stay... so I decided to stay after she promised me they wount take of the Monthly Levy's as I paid up the account and don't use it... so Absa keeono taken more ey from my account... and I decided to go into the Absa branch at the diamond pavilion mall... so they told me I have to pay again to close the account... and they phone the department to close the account so they told us they offline... and will phone me in 5working days and still that days passed again... So today 12/06/2018 I phone in again at the credit department and again. they said I must pay to close the account... and again they said they will phone me in 5working days... So now I decided that Absa is stealing from there clients... They don't want to help me to close my account... I will take this further... I am fed up with Absa keep on stealing my money... And even when I pay the money into my credit card again there is fees again so they are stealing double from me... you can contact me on [protected]... but this I wount leave

I work in DRC. I sent money to my wife via western union last week. She went and opened an Absa bank account just for this purpose.
A week has gone by and yet absa/western union are just giving errors. I have gone back twice to rectify the errors they have given me and yet it is still not corrected. They just keep giving errors!
Now my question is, can absa/western union solve my issue or do I have to go to a higher source/public with the matter?
It's the most pathetic service I've ever seen from a bank. My kids aren't being allowed to go to school because schools aren't paid due to absa and western union.
I will be taking this matter further tomorrow morning as it seems absa and western union have no customer service.

I am complaining on behalf of all zsp holders. The department of home affairs confirmed that they will only finalize all renewal applications for zsp permits by end of september 2018. The dha sent out a formal communication to all banks regarding tihis. Absa recently sent out letters to all zsp holders which have an expiry date of june 2018 in the customer information file system (cif), informing them that that their accounts will be closed this month if they do not bring a copy of the new permit to the branch.
Seriously?
One specific zsp holder went to the bree street branch at 9am this morning. By 14h10 not a single staff member is able to tell her what the status of her account is, only that the fic centre has a backlog and will only respond when they are done processing her fica documents? What documents? She does not have a new permit and all the other documents are exactly the same they have for her in the system?
Seriously?
When I spoke to the branch manager mpho sibanyoni and explained to him the zsp process (taking into account that I worked for absa until last year and making sure customers are treated fairly in the parameters set by law was part of my day job), he was still unable to resolve the matter. He acknowledged that this is how absa treats all zsp holders and yes, he agreed that this is not fair.
It is shocking that financial inclusion is so unimportant that the bank will ignore dha instructions and put poor people through hell because... Wait for it... They can. Money talks and when there is not enough money to talk, then those people get ignored. I use to be a very loyal absa customer and employee. That stops now.

Your service is absolutely terrible.

I am an ABSA merchant account holder and have a payment pebble. Each time i need to hold 30 minutes or more to speak to someone.

First of all you deactivate my pebble without notifying me. I had to phone ABSA to find out it was deactivated. So I activated it again.
After 2 weeks I received an sms which states that ABSA will deactivate my pebble because my account is inactive since february 2018. This is not the truth because it is my current account.

I phoned in and after 40 minutes eventually someone answered the phone to ensure me that the pebble will not be deactivated and the message was a mistake.

After 3 days there you go, ABSA deactivated my account. I ve been holding for over 40 minutes now ON MY OWN ACCOUNT, just to speak to someone from ABSA.

Who is going to pay for the loss in credit card transactions, because of your negligence and giving me false information? I need to take an Hour out of my day, just to wait to talk to ABSA, and then that person doesnt even know what they are talking about?

I phoned ABSA and they said all the grey pebbles has been deactivated. So I lose business every single minute. They said I should phone CCD Couriers to check where my pebble was. I did so and CCD doesnt have any pebble for me. I purchased this device from ABSA a year ago. Now it is absolute i cant use it again.

Case Ref No. 3561113 - Customer : MR PIERRE DE SWARDT ID : ###89083
My Absa card was stolen. Reported it to Absa hotline. They confirmed the card was stopped and no unauthorised transactions. I was happy. 5 days later, R2300 fraud on my stolen card account. Asked Absa to give back my money. Absa says certainly not. Absa did not block the unauthorised transactions, did not try to reverse the transactions, even though they had knowledge of the stolen card and have authority to reverse transactions. I appeal to the CEO's office. They say, we'll give you R500 and some change, I say no, Absa has to man up to it's mistakes and rectify what they have bungled. They say we won't talk to you any further go to the ombudsman if you want your money back. Watch out, this could also happen to you! Absa does not use it's systems to help a client in this regard. They simple don't accept their responsibilities when they let a client down with poor service. They hang you out to dry. Watch out, dear Absa client, when you report your card stolen, there awaits further surprises and losses, even though they say all is well, it not! And don't expect them to help you retrieve your stolen money!