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THULARE C
Active since Aug 2017
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9 reviews8 months ago
Absa vehicle finance maximising interest income at expense of SA consumer
I financed my vehicle with Absa vehicle finance in 2023. I then uncounted difficult finance times which prompted me to request a payment holiday in order to restructure my debts. They were more than happy to accommodate me which I was grateful for. This essentially increased the payment term, and meant more interest for the bank. This I understood. Things have since improved and now I requested the bank lower the term of my lower which would push up slightly my installment as this meant I would be paying less interest over the total period of the loan. Absa refuses to lower the term and states I need to pay more in terms of the instalment and this would lower the term, I explained to the consultant, Lerato, that this wouldn't matter as the term dictated the total interest paid and my paying more money monthly still meant I would be paying more interest in the long run. She advised me the bank was not going to decrease the term and that I was the one that requested to increase thus my fault. What's very clear is that, Absa is very willing to increase or accommodate you when they are benefiting, when you the consumer who is under immense pressure and trying to restructure your debt so you can come out from under it, this they cannot allow. They need to keep you indebted for as long as possible so as to make as much money from the South African consumer to pay off high dividends and options for their shareholders and execs at our expense.
53 replies
9 months ago
Falsified information sent to credit bureaus
I had a credit card with FNB which I paid up and subsequently closed in Aug 2023. I recently checked my credit report and found that the account is still open and shows that I owe them money. On may the 29th a raised a dispute with Experian and all the other bureaus to remove this from my credit record. I obtained the paid up letter and closure from FNB which shows clearly that the account is paid up and closed. I spent at least 300min calling Experian( takes 25+ holding before an agent picks up). speaking to various people attempting to resolve this matter. on the 3rd of July I received a confirm from Experian that the account has not been closed as FNB agreed to the credit card being paid up. I checked my credit record again on Sunday and the credit card has popped up as owing on my credit report. Promptly called Exparian and held for an additional 30min, they directed me to FNb stating they are the ones who send them the details and their system updates. I then went to FNB today at the branch to sort this out. There are no consultants at the branch to assist you. Everyone that is there is to assist to open a new credit card but no help with you current issues, the call centre assists with this. I spent 2.5hrs at the branch being transfered from one agent to another with no agent taking accountability for the issue at hand. The consultants there eventually took over the task and they too got no joy. The screenshot below shows the numbers the agent gave the consultant transferring responsibility to another individual. My question is how is it possible that almost 3 years later FNB is telling the bureaus that I owe them money when the account is closed? after and enquiry they still send the bureaus incorrect and false information that the account is still owing which affects my credit score and makes me a risker lender pushing up the interest rate institutions will lend to me. It is clear that this institution does not care about the wellbeing of the citizen of this country and all they care about is the bottom line and making money, hence why only people to assist in opening a credit card work at the branch. There is no one who will take accountability to assist but all they do is transfer you from pillar to post as you waste your time and money on a call with them. This is supposed to be the most innovative bank in Africa but all it is a machine to ring the most out of the consumers its supposed to serve.
53 replies
15 months ago
Exceptional Service at iStore in Sandton
As Consumer we always jump these sites to complain about terrible customer service, rarely do we jump on when service is excellent. At the start of the school year, my daughter was without a tablet which was required for school. She was without for two days which affected her learning due to my finishing late at work and when applying for a contract always told, before an hour of closure, we cannot assist you. I drove from Bryanston to fourways to clearwater and no help. I finally ran to Sandton iStore for assistance and arrived 65min before closure. similar to the other stores we were then told to turn back as the store with an hour to closure. I expressed this terrible situation my daughter was in and the desperation with which we are in now. Mr Mandla Mdakane requested Gloria Ramabele to assist us and she was close to knocking off. Gloria Ramabele assisted us with excellent service being clear at every step what she required from us and what it was for. Every cost was explained and what it added to. This was all done with a smile and incredible service which seems is a dying art, especially considering she was about to knock off. I want to express my appreciation to both Mandla and Gloria for their excellent service and it is clear why the iStore in Sandton is always full and busier than the other malls.
53 replies
19 months ago
BMW South Africa (Bryanston) customer service atrocious
Took my @BMW for a scheduled brake fluid service. I switched from @bmwfourways to @BMWbryanston, this is decision I have since regretted. The lady who assisted me was rude and I found her service atrocious. She left me feeling like she was doing me a favour to service my car. I requested for them to change the breaks as the cars breaking performance had declined and I know it’s taking longer now to stop. It’s a 540i and thus breaking performance should be inline with its engine performance. My breaks also have begun squeaking and it’s quite loud. Unlike @bmwfourways, I was not taking to my destination with a BMW but rather an Uber was called. This sounds entitled however, from a premium brand, a certain level of service is expected. Throughout the day, no communication from the the service department about work being done I went to pick up my car and the lady couldn’t be bothered to give me feedback on what work had been done or any issues found. I discovered the car wasn’t even washed when it was returned with my mag wheels full of oil from being removed for the oil change. The breaks have not been changed and I’m still experiencing the same problems. Given the challenges these premium brands are experiencing now especially from lesser priced brands you would imagine a premium customer service which costs nothing but understanding which market you are in should be standard. Needless to say I will not be returning to @bmwbryanston ever. When you interview people to deal with customers, you just make sure it’s something they enjoy. Even if inconvenient, I will go back to @bmwfourways. Or maybe switch to @Porsche from what I hear from friends, their service is excellent.
0 replies
57 months ago
Phantom profits generation from FNB during covid pandemic
Good Day I have a credit card with FNB and have had for years. Up until last year, I had never missed a payment as they take the money via debit order. Last year due to covid I experience cashflow problems and was only getting paid 10% of my salary. I took up the opportunity of a payment break as I could not afford payments during that time as I had expenses as well as my younger brother coming to lie with me as he could not afford to stay alone during exams. My understanding of the payment break was that my payments would freeze however the interest would still continue. This I was ok with as FNB is still a business and needs to also survive. I soon learned this year however that FNB took out a loan against my name to itself. The loan they took out amounted to 25% of my credit card I have with them. I attempted to engage the call center and find out what the personal loan was about as I never applied for a personal loan with FNB. I was then told by Ntokozo that FNB had to pay my loans( to itself) and hence I now owe all that amount of money to FNB for a loan FNB took out to itself. This makes no sense to me, as FNB did not pay a third party on my behalf but rather itself. It has created a phantom loan to itself, paid itself and now I owe it 25% more credit on top of the original credit amount. As stated before I have never missed a payment to FNB and I understood it to be that my payments would freeze for a couple of months then I would continue paying my credit. I didn't spend any amount groceries, furniture etc from FNB but now I owe them 25% more money which they created from thin air( this is called round trip financing) as the money went from one department of FNB to another and yet now I owe them yet more money. No other banks did this during this period. This was a tough period from which people died and lost their jobs, which has culminated to the unfortunate situation from which people were hungry and started looting as some could not find employment and their kids went hungry. Yet during this time where we all have less disposable income as company's struggle to generate profits and we all have to tighten our belts, I am now being required to pay yet more money to a Bank. I did not make use of any additional credit from the bank, so my question is why are we being required to pay more to a bank which did not expand any funds to a third party or to its clients. This is supposed to a bank which is at the forefront of technology and considering its clients with every innovation it comes up with. from where I am seating it seems to have yet found more ways to generate more revenue from individuals who are struggling to make ends me for its own bottom-line
106 replies
80 months ago
Iwyze/Old Mutual expects their clients to pay 80% excess on a claim
I was involved in an accident where by a truck tyre burst on the highway and it hit the underneath of my car, it happened to damage the wheel bearing and the ABS sensor. I have never missed a single payment ever since signing up and this is the first time I claim from the insurance. A gentleman by the name of Scelo then called me back to give me feedback on the claim. The total cost to fix is R9 000, excess is R3000(I am fine with this amount), however he then proceeded to tell me that because there is no third party I would have to pay an additional R4 000. bring the total to R7 000 which is virtually 80% of the cost. I explained to him that it makes sense to still claim from the insurance since when I need them I need to pay 80% so then what do they insure or why do I need them. The situation is them same as one driving around a farm and hitting an animal or a bridge falling on your car or any other situation which you don't have a third party and the insurance experts you to pay 80% of the total cost as excess. I am extremely disappointed in all of this since they are underwritten by old mutual of which you expect better service than this. This is my first claim with them and this is the level of service I get from them. I suspect the agents who deal on these cases improve their KPI's by rejecting as many claims as possible while every month expecting those same claimants to pay fully their premiums to the insurer. For a big corporation such as Old Mutual to expect their clients to pay 80% of their claim is frankly completely unacceptable to me.
105 replies
83 months ago
Camaf, A medical aid a scheme operating like a mafia or drugs gang
Good Day I stay in Alexandra Township(this will be made relevant later) and have just started my academic articles after resigning from my job and hence took a significant pay cut. Given the nature of being an article clerk this was expected and therefore a conscious decision to start my career instead of just having a job. I was advised I needed to have medical aid as part of the conditions of working as a clerk, this is understandable however was given a short time frame to sign up with one and submit proof of it. The firm itself is aligned with Camaf and as such it made sense(given the time frame and never having had medical aid to sign up with Camaf) We enquired about what exactly Camaf offers as we do not understand the brochure as it is riddled with jargon. We were advised Camaf does not have a consultant and the firm would have to get an independent consultant which is expensive. Thus we signed up not knowing what is offered because of the time frame given and the alliance the firm already has with Camaf. Upon Doing my research and going through my personal budget which is it was, was heavily stretched in fact leaving beyond my means, I realised I cannot afford Camaf but more importantly what they offered is what I do not want from a wholistic product point of view. Within 7/8 days of signing up I contact Camaf and requested to leave their medical aid-This was in February already. I was told I cannot leave the medical aid until I finished my articles which is only in 3 years time. I advised the lady that I only signed up 8 days ago and have not even taken delivery of any documentation or used the medical aid. but she stated that Camaf will not release me from the scheme until my articles are done. I advised her this was not communicated to me that should I sign up I cannot leave. This is when I realised that the medical aid operates like the mafia or a gang where once you have signed up you cannot leave irrespective of whether of not you are satisfied with the offering or not. As is now I have to borrow money from Amashonisa(loan sharks with high interest rates) simply to get by the month, only to make another loan at month end to pay off that loan and take up another one, as mentioned I cannot afford the medical aid and given the location I stay in and the history of this country, there are quite a few people who depend on my salary, but the Camaf medical aid which I attempted to cancel 8 days after I took it up is feeding on the disposable income akin to a predator taking advantage of prey which is powerless to act as one signed on a doted line. This is supposed to be an excited time in my career filled with learning gaining experience, it has now been reduced to a month to month of struggling to make ends meet and borrow money on a month to month basis to cover expenses. I am off the opinion that if someone wants a service of product never mind affording it, will pay all kinds of amounts as they get value from the product, which explains why people can buy Bentley's or Rolls Royce's despite their amounts, because the derive a value which can be justified. When one does not want a service or more importantly cannot afford it, they must be released from the service. There was no meeting of the minds in this contract. I did not know what is being offered by the medical aid scheme, I attempted to leave after doing research and ever since have been in a financial and mental prison where it is a constant monthly struggle to come up with the pound of flesh demanded.
495 replies
94 months ago
FNB lack of competence on credit card application and too much red tape
I received an sms last month with an opportunity to apply for a credit card from FNB, to which I responded and got a call back from a helpful agent in applying for one. On this very call I applied for a credit card as well as a cheque card( to this date the cheque card is supposedly still on its way, nearly a month later). The genteleman then stated I would receive a call and notification of my address personal info to deliver the cards. I then received notification to send through m document i.e. ID and proof of residence as I could not register for the app as I needed to take my card to an ATM or branch to resolve this issue having received my card. I decided to go to the Bryanston branch to resolve this in person and to give them my documents. The gentleman there had no clue what the issue is and how to resolve it. He then called the call centre and they had no clue on how to resolve the issue. they then advised me the card was now active and I could be on my way. I offered the gentleman the copy of the proof of residence and my ID book to which he responded "we no longer need them" so I left and checked the card at the atm and it worked. I attempted to register the card on the app and the same issue persisted, I called the call centre and they advised me they still needed the documents, I sent them on the 26th of June and they struggled to upload the id copy for whatever reason. I resent the document on the 7th of July to the kyc email address and still I received notification of the documents outstanding. I then received an sms again last week but this time stating the account would be blocked if I did not send through the document. so on the 11th of July yet again I sent through the documents to FNB. The account was blocked 2days later. I attempted to contact he call centre during the weekend and they only operate during the week. I contacted them yesterday on Monday the 16th of July. the call began at 08h10 and ended at 08h38 and nothing was resolved. to begin with I was transferred at least 4 times and each time to the incorrect department and having to wait in the queue again in the incorrect department. I eventually spoke to a gentleman by the name of Senzo who advised me they had received the documents but wasn't sure why the account was still blocked. he would then speak to his team leader Thamina Linghau about the issue as she was in a meeting. he then assured me this would be resolved yesterday. I checked my status this morning and nothing has been resolved. I contacted the call centre again this morning the 17th of July. call started at 09h06 and ended at 09h40 again being transferred from one department to another at some point to the business section and not person accounts. eventually I reached the correct department and requested to speak again to Senzo and or his team leader Thamina who apparently couldn't be bothered by my dilemma, and yet again the account is still blocked and they have all the documentation. as a young honours student about to start my auditing articles, my question is why would I want to move to a bank who cant get an application process correct never mind big transactions as would inevitably come down the line, and why would I then sing its praises and advise my fellow future chartered accounts of this bank given the hassles of getting a account of the ground, going to a very high net worth branch like Bryanston and the consultant having no clue how to resolve the issue and contributing directly to the problem I now find myself in given this is supposed to be the most innovative bank out of the 4 then what does that say about our service in banking? the cheque card has still not arrived and they opted to pedal the credit card to encourage debt and charge finance charges which I understand is their business model, but why hasn't the cheque card arrived? why is the account still blocked to this day for no reason? why is the staff incompetent and don't know their own departments> why does the staff in a very high net worth area have no clue on how to resolve an issue?
53 replies
106 months ago
Inability to register account for over 4 months
<p>we had a wellness day at the company i work for on the 7th of April to which both Planet Fitness and Virgin Active came offering specials on joing the respective fitness centers. A gentel by the name of Khumo "handled" the registrations and he required fee of R100 for the tag to which i paid cash and i requested i be registered at Melrose as its closer to my house. i then wwen to gym and i was advise my accounts registration was incomplete and that i needed to pay an amount of R100 for the tag to complete the registration, to which i advised them it had already been paid when i signed up. i was referred to Rivonia to sort out the tag and to port my account for Rivonia to Melrose since it was registered under that gym. i was then still told i had to pay the R100 or i could gym as no payment reflected. i then found out a gentleman by the name of Khumo (who handled the registration) had stolen all of the money that waspaid in cash on that day of registration. i was then refered to one of the managers called Freddie ( from Rivonia) who assured me he would hanlde the query-this was in April, he assured mehe would sought this out. everytime i went to the gym i was asked to stand to the side whilst they searched for my name since i didnt have an account. i then ran into Freddie again at the Melrose gym whi standing to the side waiting for the them to find my name and my explaining the whole situation again the employees at the gate, this was in May on a friday. Freddie again assured me he would sort this and he would call me back by monday with the details-he didnt. I then opted to speak to the manager a Mr Cristo Ressouw whos higher than Freddie at the Rivonia gym, to which again Freddie was called to address the present issue to which he replied he would "look" into at and get back to me within a weeks time. the date of this review is the 31st of August and the account is still not registered over R100 which i paid and their employee stole to which im again required to pay another R100. i called the call centre for assistance to which they responded by telling me the account had been cancelled due to the R100 not being paid and now i had to pay R599 per month and the Alex Forbes special was null and void. i attempted to contact Freddie again to which i spoke to a gentleman by the name of Ken Mbambo requesting to speak to Freddie, he assured me that Freddie would get back to me within a day-to which he didnt. i attemted to speak to My Russouw i was advised he was in the office when i requested to speak him, the phone went to voice mail. i called again to speak to him and i was then told by Henry Shenkere that he was not available in fact "he had left the gym at 12h00 am". IT HAS BEEN OVER 4 MONTHS TO WHICH I HAVE BEEN STRUGGLING WITH THIS ISSUE AND ALL OVER R100 FOR THE TAG TO WHICH I HAD PAID. the incompentence of Freddie from Rivonia who either has no regard for his clients or simply does not care enough to at worst have the respect to call them back as per his promises. This is shamefull client service and not expected from a corporation that should be at the top in terms of its sevice especially given they are fighting for market share with Virgin Active and other fitness centres.</p>
0 replies
Review Distribution
5 Star
1 (11.11111111111111%)
4 Star
0 (0%)
3 Star
0 (0%)
2 Star
1 (11.11111111111111%)
1 Star
7 (77.77777777777777%)