ABSA Bank
reviews and complaints

Incident Occurred on 27/09/2019 Between 10am and 10.15am

Courtney-Jayne [censored]
[protected]
[protected]@gmail.com

This morning, I went to ABSA BANK in MEADOWRIDGE in order to collect my credit card. I was treated with such disrespect and disdain by an employee named YOLANDA.

It is worth noting that I was the only coloured female client in the branch at the time and there were three white individuals ahead of me. One was a middle-aged male. the other two were elderly females. All of us were served by the above-mentioned woman who was coloured.

The branch is fairly small, so I could her her engagements with the previous customers. It was warm, pleasant and filled with concern. However, I almost immediately noted the difference in tone and approach as soon as I got to the counter. Regardless of the fact that I greeted her politely and mentioned that I was present to collect my student credit card, I received no greeting in return but was instead subjected to being looked at disdainfully which made me feel demeaned and 'othered'.

Besides the overwhelming negativity I received from her before even tending to my needs, my encounter with the above-mentioned employee became increasingly uncomfortable.

I was asked by her if I wanted to take out a new rewards programme. I declined giving the reason that I start working at a big five firm next year and may choose to switch banks or plans. As such, I would not like to embark on anything new policy-wise or plan-wise with ABSA until then. While I justified my choice in the above (which I didn't have to really), she smirked at me, rolled her eyes yet again, and abruptly asked 'Sorry what? Where?' To which I responded the name of the firm and that I am attending a talk by them soon which will educate me about different banking options which will be available to me.

To this, she responded by smirking and by rolling her eyes again. She proceeded to say in a rather patronising, rude and condescending manner and tone that I am very much unaware of the fact that they will try to sell me a product and not cater to my individual needs. I responded to her stating that we're having talks by various banks about plans in order to inform our options.

At this point, I was quite disconcerted by this cross-examination as if I was an ignorant and lower class citizen who did not possess the skills and competency in which to make my own decision. When I approached the counter at the beginning of this encounter having just witnessed the way in which YOLANDA treated fellow customers, the only difference between them and myself was that I was a coloured, twenty-three year old female. As such, I am inclined to reasonably believe that the difference in approach was owing to the virtue of my age and skin tone. I am a calm, professional and composed individual who is currently in her final year of the LL.B. at UCT. My reputation is of paramount importance to me. Because of this, I remained calm and I did not want to argue. However, I was deeply hurt, affected and dissatisfied by the service I received by Yolanda in both her personal and (non-)professional capacity. I was so affected by this encounter that I walked to my car afterwords, sat there and cried for 20 minutes while sharing my experiences with my loved ones. I am not sure if I should have been in a suit rather than in my workout clothing. Or if I should have been with an older person in order to gain a level of respect from the above-mentioned employee. All I know is that the patronising manner that I was subjected to affected me deeply to the point where I was almost unable to continue my day on campus.

As I was about to leave the branch, she told me that she hoped to see me back in order to open the rewards programme. I replied 'no' and walked out.

This incident confirmed that I will never bank with ABSA again. An employee at Yolanda's level is deemed to be a true reflection of your company and services. It would be a shame to view ABSA as being a racist, sexist, prejudiced, patronising and ageist service that values individuals by virtue of certain attributes which they hold.

Upon sharing this incident with my family who were equally distraught, I was convinced to write a report to management in order to have it brought to your attention. I do admit my confidence and self-esteem took a plunge after the event. It left me attending a class shortly after whilst experiencing a sense of imposter-syndrome. Although Yolanda is a coloured female, what I experienced this morning was both visibly and verbally unfair. In my opinion, this constitutes serious misconduct. I hope that management will assess the situation.

Lastly, status does not matter. However, I am a few months away from embarking on my legal career with the corporate big five. It is a shame that an employee of yours has lost you a prospective private-banking client. My father is a private banking client of yours, and I am of the belief that had she known that, I would have been treated better even though this should not matter in the least.

Good day

I am currently unemployed, but have an investment of 1, 7million in a fixed deposit with Absa for the next 5years.
I receive an interest payout of 12-13k every month from that investment which pays into my Absa Cheque account.
I recently applied for an overdraft of 5k and was refused more than once !
Which I do not understand as surely my investment should count for something ?!

We are struggling for +/- 2years to get hold of money that is supposed to be paid out to us.
K. Greef first handled the estate. He greatly failed to meet our needs. He ignored our emails, when answering the phone, he had no people skills, as he is very rude.
A Lerato Mogorosi now handles the estate.
In the beginning she was helpful.
Now she also fails to reply our emails and ignores our phone calls.
I feel this is totally unacceptable service.
These people obviously dont know what they are doing. I mean 2 years is a very long time for the bank to help us!
I want help, as I am totally fed up with ABSA.
Estate Late : GJ Oosthuizen 326306

Regards
Chris Oosthuizen
[protected]

Please note: I do not have an absa account, I only wanted to put r570.00 in into a new asba account [protected] for mr fazi kakungulu that was opened that day at the cresta branch (18/09/18).

On putting the r570.00 & the atm released a ‘'transaction unsuccessful slip' at 2019/09/18 and the atm did not return the money. The absa person who was there standing said I should go inside and open a case, I did that (c-[protected]); the tailor said it takes 3-6days for the money to go into the account as they need to investigate; I waited 6days; on going back to cresta branch the same tailor who had helped me said nothing was done and she head to start the process again (she doesn't know why; so she give me a new case number (c-[protected]);

Today 9am, 26 septemebr is my 4th visit to the cresta branch; nothing was done and I just walked out as the manager said they are waiting for feedback, this was after sitting in the bank for 1hour30min.

I don't need a feed back, all I require is the r570.00 to be put into asba account [protected] for mr fazi kakungulu.

This is the 2nd week and no one seem to be able to help.

I have no interest in opening an absa account, I have seen better service from other banks.

My name is brian gamanya and my passport number is dn797184; my telephone number is [protected]

Regards,
Brian gamanya
[protected]

Regards,
Brian gamanya
[protected]

I had in error put the wrong account number when transferring money from Standard bank to Absa bank. both banks have been completely unhelpful in rectifying this error.
it has now been 2 weeks and they say they cant help me.
I find this unacceptable. I'm sure this cant be an uncommon problem.
contact me - [protected]@gmail.com
Mr Shaylin Govender

I was at the keywest absa Bank last week to collect a new card due to fraud on my old card I was informed I need to come back in two working days coz I did not open my account at this branch I agreed and came back now after three days the bank is extremely busy but only three customer service consultants are open. This service is slow and really tiring waiting with children it's now two hours I'm waiting in the que this is crazy.

I was called last week by an agent trying to upsell me from a Gold value bundle to a premium bundle. My number is [protected] so please feel free to extract the call.

What she told me on the phone and what I am actually getting for the difference in price are two different things. I accepted the offer and bank charges ran off my account immediately without my knowledge. These charges took me OVER my overdraft. I was also told I must go into the Paarden Eiland branch to collect my new black, embossed card. When I got to the bank the enquiries lady told me that the only difference between the two packages are 2 extra free withdrawals and access to the airport lounges (which I must pay additional for. So in essence my banking charges increases from R107 to R179 for 2 extra "FREE" withdrawals.

I then saw a consultant by the name of Matthew in the Paarden Eiland branch to revert me to the gold value bundle and to reverse the change (since I never used the service and the fact that it was mis-sold) and he outright tells me im not going to get my money back. Not even a "let me see what I can do sir" NOTHING! No etiquette and no customer interaction whatsoever.

I have been a loyal customer of ABSA for 13 years and something this trivial will make me move my business elsewhere. I'm not going to cry over the charges than ran off BUT I WANT IT REFUNDED as a matter of courtesy and for the fact that I was mis-sold and that I never used the service.

I would also appreciate a call back acknowledging my complaint

Regards
Kemal Kahn
[protected]

I arranged for my Debit order banking details change on the 26 August 2019 yet just to get to the 25 September 2019 to find out this change was NEVER MADE yet i have to pay the expense for a mistake I have not even made

When I phoned in to address this I was told oops they not sure what happened
Oops

Seriously! and you call this customer service yet you expecting the Client to Sort out your mistakes

I called ABSA Private Bank at 19:53 to increase my credit card limit. A gentleman who identified himself as Michael answered and took me through the more than 5 minutes verification process but at the end the call got cut off. I waited 10 minutes assuming he is going to call me back but he did not. When I called back after 8pm Shanice answered the phone and requested Michael. She told me that Michael has left and she was not sure which Michael assisted me, so she checked on the system. She informed me that Tebogo Molotsi assisted me. I don't know whether Tebogo have a second name which is Michael.

My complaint is that I had to call again, explain myself to a different agent and go through the same verification again. Michael or Tebogo, whoever he is, had all the information he would have needed to call me back but he did not. Instead he left an unfinished business and went home... that is pathetic.

*must read racism* about 5 months ago I went for change to the absa tellers in laudium, there was this short bold head black guy there.. He said he doesn't give change, and I said "ok".. As I was leaving, a domestic maid went to the same guy and she got change, so I asked him, why he gives her change and not me? His reply "they only give change that's a certain amount", so I wanted change for the same amount she got but he said no.. I asked why, and he got all violent like a champ, telling me I should "[censored] off".. So it seems they are racist and rude.. The only reason he never get shot right there and then is because he's a bold black human.. It made me chuckle..

I brought a car at Phalaborwa Ford dealership last year October, so on 19 September 2019, they sent someone to me which I met him in town and he said to me that absa bank sent him to come and collect my car as I skipped one payment from the previous months without even not given me a notice, and he told me that should I pay the whole amount I will get my car back, so this makes me worry a lot and I don't know now which further steps to take now? You can kindly contact me on [protected]

Absa atm number 10646 at Elarduspark shopping centre just retained my card because it hooked inside somewhere and could not come out. I stopped my card with FNB absolutely no problems or issues. I phone ABSA to find out who is now going to pay for my card as my institution charges R150.00 for cancelled cards. ABSA says the department im now at (lost and stolen cards) does not deal with atm problems so i must phone the atm department and he gives me the number 0860286286 and says they are open till 22:00 and there will be someone to assist me. I phone them and no surprise but they only work from Mon - Fri 7:00 - 19:00. He just lied to me. But that is the type of service to expect. Lies and bull.
I want to know who is going to pay FNB the R150.00 as it was absolutely not my fault that I had to cancell my card. I know im wasting my time with this but this is what pisses people off. Having to pay for another's crap. So, hope you have a wonderfull effen life and ill make certain telling everyone that ABSA is a [censored] bank.

I paid out an amount of R2999.00 to first national bank on 21 February 2019 from my Absa cheque account. Immediately after i made this eft payment we realised that this was a fraud account.

I immediately contacted Absa fraud department to stop and withhold this payment. They then told me that its not possible for them to do so. I immediately contacted first national bank's fraud department and they confirmed to block the first national account so that no funds could ran in there. I did an affidavit which was sent to first national bank and to Absa on this fraud. First national bank thought it to be a joke that Absa could not stop the payment.

Thereafter i have been in contact with Absa as they then confirmed that this payment could be blocked from their side. It shows you how client services differs depending on who assists you. Thereafter i contacted them many times with many emails and phone calls. Until now they have never mentioned any date or chance to release my money, as first national bank confirmed that this money could not be paid to them by Absa as there was no first national bank account available for them to receive it, so this money is still in Absa's possession. I have had many problems with Absa as a client since 1975 when it was still Volkskas and they have just become worse every year with their client services. Their practical functioning consists of showing clients around in circles in Absa as they struggle to sort problems out.

How more hopeless can a bank be to withhold their client's funds.? to me this is fraud on fraud! Absa is hopeless!

Good day

This is with great frustration that I am writing this mail.
I phoned the call Centre I spoke to a lady and she is not even willing to try and assist me. I was trying to make an arrangement for my vehicle arrears due to not working for two months. I spoke to a lady last week unfortunately I forgot her name and she informed me that I can make up to a 4 month arrangement I would much rather prefer a six month arrangement but I will make a plan to do it in four months. The lady I spoke to this morning at the call centre informed me that Absa cannot assist me.
She said I need to speak to Tshepo, who I spoke to yesterday and according to him they can only give me two months. If I had the money I would gladly do it in two months, to be honest I don't even have it to do it within four months but I am willing to not pay some of my other debt to get this out of the way. I am really trying to do my best from my side, but I get blocked at everything way I am trying to do. It is just as if ABSA is not willing to help me with my problem. What more can I do to try and bring the arrears up to date?
I have been an Absa client for over 20 years and this is the way I get treated.
Nobody is trying to assist me, I know you get a lot of people trying to take chances, but I am not that kind of person.
If absa is not willing to help me then it leaves my two option, to go and complain at Hello Peter and to give the vehicle back to Absa, but this I can tell you, I know how the process works, you sell it off for the cheapest amount there is and then I need to pay the rest, but let me inform you now already that is not going to happen. I will offer you a minimum amount, even if I have to pay till the day I die I will do that.
I am really very unhappy with the assistance I am getting from Absa.

My ID number is [protected]

Regards
Annamarie

Good day for the past 3 years I have asked ABSA to close a stagnant Cheque account -that was never done- charges continue to accumulate and I am now being handed over.

I am currently paying off a home loan account with ABSA however for the past month I have received never ending calls from your employees when contact was only suppose to be every 3 months.

I have been called over weekends before 730 am I have been called almost every day of each week for the past month.

I would like a meeting with an executive to discuss the litany of complaints in this regard as it warrants media attention.

Please respond promptly

Sincerely

OOBA Card number [protected]

I have a OOBA Credit Card that apparently is administered by ABSA Bank, South Africa. Untill June 2019 I have been receiving e-mailed and postal monthly statements. Since July 2019 to date, NOTHING! In August, not having received a statement, I paid an estimated amount. Sometime in August I received a call from, I assume, credit control, regarding being in arrears. I mentioned the fact that I have not received statements since July 2019 and made an estimated payment. I was give an email address, namely "creditcontrol@absa.co.za to request the statements. I emailed them on 16/8, 23/8 & 30/8 and to date have not had a response. I obtained a printout from the local branch on 20/9 2019 and reconciled the statement and paid an amount on 02/09/2019. The following payment is due early October 2019 and still I have not received a statement.

On the OOBA statements an email address is given: enquiries@myoobacard.co.za. Emails to that address are returned and not delivered!

I need assistance please
Nico Brink - [protected]@nicobrink.co.za

Firstly i would like to begin with saying i am a Absa customer for over 15 years and the service has been degrading. Slowly but surely and my latest experience pushed it over the edge.

In my honest Absa has some how managed to make Telkom look good. There Online customer service has become so bad that it has Dropped lower than Telkom.
I would honestly pickup the phone and deal with Telkom than deal with the pathetic service one receives from Absa online.

I have been dealing with Thuli Masilela - *********** for a while now to try and get my loan application sorted. I received notification which i still have as proof that the loan was approved and it will be payed into my account in 48 hours. Days went by and no payment. I called them countless times to find out what the issue is. Thuli does not reply to emails nor does she even give customers a call to follow up.

They have all my documents and i bank with Absa so they have my pay record monthly income etc at there fingers but no joy. I have an existing loan with Absa which i wanted a top up on but no they cannot assist me. My bank account has a positive balance and so does my credit card. My monthly expenses does not even add up to half of my Net income.

I have been put on hold for 30 minutes at a times and been struggling with them for over a week now. How it is that Absa has customer service team that provides zero customer service?

I would like a reply on this as asap. How does absa approve a loan then give issues for a week after it landed at the payouts department which was confirmed by the sms and the customer service agent on Monday.Now the loan has been cancelled due to the fact that they do not know what they are doing. I have an existing one with a spotless record.

I will continue to log this complaint on as many social media sites and complaint lines as possible until i get a call from a competent Manager as i will not speak to people who are hired to do a job but has no clue on how to do it.

I applied for my credit card online on the 30 August 2019, and I got approval but nothing else. No card no feedback from Absa. I have since spoken to multiple consultants that made empty promises. I got asked more than 5 times to send my documentation through which I have done to various people. I also spoke to the supervisor who promised that he would contact me before 13:30 pm today which I am still waiting. All my accounts are with Absa and I am really considering moving all my things and switching to another bank.

As a client and son of Mr & Mrs Andries Muller I hereby claim R800 000 for damages done.

I suffered a heart attack and income as well the lack of commitment by the bank to help or really assist my parents who are pensioners.

I hereby ask ABSA Bank also to immediately come and repair the damages done to the house as the water causes that our beds and business equipment was damaged.

CONTACT [protected] & [protected]