ABSA Bank
Reviews and Complaints

I had one of the most distasteful experience as a customer this morning from one of your bank's uncouth staff. There was an issue I had while withdrawing on the 9th of June, 2017 because I mistakenly forgot to take the cash the ATM had dispensed at the Stellenbosch Student Centre branch. I called the helpline and was courteously referred to visit my branch to lodge my complaint so that my case can be looked into. Upon visiting the Stellenbosch University Student branch on the 10th of June, 2017, I met a lady at the Customer Service Desk and explained the situation. She checked her system and adamantly mentioned that there was nothing that could be done because the ATM states that I received the cash. I tried to persuade her to kindly lodge a complaint so it can be looked into, mentioning that this could be a fraud case. She responded in the most unprofessional way, telling me in her words that "I lacked focus that is why I forgot to pick my cash and that I should go and read my terms and conditions that was given to me when I was signing up for the account" .

This response obviously lacks emotional intelligence and it's very disappointing. I even mentioned to her that it's not in her place to tell me that I lacked focus because at that time she had no idea what I was going through. I am very displeased.

Even if the funds cannot be gotten, there are more sophisticated ways to talk to customers. I am equally a professional banker from Nigeria for four years and would never speak to a client like that because they are the reason why we are in business.

ABSA please train your staff on emotional intelligence and courtesy. This is indeed sad for an acclaimed "SA's best bank in service excellence" . What I have experienced so far is the absolute opposite.

Thanks.

I need to notify ABSA of my travel details to avoid my card being blocked while out the country.
Due to no answer I have traveled to and returned from Zambia fortunately the card worked.
My next trip is Nigeria that would definitely raise flags.
While in Zambia I called 2 days in a row 20 mins + per time no response
Today back in SA 20 minutes and on the second attempt another 25 minutes finally I get a response.
If this was a fraud situation your service would be of no service at all.
This is unacceptable from an organisation such as yours.
Another 15 mins to speak to a supervisor. no response, promise of a call back.
Desired solution is get the service up to scratch. I need this service to work.
Contact Wayne. [protected]

I have received my credit card more than a week ago, and it has been a massive struggle to get it activated, every time I phone in to hear what the status is I get a different story and each time they promise me feedback before the end of the day that never happens. Yesterday when I phoned I was assured that the card would be activated before the end of today, however when I phoned this morning I was told that there is now some sort of error with the application and was again told I would get feedback before the end of the day. I have been an absa customer my whole life, but after all of this I am gonna have to reconsider where I bank, if there was problem with the apllication why cant they just tell, me instead of telling me that all is in order and that I would get feedback before the end of the day.

Claim no: 320798
Date: 27-01-2017 call logged after 1st flooding.
Our house is in a Angle and all the other houses water comes down to our house. Our pipes could not handle the amount and flooded out house. In the same time our roof dropped 2 places and made 1 hole right above our Electronics. ABSA sent out a 3rd party contractor who said that we would need to replace our entire roof etc, but nothing happened. I am still waiting on ABSA to fix the roof and tomorrow if another flood mentioned on the radio. Who will fix the roof now in time? Will ABSA be held responsible if all my electronics get wet after the claim not completed by ABSA?
All this was unfortunately done through my husband, but I am sure that the contractor and the email trail will all be under the claim number. Can I please have feedback today! Thanks Inge

Good morning
I've created a new beneficiary via online banking and I'm trying to make the first payment, however I do not received the TVN number via sms after a few minutes, it took 6 hours before I received the requested TVN numbers by that time the transaction is no longer active and I can not complete the payment . I tried again this morning and the situation is still the same . Transaction timed out and I still have not received the TVN number .

I am unable to pay the new beneficiary

Utterly disgusted!

Hi

I am absolutely shocked and disgusted by the way I have been treated by absa!

A few weeks ago I applied on line for a homeloan...

I waited and heard nothing... Then I phoned.

I was told that there was no application in the system but that someone will contact me to complete an application.

In the meantime all the required documentation was sent through.

I waited again... A week later I phoned...

Eventually I was helped by roxy williams... She send me the application forms, we filled them out and returned them. She also informed me that we need not send the supporting documents agin, besides the new id cards, as they had already been send through...2 weeks earlier.

She then emailed asking for updated bank statements for my wife.

So now this is almost a month after I applied online.

I explained to her that my wife works, it is very difficult for her to get to the bank and that they already had the bank statements.

I was told originally that those were fine and since I was already stuffed around for weeks that they must use what they had.

If they had helped me when I first applied there would not be a problem now.

Now I get an email this morning saying the application has been withdrawn as they do not have bank statements!

Seriously!

Is this the way absa treats clients?

All I want to do is apply for a home loan!

AM Booysen Account: [protected] – Formal Complaint

Herewith please find my formal complaint with regard to the unprofessional manner in which Absa personnel handled my queries with regard to the closing of my Absa bank account.

Dated 19th of April 2017 I confirmed with Johhny Rossouw for the closing of my Absa account [protected] and credit balance of R28861.59 to be transferred to Namibian First National Bank Account [protected] Branch 280372. Reference 93168 and also attached letter received via post.

Till date the credit balance of R28861.59 has not been transferred to my mentioned FNB bank account as per my requests on several occasions?

I Spoke to Leandrie dated 15th of May 2017 with referece 94779 and according to her she will issue the transfer but it was not done?

Dated 24th of May 2017 Shanel Shingh confirms that the money will be transferred and I received an amount of R26.00?

Is this a joke? I have never seen such unprofessionalism! I am waiting for a formal investigation and the return of my credit amount of R28861.59 to my FNB account?

Hi
I opened an account with you'll and was told I qualified for a mid week holiday the agent at the bank told me I should wait for the email and reply. 21 April I received an email stating I qualified. I replied same Time asking how is the promo valid for no one has replied till date. I called the bank where I opened my account the agent said I must nit stress its valid for a year. 26 April I sent an email stating im trying to call the centre for the last 2 weeks and I can't get a hold of them. I received an email requesting my phone number once again I replied same time till date no reply. I sent an email now received an email now stating the holiday has ended 15 may what none sense I did what I needed to and I qualified for it must I pay the price for your imcompertent staff who has no passion for clients. Is the service you guys offer I am very upset and annoyed.
I will not loose out
My number: [protected]

FE Welgemoed 30 Bushbuck Str Empangeni KZN
Policy number: [protected]
Ref number: 188058.

Middel Febr17 I submitted a claim for water damage to ABSA Insurance.
After about 3 weeks and 3 different Assessors the claim was finally approved.
A company in Durban Digicall was appointed and they on there turn appointed 2 other contractors. One to attend to the water leak in side the wall and the other to rebuilt and refit the damaged sink cabinet which has wood rot as a result of the leak.
The Plumbing work and the re-tiling was done excellently.
But the contractor ORIZON Maintenance made a mesh of the re-installing of the cabinet which required re fitting of all the scullery pipes.
Water was leaking all inside the newly fitted cabinet and this contractor boldly refuse to take responsibility and repair. The re fitment of the plumbing pipes was done very poorly, i.e. loose pipes, skewly screwed on and damaging the pipe threading.
After weeks of complaining I myself refit and seal all the plumbing. The frustrating part of this is that this was only corrected by myself on the 24 May 17, Three (3) and 1/2 months later.
The second part of the claim was the replacing of the on suit bathroom cabinet. After heavy deliberation with Orizon regarding his responsibility to ensure proper refitting of the piping when re installing of the cabinet, which he blankly refused to take any responsibility to ensure no water leaks, he refused to do any dismantling and refitting of any plumbing required. I was then asked by the Chief Assessor of Digicall to ask my own Plumber for a quotation for this work. I'm still in process with this request.

Note 1. Please take note that the cabinet of the sink was again flooded with water and soak up by the pressed wood used by ORIZON. Wood rot is again a very high probability.
Note 2. The On Suit bathroom cabinet frame is rebuilt by cheap pressed wood which is not of the same quality as the original cabinet.
NOTE 3. The cabinet doors in the on suit main bathroom is firstly not the doors presented to me by ORIZON and is totally of very inferior quality and not acceptable at all.

I need this matter to be addressed as serious.

Thank you.

Hi I am currently abroad and I cant seem to be make a withdraw using my card in indonesia I did speak to someone in the credit card devision before I left to up my insurance where I told them I was going abroad but I see it is not set up very disappointed as I now cannot make a withdraw.. i would appreciate if u could set my credit card up so can use it while im on holiday thank you Glen van vreden

I have been asking so has my attorneys for a rectification letter on my ERF492 florida Hills they added (portion 1) house next door, ours ERF 492 that was done by the bank the day the loan agreement was taken out in 2001 . this matter of the letter is now going on for three months action line said the bank must do it the bank home loans said action line must do it .

they then requested a valuation to be done on the property for the transfer and rectification to be done, but the problem we having is an tenant living on the property is not allowing anybody to come in, so we asked the bank if desk top valuation can be done they then agreed, up and till we back in our home that by the way the tenant has not been paying the bond for over a year and the court first want us to do the transfer of the ERF before the eviction can be done .three weeks into this we are still not getting any help as far as the letter goes one blame the other for not getting it .and the attorneys is waiting for the desk top valuation that was said to be done three weeks ago .

so with all this going on as to who can give us or fix the loan agreement letter we sitting with an illegal tenant .bills going through the roof and no help from the bank or action line and complains line said they cant help . my 8066650592bond acc I was given a number by action line for home loans to help on [protected] they then told me it has nothing to do with them and that action line must help .were do I go from here .
I know everyone is trying but we need to get this letter somehow or the other .

Hi

I have been trying to resolve my query since last year and no one not even the case manager can resolve this query. I have even reported this numerous times on hellopeter only to get a response from Nthabiseng asking for my details. However today when I posted a hellopeter report all of a sudden Nthabiseng responded saying I must read my emails it was resolved but it is not!
Ntabiseng not once ever called or asked the story but was very quick to respond its sorted and she is customer care!
When I spoke to Mavis she was aware that she made an error as that was my payment and not from the attorneys and she promised to get back to me as soon as Phumela sends the payment(which I am waiting for since last year November!) I am still waiting for the feedback as I checked two weeks ago and the payment is still not reflecting what do I have to do to sort this out?

I have two insurance claims with Absa insure, for two adjoining properties that have been sold, and vandalized just before transfer. The one claim has been declined in total and the other I am not getting any feedback from the consultant, and from what I understand (from the person I have managed to speak with) is that we are now in a stalemate.

ABSA is waiting for the assessor and the assessor is waiting for ABSA. In the meantime, the transfer of the property has been stopped and over and above the losses in terms of the transfer that had to be put on hold, there is now further delays due to the claim department only having received one price from your appointed contractors in 3 weeks!

The claim numbers for the respective properties area;

[protected] Greenway Road)
[protected] Greenway Road)

Your assistance would be appreciated

I emailed ABSA last week regarding monies taken from my account which I did not sign for, stating it was account charges. I have since not heard back one word. Not even an acknowledgement of the receipt of the mail.
I called the branch, was diverted to the call centre, spoke to an agent but since nothing has been resolved.
Tired of ABSA and not even interested in banking with them or applying for my house loan with them. This is the story every time you need help, but they are quick to charge exorbitant fees.

Good day

I am very upset with the service I got regarding my account. I actually moved from Capitec to ABSA, but now I am not so sure it was a good idea.
When I opened my account I specifically told them I do not want a overdraft on my account. Yesterday some money was paid into my account and ABSA took everything.
When I went to the branch to find out what was going on, they told me that my account went into an overdraft because of the bank fees. They told me that the back fees are not loaded onto the account the moment you use your card. Now I mean, R1500 for bank fees is a bit ridiculous. And also the fact that it only gets loaded long after you have used your card.
I asked them to put a block on the account so that this does not happen again, and I was told that it can not be done. So basically I am going to sit with this problem every single month? And this after I told them I am not interested in an overdraft.
I am seriously considering in moving my account again, because R1500 a month for bank fees is really not going to work for me.
I need assistance as to how this matter can be sorted or stopped or I am going to be forced to close my account and put this matter on social media to warn other possible clients.

Good day.. I am really not happy about absa's online service.. Its sappose to be quicker.. I applied for a new credit card online.. They took forever to deliver the card and when we finally got the card the limit hasnt been loaded on.. Its been almost 72 hours and still no limit.. It is rediculous.. I feel like closing my accounts with absa and going to fnb.. They offered me a credit card with the same amount and would have had the card within 3 days and the limit would have shown immediatly.. I really am not happy with absa...

20 May 2017

I got a sms during the week, so I wanted to know what is it all about. I called the ABSA costumer care hotline for information regarding the sms. After I talked with the consaltunt I decided to close the account because of no usage of the account. But to close the account I have to go to the nearest ABSA branch, and that is ABSA at the Grove Mall. When me and my wife came to the reseption they told us they are really busy today, and they took my contact details and my name to let me know when I can come back the same day to help me with the closing of my account at ABSA. We decided this give us a opertunity to do some window shopping. The half of the day past and they didn't called me back, when we decided to find out what was the problem why they didn't called me, they have closed. Me and my wife tried to reason with the security at the door but he started to yell at us, we told him why do they say they will call us but they didn't even send a sms to tell us that they can't help us today. So we wasted our time and petrol to go to ABSA to close that account, and we live about 30 kilometers from the nearest ABSA. I really hope this helpes the ABSA team to do better with costumer handeling, an what happened to costumer is always right

Kind regards
Christo Bezuidenhout
[protected]

On 16.05.2017 I visited absa bank clearwater and the service was very poor. The lady stood me there and left me on the counter the client she assisted before me was also fuming and I took my card from the pin pad n my id from the tellers desk and I left. I'm not impressed with the service at this bank at all. And is not the first time I received such service at clearwater. Worse it was during the week quiet no queue. What would be worse when is month end. I cant be busy going up and down the branch with my time and fuel worse at this day and age.

Good day,

On the 8th of May 2017 late at night I received a message saying my Absa account has received an amt of R5107. I did not know where it was coming from so I went to ask at the bank and was told that this is fraud and my account will be frozen until investigation is done.

I do not argue with that but it really isn't my faulty who deposits money into my account, I mean I know nothing about this message. Yesterday (15 May 2017) was my pay date but my salary is frozen, I've been trying to contact absa but no one picks up.

This is really frustrating, I would rather have them holding the unknown portion that I mistakenly received (R5107) then to entirely freeze my salary.

On the 13th December 2016 I paid for a purchase from Korea with my credit card and received notice on my cell phone, however about 6 weeks later at the end of January 2017 an amount of just over R20000 was taken from my card, which at such time was fully extended. I was alarmed and after making an enquiry at the oakfield absa branch I realised that the amount was the same as for my purchase 6 weeks earlier from Korea.

I was told that I had to pay this back immediately at which I responded that I was not in a position to do so and that a payment plan needed to be offered to me. This was not done and instead a lump sum of almost R10000 was removed from my flexi savings account on or about 5th April 2017 which caused 2 of my debit orders to be rejected for insufficient funds. Besides the fees placed on my account by Absa for this it created problems regards my insurances on cars and property as well as as with wesbank on my vehicle payment costing me an additional R400.

This action was not authorized or sanctioned by myself and because of Absa's inability to work in a professional way with my account it has resulted in creating a very negative outcome.

Approximately 18 months ago I moved my bond from Absa due to another institute due to my dissatisfaction and now I am so annoyed that Absa will be losing me as a client forever.