How Eco bank stole over $300.00 from my account in a month.
Dr. Sorie Gassama,
My objective for writing this article is to let governments and people having financial dealings with Ecobank become aware that this bank is rather a fraud consistently stealing from customers who entrust them with their monies, than one that seeks the interest of the poor masses. Governments all over Africa must therefore look into the activities of this bank immediately, and if possible stop them from doing business in their countries. The duty of any government is to protect its people from predators, and this should be part of it.
I became an Ecobank customers two years ago not because I saw it as superior to other local banks, but because my bank, Rokel Commercial Bank failed to create an internet banking for me after I visited the bank several times, filled out a plethora of forms, and given the promise on each visit that it will be done. I then considered Ecobank as an optional bank that will help set up an internet account for me thereby enabling me to make international transfers. I opened the account, but my hope of a working internet banking account remained farfetched despite my many visits to the Ecobank central office on Charlotte street in Freetown, and efforts by Mr. Kemokai, the specialist in that area.
On June, I deposited a huge sum of money into my Ecobank account and that was when my nightmare began. I noticed that whenever I visited the bank for withdrawal, the teller with the user id skamara will stare at her computer screen for several minutes before approving my withdrawal. I first saw it as a lack of computer skills on her side until when on the 3rd of August, I demanded an account balance from her. I told her up front that I noticed illegal withdrawals from my account. She again took her usual long look at her screen and confessed that she has been deducting massive sums from my account. She continued to say that was because I transferred the money and the law dictates that a 2% deduction be made with each withdrawal. I told her that the money was not transferred but deposited by myself, and demanded that the amount illegally taken from my account be immediately credited back to the account. She told me that she was going to credit back 1% to which I objected, and demanded a full refund. When asked for an account statement, she referred me to the director. The direct sent me to the second floor for an account statement. After perusing through it, he sent me to see Joseph on the 2nd floor to do the reversals. Only God knows what transpired between the two before I arrived at Joseph’s desk on the 2nd floor a few minutes later. Joseph refused to do what his director ordered him to do, and told me to call him in a day because he was going to discuss the issue with another boss of his. He copied the statement, gave me the copy, and said goodbye to me. After a few days, I began calling Joseph and each time he told me his boss was in a meeting. This kept on duplicating. The last time I spoke to him a few weeks later, he told me that the entire sum was going to be credited to my account, and that he will keep me posted. I am still on the wait. To crown it all, Joseph’s phone became none reachable thereafter as it was always off.
Going through this with Ecobank, I wonder how many local traders unknowingly suffer from the same fate. Because of their inabilities to read, write, ask for statements and analyze them, these traders who deposit their funds at Ecobank with the assurance that they are safe might surely be victims of a pattern of fraud. I ask all depositors, especially those depositing huge sums of foreign currencies to hurry up and ask for statements going back 12 months. I am sure that they will discover more than they bargain for. I am equally asking the government of Sierra Leone to please look into Ecobank’s activities. A bank that steals from hardworking customers is not worth having. I googled Ecobank and found that they have been involved in like scams in other countries. You may want to do the same.
I urge all Sierra Leoneans to rather deal with Local banks like Rokel Commercial. Other than the internet problem, I have never had any problems with them, and I am sure they are trustworthy. For now I am still asking that Ecobank refunds the $300.00 plus dollars they illegally took from my account, and make a public apology for this matter to remain civil. My bank statement is readily available to back up my statements.
