First bank ''stealing'' from customers with vending machines---- customers raise alarm

 On Valentine ’s Day, Jane,  set out to ensure she looked  her best for her valentine date later that evening .

Jane's church has organised a Valentine dinner for married couples in her church in Ibadan and she was looking forward to it

Dave, Jane’s  husband had  transferred money into her First bank account  so she can have a makeover for their dinner later that day.

Jane had hurriedly  visited the Zenith bank at Osun

tokun avenue in Bodija Ibadan Oyo State to withdraw the money . 

She waited in line like other customers so she could withdraw the money . When it was her turn, she excitedly withdrew N5000 with her First Bank ATM verve card. She inserted her First bank ATM card again into the Vending machine  to withdraw the sum of N2000 but the vending machine after following the prompting , instructed her to take her cash but no cash came out of the machine. She waited for a while to see if the machine will push out her money but still, there was no cash.  She  was still waiting for the  vending machine to respond, but there came up a message on the machine which read  ‘’’ OUT OF SERVICE’’. 

Jane narrated how she felt  when she couldn’t get her cash‘’ I stood there waiting like a fool but the vending machine had written ‘’Out of service’’. I rushed to the Zenith bank security personnel to inform them that my money was tucked in the machine. He told me to go and complain at First bank since it was not Zenith bank ATM  card that I used. I was not still convinced. I went to the customer service inside the Zenith Bank and complained about what happened at their vending machine, the customer service official at firs zenith bank told me to go and report at the First bank so I went to first bank to report. The lady I met at First bank at the University of Ibadan branch gave me a form to fill . I filled the form and gave it back to her. She told me to come back in after 7 working days . I was hopeful that the issue will be resolved and I will get my money credited to my account but this was not the case .She had told me that  I will be credited   before the 7 days but after waiting  , I went back to the bank  and I was shocked when she printed out a slip  showing that the vending machine stated that the cash was taken. I asked her did the machine show you who took the N2000 ? since every vending machine has a camera, you should investigate who took the money because I did take it but she ignored me and went back to her work. I sat there refusing to move  but she told me that there is nothing the bank can do  for me. That was how my N2000 disappeared from my account because I used first bank  ATM  to withdraw money and on top of that, the bank has  the nerve to tell me that the money was  taken.   Even when I told them that  what happened  that day, they did not care . As if N2000 is not money. It is my hard earned money and the bank must launch an investigation to find out what happened to the money. They said their motto is ‘’ You first’’ but they don’t care if customers loss money kept in their care’’.

Jane is not the only First bank customers who had experienced such ugly situation where her money disappeared into thin air while using the Vending machine.  Another first bank customer Adeaze Collins narrated her experience. ‘’ Mine was N3000. I went to withdraw the money but it did not push out from the vending machine. I stood there and no cash came out. I was wondering what could have been the problem so I approached the First bank. They told me that the money will be reversed after 24 hours. I went back and waited but the money was not reversed . I went to the bank to complain but they told me to fill a form which I did . Up till now I did not see the money. I refused to go back to the bank because I do not have time to wait on the long queue. I feel bad that my money went down the drain and nobody can give me a reason for its disappearance’’

George O another First bank customer also narrated his experience. He said  ‘’  Due to what I faced while using First bank ATM card, I decided to be patronizing the POS operators. I withdrew N2000 with my Verve card but the money did not come out from the vending machine of GTBank that I used . I rushed to First bank to complain as I was instructed to do but up till date, I did not see any reversal on my phone. I went to check my bank statement , still the money was not returned. I went back after two weeks and they printed a slip for me that the money was taken. I asked them who took the money but the first bank lady just continued working as if I was talking to the wall. I feel pained that this can happen in a country like Nigeria. Why will customers just be loosing money because they used a service that you provided? The ATM card is not free. It cost about N1000 and when one then use it on a vending machine , it will become an issue of money disappearing’’.