GROSS NEGLIGENCE
Seeing the hashtags of ending bank frauds and gross negligence trending on twitter yesterday, I have decided to weigh in on the trend (that's what yesterday's post was about if it got you confused). I am fairly sure every Nigerian with a bank account has had their share of this negligence being spotlighted right now. Some are fortunate to get it rectified whilst others are forced to swallow the losses due to complacency and the unbothered nature of the banks and time spent chasing the case can at times seem too much for just a “little” sum. In the light of this, I’d be sharing my experience with banks as well.
Sometime last July, a Friday night precisely, there happened to be some odd deductions from my account with United Bank of Africa. I’d call them odd because I hadn’t performed any transaction after an ATM withdrawal that same day. Apparently, someone somewhere, anywhere was using my card’s (that was still in my possession, mind you) details to perform some online transactions in some nairas over a thousand. The twist was/is the fact that I rarely ask people to perform ATM transaction on my behalf and I’m rather careful with my personal items, credit card inclusive. It still remains a mystery how my details got out and ended up being used for some online transaction.
I ended up withdrawing via the ATM what was left after the third alert, it was then I discovered about five thousand naira had been lost to these mystery transactions. The next working morning being a Monday, I headed to the branch nearest to me to lay complaints and make inquiries. Long and short of that visit was; my card was used for some online transaction by whom the customer care personnel couldn’t expressly say (whether he knew where the transaction was made from, I’m not even sure). I was later asked to write a letter to the head of the branch asking for an investigation to be carried out on the mystery transactions, my account was to be frozen for the period of the investigation. When I asked when to expect my account to be unfrozen, I was met with a response of uncertainty (AKA: there’s no certain time frame but when there’s a development, I’d be duly informed). Seven months down the line and I’m still yet to hear from them, no refunds, no report, no feedback of any sort. My best guess, the investigation was abandoned somewhere at some point last year. I’m still of the opinion that the transactions could have been traced rather quickly if they really wanted to.
This my dear readers is my Nigerian bank story. Sure enough, banks aren’t the only ones responsible for this manner of deductions and acts, mobile networks are involved as well but that is a story for another day (post).
Sometime last July, a Friday night precisely, there happened to be some odd deductions from my account with United Bank of Africa. I’d call them odd because I hadn’t performed any transaction after an ATM withdrawal that same day. Apparently, someone somewhere, anywhere was using my card’s (that was still in my possession, mind you) details to perform some online transactions in some nairas over a thousand. The twist was/is the fact that I rarely ask people to perform ATM transaction on my behalf and I’m rather careful with my personal items, credit card inclusive. It still remains a mystery how my details got out and ended up being used for some online transaction.
I ended up withdrawing via the ATM what was left after the third alert, it was then I discovered about five thousand naira had been lost to these mystery transactions. The next working morning being a Monday, I headed to the branch nearest to me to lay complaints and make inquiries. Long and short of that visit was; my card was used for some online transaction by whom the customer care personnel couldn’t expressly say (whether he knew where the transaction was made from, I’m not even sure). I was later asked to write a letter to the head of the branch asking for an investigation to be carried out on the mystery transactions, my account was to be frozen for the period of the investigation. When I asked when to expect my account to be unfrozen, I was met with a response of uncertainty (AKA: there’s no certain time frame but when there’s a development, I’d be duly informed). Seven months down the line and I’m still yet to hear from them, no refunds, no report, no feedback of any sort. My best guess, the investigation was abandoned somewhere at some point last year. I’m still of the opinion that the transactions could have been traced rather quickly if they really wanted to.
This my dear readers is my Nigerian bank story. Sure enough, banks aren’t the only ones responsible for this manner of deductions and acts, mobile networks are involved as well but that is a story for another day (post).
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