CO Reviews 37

I have submitted my FICA documents 4 times via emails and on the ABSA app. Last submit was on the 22nd of May 2026 - best is app states ''this can take up to 7 days''. to this day nothing has been done - my account is now blocked as my account does not comply with FICA. Went in to the ABSA Northmead branch and branch is beyond useless at assisting. FICA does not work on a weekend so now i need to wait until Monday to hopefully get this sorted. bunch of useless people working at ABSA and i was not aware that now in 2026 we need to handhold to get stuff done with ABSA. as soon as my account is up and running i will be moving banks as ive had enough now. from JAN 2026 to JUNE 2026 - 8 requests later and no feedback - you guys are dropping the ball and have no sense of urgency or customer care. Useless does not even cover it and if i could score this lower i would! Would not recommend ABSA as clearly they dont care or do their jobs - quick to debit an account for banking fees etc but when you need them - sorry maybe try again in 2027

I spend an hour trying to reach absa agents over the phone,all you keep doing is to make me speak to your Ai robots and no, option available to speak to a consultant or agent.i spent almost an hour trying to get hold of absa through direct calls and even called absa fraud line to atleast put me through,and even they gave me a number to call,which again further took me to those AI option.This is all to try and stop a transaction,transfer from my check card to my credit card but went to absa vehicle. such a horrible service for a bank as big as absa im very disappointed.How can you keep peoples money and not be available to fix situations when people lose ther money with you?.so disappointed at absa I could through fists.such horrible horrible idea in your heads to think AI can solve all your clients problem.*** who the hell set in a board room and came up with that nonsense?in your right full mind ,how did you come up with that?
worse you dont offer statements for the transactions done same day and your reversal department needs bank statements yo assist,like Absa what the he'll..

My heart sank to my stomach. I met someone on Twitter/X who promised to teach me smart contract staking. The scammer even sent me 5.19 ADA with which I registered and deposited into this website, showed me how to trade, and I made some profit and even withdrew 13.81 ADA. The scammer then advised that I invest more so I can get greater rewards. So I took out my life savings for $664,287 and deposited it, followed all the instructions and was able to take my balance to $3,116,387. I was so excited, so I decided to withdraw $2,700,600, but was told the amount is too large, I would need to pay a 18% gas fee deposit ($486,108). I quickly took another loan and paid it since I was sure withdrawal was possible because I had withdrawn in the past. Then they demanded another 20% risk control deposit, which was when it dawned on me that it was a con. I explained to my credit provider, and he referred me to a cyber tracing company (Fiscop Advisor Inc.), who started tracing the movements of the ADA until it was sold on KuCoin. The scammers' bank info was obtained, and he was caught, and the ADA reversed.

Hidden charges that even the employees can't explain or say were the money is going and it's a constant thing as I believe it may be part of their Hidden charges especially on a student debit card.

ABSA is the worst bank ever they are bloody criminals you must never do business with them they have hidden interest and their never transparent on anything I’m planning to sue the hell out of them bloody nonsense bank

Absa is a scam, just because you have some agreement with them it gives them a right to do as they please on my bank account
They took an amount of R20300 on my bank account without talking to me, please refund that amount its not even my money

Worst bank i have seen so far. Incompetent staff, worst customer service! Staff dont know how to do mobile banking! Its a shame, make me wait 2 hours and could not help me.. Avoid this bank guys, there are better around the corner.

Again, ABSA banking app has "technical problem "

Pathetic online services and non-existent in-branch facilities

Why don't you just close shop?

ABSA travel the worst travel booking company. I gave them a 1 as there is no zero! Take your money immediately and then when the flight is cancelled by them want to take 12 weeks to refund you? How does this work, been refunded by airline but hang onto your money for 12 weeks. Hide behind travel start which is more useless than ABSA, avoid at ALL costs

the customer services dial in simply does not work, doesn't recognise cell phone key strokes, so completely useless - had to go into branch....

Ford Credit and their partner ABSA (FC/ABSA) should be avoided as far as possible if you are in the market for vehicle finance. Especially if you plan on settling the account and keeping the vehicle.

After 6 long years (72 months) of paying the installments diligently every single month, without missing a deadline, over R70k in interest and proudly settling the account at full term. I requested the natis certificate or vehicle title deed.

If you want your natis certificate from FC/ABSA, you will have to work a little harder and pay extra to get it. Upon my request I received 3 options, collect from my nearest ABSA branch or their office in Auckland Park - at my expense and time wasted. OR I can have it couriered to my address at a further cost of R170.

Can you imagine after paying several 10s of 1000s of R in interest they will expect you to pay even more and take a day of leave to go an sort your vehicle ownership out yourself at a licensing office, you are not their problem any more your account is settled.

We have settled vehicle finance loans in the past with MFC and the post settlement service was great. MFC/Nedbank promptly transferred ownership and sent all relevant documents via courier to our address all for free.

But upon settling with FC/ABSA it becomes clear they have extracted every R & cent possible from you and you are now worthless to them thus no further effort will be going into any request you may have.

Corporates love their hashtags and slogans UX, customer is key, all empty words. ABSA says “Your story matters”, well you read mine and I hope it can help you make an informed decision when you find yourself looking for vehicle finance. It’s not always the financing itself, but the post settlement treatment you receive counts as well.

Last year November 2025 I reported a fraud situation to ABSA they never kept to their time frame of replying, you cannot get to speak to the investigating person you leave messages send many emails call regularly but no reply. I’ve been with ABSA for around 25yrs, treating me like they have for a fraud case over 500k is not acceptable I have lodged my complaint with the Ombudsman but who knows how far I may get. Worst bank service I’ve ever experienced suggest other customers carefully consider where they bank. The South African Police service informed me that the syndicate runs Deep and that bank employees are releasing your information to the fraudsters. Hence the fraudster knowing all my information and transactions. Wondering how many other customers have experienced the same experience.

Wait on phone to make an appointment with a consultant at Westville branch
I made 2 calls and waited forever Kept me on hold until i lost patience
Complained to appropriate channels NO RESPONSE

I am extremely disappointed with ABSA Bank’s handling of my request logged on 02 March 2026.
I requested a service that ABSA promised would be completed within 2 business days, meaning it should have been resolved by 04 March 2026. It has now been one week, and my request remains unresolved.
Shockingly, ABSA is now refusing to assist me, claiming my complaint is “older than 40 days.” This is factually incorrect—my initial request was submitted within the 40-day window. The delay is entirely due to ABSA’s own slow response.
This is non-compliance and poor customer service. I am not willing to accept being penalized for a delay caused by ABSA itself. I expect this matter to be resolved immediately and for ABSA to provide a formal explanation for this mismanagement.
I am also escalating this complaint publicly because their internal systems and service standards are failing, and this is a serious breach of trust.
Requested Action:
Immediate resolution of my request
Written explanation of why ABSA failed to meet its promised service timeline
Assurance that internal processes will be corrected to prevent this from happening to other customers

Worst banking institute out there. I went to our branch. ONE Teller working, servings suburb of 8. An elderly Gentleman couldn't understand, so he was taken to the ATM because, have you ever, you had to deposit at the ATM not inside the bank. So sitting ducks. Tyoday I get a message to say my card is ready, I went in 4 times. One teller working, the other doing a fabulous job of shoving papers. I spent R200 airtime trying to get hold of a consultant, anyone wanting to know the products they offer I can tell you instead of waisting your time. You get through to a consultant when the recording actually says "personal loans" please hold while I try, notice try, transfer your money you to another consultant. Get through to that consultant, let me transfer you. Bottom line ABSA doesn't have qualified consultants who are educated on their products. I called Standard Bank, it was like speaking to an angel. Listened carefully to my story, made notes and they will be phoning me tomorrow. I wss with what was then Allied, now ABSA. I have been loyal for 32 years. Time is as good as a holiday. I'm counting on STD after I spoke to the very educated consultant today. I strongly recommend you do homework. I am fluent in profanity but ABSA are not worth it

I am beyond frustrated with the service I’ve received from Absa Group.

My banking access is currently blocked because the ABSA app is not available in the country I’m in. I called support and clearly explained multiple times that I am not in South Africa and the app does not exist in my local App Store. Despite repeating this over and over, the consultant simply did not listen to that key detail.

After wasting a significant amount of time explaining the exact same situation, we finally agreed that I could verify via email instead of the app. Then I was told that, as a private banking client, they couldn’t assist me and that I needed to speak to my private banker. Fine — I accepted that and moved on.

I contacted my banker and once again had to repeat the entire scenario multiple times. Her response? “Sorry, I can’t help you. Internet banking needs to assist.” When I explained that internet banking had already directed me to her, there was no solution offered.

It has now been over 20 days and I still cannot access my own funds.

This level of service is absolutely unacceptable. No coordination, no accountability, and no urgency — just endless back-and-forth while I remain locked out of my account. Extremely disappointing.

Awaiting a refund from Temu. Temu already requested and approved refund. I paid via Apple Pay. A week later and numerous emails, still now refund nor any response from Absa

I've really been shocked with ABSA's service of late. I wrote to my private banker last week to inform him of my alarm about interest rates hikes set to start in January. He said he would call on Monday to discuss which he failed to do. This has been the final straw.

Even though it is the busiest time of the year, based on ABSA upping credit card rates, the bank's ridiculous fees and underwhelming customer service, especially for a private client of over 2 decades, I opened accounts with Capitec on 22/12 and what a joyous experience - staff are professional and kind (imagine being treated as a VALUED customer - it's a shocking to the system after the way I was treated at ABSA). Even the 'ordinary' monthly interest rate on the credit card is lower than what I am being charged by ABSA. I cannot wait to finally being done with corporate exploitation and lack of care.

The most recent email 'campaign' yet another example of the ridiculous excuse of a banking intuition. A massive monthly price increase of 50%, and they do not even include the link in the emailer but instead make client go search for it on their website AND the instructions are not even factually correct. PLUS the pricing document for the new year is listed as 2025. What competence

I CANNOT tell how happy I am that their flagrant ineptitude and wildly overpriced services have pushed me to leave in favour of Capitec. I am going to do a happy dance the day I have closed all my Absa accounts. They are a positively abyssal company

Absa is the worse bank in south Africa for trustworthiness. My mother in law has been banking with them for over 60 years. 3 weeks ago suddenly money is being taken out her account for online purcheses like she in, Uber, Netflix etc. Not once did she receive a notification to authorize the transactions. As soon as she saw this she contacted me and I tried to contact the fraud department of absa. I tried 3 times m, holding on for about 30 min and then eventually when it rings the call is cut off. I immediately set all my mother in laws limits to zero and told het'r to use her other bank card from another bank if she need s something until we can go to the bank and sort it out. We'll 3 days later the same thing happened again. Went into the bank and asked them what is going on and they called the fraud line. Spoke to the lady on the other side and asked her how it is possible that my mother in law did not get a request for authorisation and how it is possible that anything can go off if the limits are set to zero. All she could say it must go for investigation and it will take 15 to 20 working days. We'll those transactions went through although it was reported within 30 min of it happening, no stop or reversal was done???. Yesterday my mother in law phoned again the same think is happening but at lest this time absa send her a request to authorize or stop. My question is this. Why if the card is stopped and the limits is zero that thus crap can still go on. Thus bring me to a conclusion that the problem is internal and the scams are internal. The same thing happened to another lady at the old age home and she lost everything and absa did not refund 1 cent. The problem with banks are they tell you your money is safe with them and then they do not take responsibility when thus type of thing happens. I suggest to people out there that bank with absa to rather get another banking institute like nedbank and know your money is safe plus you are not overcharged in banking fees like absa

Quite literally the worst bank in the world. In 10 years they:
Have overcharged
Never answer the phone - ever
Never answer emails on time, it takes days
They are illiterate when they reply
Never answer the question
Ignorant of basic banking practises
Arrogant
Never give a name to reply to
Bounce you around different departments, all with strange acronyms, until you give up
Don't understand any legislation
work from home and have screaming kids in the background

Unless you want to be driven insane by incompentence, avoid this bank like the plague.