I got a mail yesterday morning 1st of September 2010 on my black berry that my account has been debited with the sum of one thousand naira only (N1,000) for an ATM card that I did not request for.
I went to my branch around 11am yesterday (Allen Avenue) to lay my complaints and I was told that it is automatic and nothing can be done about it (according to the CSO) so I proceeded to try and collect the card since I have been debited only to learn that my card was in Ikoyi branch (but my opening branch is allen avenue) after about 1 hour of waiting. At this point I was angry and demanded a refund of my 1,000 which some senior staff promised that the transaction will be reversed(since it was further revealed that the ATM card was not even ready). This was around mid day yesterday and till now nothing has been done. This is so unfair.(I sent this mail to GTB complaint desk on Thursday 2nd of September 2010)

After all my complaints on tuesday 7th of September 2010 GTB responded that my ATM is ready for pick up at allen branch and I asked them who debit my acct with 1000naira and they claim that the Naira Mastercard is mandatory and so they went ahead to debit my account without my consent. They also sent me this mail to corroborate theie claims
"A notification was sent out to all our esteemed customers with regards to this new product, based on the Bank's migration of all cards from the Magnetic Stripe to  more secure and efficient Chip Based cards, the MasterCard Naira, an internationally accepted card.  This means that the CashPlus card has cease to function whether expired or not. We apologize if you did not receive this notification.The migration was not a decision solely taken by the Bank, but a directive given by the Central Bank of Nigeria, a mandate to all Banks with a fixed cut-off period for issue.The Mastercard Naira is issued at a cost of N1000.00.
 Kind regards
Mathew Lemboye
Guaranty Trust Bank - Complaints desk"

In other words GTB we the customers do not have the right to say whether or not we need a naira Mastercard or not. I am also asking people on nairaland is GTB claims on CBN true?

Will cbn say all account holders have a naira master card whether we want it or not. Don't we have the right to say I no want? Left to me I think we are all taken for a ride in Naija. GTB has become a very proud bank.

I got an sms from the same GTBank about two months ago stating that my 'chip and pin' Mastercard was ready for collection. Some days later I got two different sms notifying me that $20 and $30 have been removed from my account for maintenance of the said 'chip and pin' mastercard. I went to my branch only to be told that $20 was for the card while $30 was an annual fee. I was unhappy because I only got my magnetic stripe dollar mastercard November last year.

My questions for GTBank.

Why should customers be forced to pay for the bank's technology upgrade?
Why did they issue the magnetic stripe card when they knew it would no longer be valid eight months later?
Why would anyone deduct money from my account without my consent?
Must an account holder own an ATM card?
Why do I get the feeling that their customer service personnel know little or nothing about 'customer service' other than how to say 'welcome' and smile?

Well, I swept my Gtb account clean before this Mastercard thing came up, so I got no debit notification. I guess they are waiting for me to put small money in the account so they can grab it.

the only thing i know the CBN is requiring banks to do is switch to "chip and pin". That it must be mastercard and they charge you for it, I do not think that came from CBN.

@ poster, the claim is Authentic but proper information was not passed.

I tire o! Warning signals are here. Looking at all means to make money. Stupid and proud bank

but come to think of it, this is a dubious act, 1000 each per e.g 10million subscribers   this is a crime

madejibo:

I tire o! Warning signals are here. Looking at all means to make money. silly and proud bank

THEY ARE NOT SILLY BRO.

I'm not sure any Matthew Lemboye works with the bank and there is no such thing as Complaints Desk at GTBank.

I'm not saying you didn't get that mail but I can almost be certain it didnt originate from GTBank.

GTBank is a customer centric bank and would not force its customers to use ATM cards. However, the cards are safe and convenient.

@dappssee
Send me ur email and I ll forward the mail the complaints desk sent to me that email address is on their website I ll not forge an email now

@dappssee
No body is saying that the cards are not safe who gave them the audacity to debit my acct without my consent. Don't I have a choice that I don't want to use it?

The banks have been acting funny for a while now and blaming it falsely on CBN. GTB should be bold enough to tell the truth. $50 is not small money neither is N1000.

@Otokx
Thank you o

For fresh accounts opened, the cards are issued free. N1,000 is only charged for replacements due to damage or expiry of the card.

The card maintenance fee is charged on those who have activated their cards and use them.

Its a standard practise because internationally accepted cards have maintenance costs attached to them

@madejibo: Let me have your e-mail address

Had the same problem with oceanic bank (N500). says its for magnetic+chiop card without my consent, I feel you bro, the thing pain me no be small.

dappssee:

For fresh accounts opened, the cards are issued free. N1,000 is only charged for replacements due to damage or expiry of the card.

The card maintenance fee is charged on those who have activated their cards and use them.

Its a standard practise because internationally accepted cards have maintenance costs attached to them

@madejibo: Let me have your e-mail address

Who told you that it is internationally accepted practise that cards have maintenance costs, abeg bone that thing o, it is a lie. GTBank even went further in my case by deducting 2K from my account and after writing letters, the excess 1K has not been paid back. They are forcing people to take the ATM Card, this is unethical, they are meant to make taking the card attractive to people, not punishing them for taking the cards.

@dapsee
Because it is an internationally accepted practice means I shld not be aware of the debit in my account. Oga we self get foriegn accts now they won't only send u emails or sms dey ll call u or send letter to you and make sure u agree to it even sign documents b4 money is deducted. Oga what happens if I don't want the card and they go ahead and produce it without my consent? My email is madejibo@yahoo.com

Am sure dapsee is an eployee of GTB

Pls someone should really address and make this clear. As a bank customer, don't I have a right to indicate that no credit card should be attached to my account.

Giving the prowess of Nigerians in managing technologically advanced gadgets and systems, I do not have the confidence of leaving my money in the hands of fellow Nigerians with a possible open gate secured by a card they cannot manage. There should be the option of accounts without ATM cards. Yes! Do not laugh at me, with the glaring cases of ATM fraud I want the old traditional cheque book operated account.

My experience with Intercontinental Bank is that they even insisted that they must link all the several accounts I had with them on a single ATM card. So in the case of theft, the scammer can acess every single kobo in all the accounts. I had to make the accounts dormant to save my self!

KenGali:

Pls someone should really address and make this clear. As a bank customer, don't I have a right to indicate that no credit card should be attached to my account.

Giving the prowess of Nigerians in managing technologically advanced gadgets and systems, I do not have the confidence of leaving my money in the hands of fellow Nigerians with a possible open gate secured by a card they cannot manage. There should be the option of accounts without ATM cards. Yes! Do not laugh at me, with the glaring cases of ATM fraud I want the old traditional cheque book operated account.

My experience with Intercontinental Bank is that they even insisted that they must link all the several accounts I had with them on a single ATM card. So in the case of theft, the scammer can acess every single kobo in all the accounts. I had to make the accounts dormant to save my self!

Sure you have a right not to use an ATM card and you can link or de-link any account(s).

@Hercules: Banks around the world charge maintenance fees on cards as these cards are not localized and can be used on several other channels. Why do you think your bank will charge you when you use other banks' ATMs for your transaction? There are costs attached to these transactions. There are however certain banks that don't charge maintenance fees on some specialized accounts, based on certain other criteria like your minimum balance which must be high enough and be maintained at that level.

In terms of I.T(upgrade), staff training, bank product/service, bank network and loan service; GTbank as a bank, is one of the best in nigeria today -no doubt.

My views:
a customer who HAD NEVER subscribed for the ATM card service should not have had his/her a/c debited for such.

Naira Master card shldn't be mandatory to all; bt it's an automatic provision for customers who were using the 'old' card.

Moreso, I'm yet to point out something 'Master' about the Naira Mastercard since it can't be used to pay for good/service online -contrary to their claim.

GTbank shld correct those flaws.

@ xreal
Even if u have the old magnetic atm and it is expired it shld not be automatic u shld have the new one. It should be the customers choice not the banks choice. I hv a right to discontinue using an atm. Not that your bank or GTB should just debit my acct to reissue me another one. I should request for a new one at my own convinience the only job of the bank is to educate you of the benefits of the new one not debiting my acct at will. I swear they take us for a ride in naija. I ll make sure this will not be the end of the case.

madejibo:

@ xreal
Even if u have the old magnetic atm and it is expired it shld not be automatic u shld have the new one. It should be the customers choice not the banks choice. I hv a right to discontinue using an atm. Not that your bank or GTB should just debit my acct to reissue me another one. I should request for a new one at my own convinience the only job of the bank is to educate you of the benefits of the new one not debiting my acct at will. I swear they take us for a ride in naija. I ll make sure this will not be the end of the case.

You've still not responded to my mail

@dapssee
I have responded to your mail 2ce
An Olayemi from Allen branch just called me she is telling me to come and pick my card at allen branch and when I told her is not about picking up the card that its the way and manner they debited my acct that is my problem she quickly cut me short telling me that's really not her biz and that she ll tell superiors that she has called me. I think I ll have a good case at the end of the day.

I just sent another mail and included my BB pin so we can talk

@ dapsee not seen it but I ll send u my pin

When institutions (banks, govt, phone coy, etc) cheats u, its because u allow them to. they can, but you can get them to pay back big time, trust me

madejibo:

@ xreal
Even if u have the old magnetic atm and it is expired it shld not be automatic u shld have the new one. It should be the customers choice not the banks choice. I hv a right to discontinue using an atm. Not that your bank or GTB should just debit my acct to reissue me another one. I should request for a new one at my own convinience the only job of the bank is to educate you of the benefits of the new one not debiting my acct at will. I swear they take us for a ride in naija. I ll make sure this will not be the end of the case.

NO!
And what about 'continuity' in services. It's your money, your ATM card, hence your access to your money we are talking about here.
There should be continuity in your use of your ATM card - in respect of your INITIAL card-request. Therefore, another card of yours, which will serve the same purpose should be readily inplace before expiry date, and handed over to you at/post-expiry. I see no need for any permission for this.
However, the customer should give consent to the deduction of money. I guess the cost of production of the new card attracted the 1,000.
It's a different issue when you decide to unsubscribe to the ATM service - you apply for that, I mean a formal request.

@dapssee,

At what time of the year is the maintenance fee charged?

Why did GTBank issue me with the magnetic stripe dollar mastercard in November 2009 when they knew they had plans of switching to the 'chip and pin' card less than a year later?
The expiring date on my old card is sometime in 2012 or 2013 so any change in technology midway should be optional OR the cost should be borne by the party making the change.

Again, the cost of a card should not be deducted from any account until the customer has the card in his/her possession.

@xreal
When I was filling the form there was no place I agreed that debit my acct with 1k on the expiration of my atm no where! An atm takes 2 years to expire anything could have occured within 2 years like I could have been defrauded thru an atm and because of d fraud have a change of attitude towards an atm, in things like dis a customer needs to give an express approval before re issue if it is done otherwise then it shows the bank does not care abt the customer and in the case of debiting the customer it is a case of fraud if the customers consent is not carried along

madejibo:

@xreal
When I was filling the form there was no place I agreed that debit my acct with 1k on the expiration of my atm no where! An atm takes 2 years to expire anything could have occured within 2 years like I could have been defrauded thru an atm and because of d fraud have a change of attitude towards an atm, in things like dis a customer needs to give an express approval before re issue if it is done otherwise then it shows the bank does not care abt the customer and in the case of debiting the customer it is a case of fraud if the customers consent is not carried along

, --- in things like dis a customer needs to inform the bank and probably deactivate the card (in a case of theft or otherwise) and disconnect any of the card's link with your bank account. Rather than you waiting for the card's day of expiry, when the bank will need to seek your approval for a new card (it's then you tell them NO, because 'I' was defrauded sometimes ago).

Medajibo, what if at expiry, you had no intention terminating the ATM card service, would you prefer going through the paper rigours before having a card replacement??

Of course, customers should be aware and approve of any cost and debit. In a situation when the customer is left in the dark by the bank and the bank acts as proxy for itself - it's FRAUD at its peak.