I have never been confronted with so much stress and bank mishap as this before. Worse still, it remains a lingering issue that is yet to be solved despite my endless calls to their HQ in Lagos.

It all started on Monday when I noticed I could not withdraw from my First Bank account. Initially, I had assumed it was a network issue and never bothered to make a big deal out of it. The stunner came when I found out I could not make online transactions with the same account and card.

Now to fully understand my plight, one has to know why I am so agitated as I am now: a couple of months ago, I was 'picked' on my way to the office and I lost my wallet, which had four (3) ATM cards (Stanbic, GTB and a UBA card), my voter's card, my company ID Card, some money and some other cards (gift cards, mostly). Fortunately, my First Bank account was being used by a friend at the time and he had my card with him which happened to be my saving grace and the only card which remained after asking the banks to block my cards. I didn't feel the need to replace the cards, so I would normally transfer cash to my First Bank account from the other three and then withdraw using my FB card.

Tuesday (The beginning of my horror)
***Fast forward to Tuesday, I visited the FB branch in New Haven, Enugu to make a formal complaint about my account/card, only to be greeted with the news that my account has been frozen! I initially thought it was EFCC related, only to be informed that BVN details do not match my bank records. I protested because I have personally checked up my BVN details in line with my four accounts sometimes back and none was different. The lady asked for my first name which I supplied, the same with my last and middle name. Upon staring at her screen a while, she called a colleague who asked the same and stared back at the screen in confusion. Eventually, he made the same declaration: 'there is a mismatch'. 'But where exactly is the mismatch?', I asked. Surprisingly, he could not point out the mismatch but asked I pick up an 'account information update' form, which I filled and returned to him. Minutes later, he claimed my account would be active in thirty minutes time as he has asked that the account be unblocked.

I tried using the account after about an hour and the story stayed same; I could neither transfer funds nor withdraw. I waited till about 4pm to try again, same thing. I called one of their HQ lines '019052000' and my call was transferred to an agent who placed my on hold for over five minutes to check my BVN details as well as my Bank account details. Minutes later, she came back on and apologized that she could see that a mail had been sent, requesting that my account be unblocked and assured that she would do a follow-up which would see that my account would be active the following day, being Wednesday.

Wednesday (Hope renewed?)
Wednesday turned out to be the same as my account remained frozen. I patiently got to the office and placed a call through to FBN's HQ, in Marina, and was paired with another agent who collected my details all over again and placed me on another brand of hold, came back on later and apologized, assuring me that the issue would be resolved before the day runs out. By 5pm, I had not seen anything positive and I called again to follow-up, only to be promised the same old story of 'it should be active latest tomorrow'. Just like others before, she also sent a mail

Thursday (Tired already)

I placed a call through on Thursday morning again and the lady at the other end who transfers the calls had already known me by now and she didn't hide her shock at the fact that I am still calling over the same issue. The agent whom I spoke to this time claimed she could see mail trails and several follow-up mails concerning my account. She claimed the guys who would unfreeze my account have not done so, probably because they have not touched the mails. The lady I called before COB, at about 4pm tried to pacify me but being pacified was not what I needed. Who freezes a customer's account for days after an update has been turned in if not First Bank

Friday
Already, I have lost every hope of having my account activated today because I called again and the lady I spoke with this time came out clean and explained that my details were correct from the outset. She wondered why I would be asked to fill a form and apologize saying the error was actually from them and not mine. Sadly, I was mad at the incompetence and show of shame of First Bank over their prompt issue resolutions and the lady. This same bank held me at ransom sometimes last year when I was debited for an unsuccessful transaction. It took them two solid weeks to refund my account after series of complaint.

It is weekend already and I'm not sure I've been short on cash like I am now. Sadly, I transferred from other accounts into my FBN account before the rude shock. I can neither transfer nor access my account because of First Bank's ineptitude.

cc

Mynd44

The other time it was diamond bank and now first bank again

MhizzAJ:
The other time it was diamond bank and now first bank again

Your account was frozen in the same manner?

Sanchez01:
Your account was frozen in the same manner?

what about your gtb, no cash inside?

Efewestern:


what about your gtb, no cash inside?

That was my regret, actually. My GTB was actually where I transferred from. Sadly, all funds were transferred at the same time since the account belong and subsequent transfers attract charges.

Sanchez01:

That was my regret, actually. My GTB was actually where I transferred from. Sadly, all funds were transferred at the same time since the account belong and subsequent transfers attract charges.

lol.. hope you ain't expecting any cheek this weekend, if yes, then wait till on Monday.

you will survive.

Efewestern:


lol.. hope you ain't expecting any cheek this weekend, if yes, then wait till on Monday.

you will survive.

My culinary skill would be affected without a doubt.

Pele dear

First Bank? I tried opening account with them this week. But the signs I saw made me feel uncomfortable. I had to find my way to another bank.

ammyluv2002:
Pele dear

Thank you, Dear. I couldn't even sleep like I should because I kept trying their mobile app to see if the error has been fixed but nothing still.

U1:
First Bank? I tried opening account with them this week. But the signs I saw made me feel uncomfortable. I had to find my way to another bank.

Banking with First Bank is an error lying in wait. It is only a matter of when.

I am so closing the account the moment they think they have enough luxury to fix the error they made. I am not built for wahala of this manner.

Mynd44, please, it's five straight days of undiluted frustration. Kindly help get this out, perhaps a staff who should fix it would see on front page since they don't check their mails.

Below is a screenshot of my app greets me with when I try to initiate a transfer. Everything goes blank and nothing comes up no matter how hard one tries.

To think I know the bvn on my account is fake and it has been like that since 2015 with heavy fund in it, I just dey pity myself.

Once I get back to Naija, I'm fixing this shit...

Update: So I called the bank just now and the same narrative was tabled all over again; 'those who are supposed to work on the account are yet to do so'.

It is already five working days since this request was tabled before the bank and even though they claim it was frozen in 'error', they still have not been able to proffer a solution.

Lalasticlala
Mynd44

Isn't this worth bothering about since we have bank agents on here?

rottenPussy:
To think I know the bvn on my account is fake and it has been like that since 2015 with heavy fund in it, I just dey pity myself.

Once I get back to Naija, I'm fixing this shit...

If it is FBN, your account might have been under lock and key and possibly thrown into an abyss.

Sanchez01:
Update: So I called the bank just now and the same narrative was tabled all over again; 'those who are supposed to work on the account are yet to do so'.

It is already five working days since this request was tabled before the bank and even though they claim it was frozen in 'error', they still have not been able to proffer a solution.

Lalasticlala
Mynd44

Isn't this worth bothering about since we have bank agents on here?

First Bank has bribed the mods. This ought to have made FP.

Sanchez01:

If it is FBN, your account might have been under lock and key and possibly thrown into an abyss.

dont give me tension, Biko