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*Outrageous pilferage cause massive complaints nationwide
By Sandra Onyekwere, Oluwole Francis
Customers of Guaranty Trust Bank Plc have been protesting the outrageous stealing of their funds under the guise of SMS charges which is high and amounts to uncontrollable height of corporate pilferage.
Several customers of the bank complained on their facebook pages. For instance, a Lagos-based journalist, Adepoju Tobi wrote on his page: “SMS charges by GTB cost me N359. Ok oo. Una well done oo.”
Earlier in the morning, two customers of the bank complained in passing, “they charges me N750.00 for SMS. Except if their SMS has received 100% increment beyond what the telcos charge otherwise that means they sent me almost 1,000 SMS in the month or how do we explain this new style of stealing?”
The friend was complaining of being charged for SMS to the tune of N405.00.
As a customer of the same bank, I went to check and fond out that the bank stole my N825.00 for SMS. Six other customers of the bank we deliberated searched for were variously charged N300, N260, N320, N400, N850 and N550 respectively. This gives an impression that the bank may have decided to steal from all her customers nationwide using the SMS as a fairly negligible media to rake in millions of Naira.
In the corresponding period last month, the bank charged this reporter for the same service N235.00 meaning this is not the first time this style of pilferage has been on. I was charged N175.00 in October.
Olumuyiwa Osuporu responded on facebook, “mine is een better. N220. This is a bank that used to charge less than N100 before. They hae devised new means of getting money abi?”
Ashimolowo Ayorbhame Lukman in his comment wrote: “SMS of life. Sam Oloyede just posted his own. He was charged N480. Enjoy. Their new name means ‘Great Tariff Beckons (GTB).’
Okhueleigba Omodia said, “my own na N260. How much dem dey charge for sms sef?”
In his response, Ayodeji Johnson wrote: “GTB must have taken substance that is working negatively in their system. They send my deduction alert at 2:17am in the middle of the night with an incredible N144 when I only made 5 transactions between December to date.
He added, “anyway, I have sent them email demanding thorough explanation on how much they charge per sms, how many sms they sent to me, and from how many channels/platforms they are sending sms to me. If no answer to my questions, I wil resend the questions again.”
Another customer, Ayodeji Okunuga wrote: “your own small sef…mine was N490. I vex”
Ayodele J. Muyiwa wrote: “na so oooo, dem comot N380 for sms charges o, I don tire.”
To show that the practice is nationwide, HRM Adeniyi Adebayo wrote: “GTB still better pass First Bank o. my wife gets alert from both but she feels comfortable with GTB charges. But me I no dey get sms alerts. If I open new account and dem no follow my instructions not to send me sms alerts, I enter the bank the following week to fill form to stop sms alerts and subscribe to email alerts only.
Even First Bank vex, after I filled form to stop sms alerts, dem do email alerts for like a month and dem stop am. Me too vex, I unsubscribe from their bulletines and other email messages from them, I stop using their account. I nly reserve it for people wey wan give me money and dem insist on my First Bank account. Why I no close the First Bank account be say na my NYSC account during the youth service.”
Owosports Alesh wrote his experience, “it was so annoying when I received the message yesterday…I was charged over N1,000…nah me send them message make them dey send me alert?”
Soli Adeyemo was charged N900 for the period 26th Nov 2016 to 30 December 2016.
Abe Thompson Olaosebikan: All banks in Nigeria are the same. They just create unnecessary charges to exploit customers. I fought them several times, they never changed. I kept closing n reopening, it same same. No more intertest paid on savings rather they debit you for savings.
Adenike Agbabs-Abubakar: “Acct: ******1345, Amt: NGN276.00 Dr, Desc: -SMS ALERT CHARGE FOR 26NOV2016-30DEC2016
“Acct: ******1345, Amt: NGN100.00 Dr, Desc: -2016 Debit Card Annual Maintenance Fee.”
Muhammad Ali-Nagogo Smith: “Before you react, just wait till next month charges, meanwhile don’t delete any of your alert. What the charges comes check the number of text you have received and multiply it by 4 Naira, from there you will know if there are illegal charges or not. But I am not a fan of Nigeria banking system.
Jimoh Adebayo: “I got the same thing on my acct this morning. N224 and last month nov. N604.”
Samaila Hamalai: “Acct: ******9693, Amt: NGN876.00 Dr, Desc: -SMS ALERT CHARGE FOR 26NOV2016-30DEC2016”
Oluwakemi Kafayah Amole Teniola: “GTB deducted almost N4,000 from my savings account as charges on my current account which they stop me from using by their self ooooo. Immediately I withdrew all my cash from the savings account, leaving the 2 accounts with no money may be they will go to other bank to get my charges paid. Barawo……..”
Asipa Abiodun: “I was equally surprised when I woke to see a charge of N300”
Oluwakemi Kafayah Amole Teniola: “I was too busy to follow it up. I rather made up my mind to let go of the two accounts.”
Salami Ayobami: “Got the alert of N444.00 Dr today. And I really wanted to use the money there. I AM TOTALLY TIRED OF THIS GTBANK NONSENSE. The money is just way 3 much. Its very bad
Adeyshina Abhymborla: Mine was N868
Femi Akinlusi: “GTB charged N848 on my account!! Are they selling shares or what are they doing? We need an explanation from GTB despite all other charges already being charged the customers.”
Rotarian Timothy Oyeyemi: “Mine is N985…… just this morning. Can’t remember how many times I received d SMS alert ooooo.”
Saadu Ladi: “You have an option of alerts to come as email only, that is what I have been using for two years now since I do lots of transactions on my account.”
Odubanjo Tolani: “Its very serious o Egbon! Got 167 Naira too. Am going to the bank on Monday to yank off this illegal money making venture by them.”
Kayode Jolaoso: “GTB has decided to split alert SMS on each transaction to 4 or 5 tranches. Invariably, minimum of 4 charges are ascribed to each transactions including reversals. Awon corporate thieves.”
Awoeyo Sola: “GTB Olee…………….”
Sherry Sanni Oluwaremi: “It is like this a means of stealing from customers indeed. GTB charged N645 on my account today, awon ole
How SMS charges are computed: An explanation was however offered by Ganiyu Saadu who wrote: “Good evening my brothers & sisters. Wish to throw some light on cost of sms regarding the alerts on transactions received by customers. Am a retiree of Union Bank Plc. And as far as I can recollect charging for alert sms is more than five years old. The Bank also pays the telecom network providers certain percentage of that charge. The more ur volume of transactions the more ur charges as it is relative to the number of alert sent to u per transaction. The importance of the alert system can however not be overemphasised as it keeps one abreast with the goings on on the account. ie, to detect on time if a fraudulent transaction had taken place. In summary, it is not a new service charge except if one is just noticing it now. Let me rest my case here as I am not an advocate to any of the banks.”
