On June 9, 2021, Success Ogbodu, an Abuja-based graphics designer, had N61,000 deducted from his Wema Bank account for a transaction he did not initiate.

Ogbodu told FIJ that he had received a One Time Password (OTP) from his bank on the said date but chose to ignore the message.

“It then occurred to me to check my account balance through my Wema Bank App. Immediately I opened it, I realised that N61,000 had been deducted from the available N63,000 I had as balance,” Ogbodu said.

“I quickly called Wema Bank’s customer care but I was told that they had not gotten any record of the transaction and that I should give them 24 hours.

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“After the initial 24 hours elapsed and nothing was done, I visited Wema bank’s Wuse branch where I complained to the manager. He said he was going to run a system check and right there, he told me that there is a ‘system pause on my account’. He also said that a transaction was made on my account ‘but it was paused’, which implies that the money will be reversed.

“The following day, and contrary to what I was earlier told that the money would be reversed, he confirmed that N50,000 had been first debited from the account. Another debit of N11,000 then followed.

“Meanwhile, they told me the debit didn’t reflect on their system until June 15.”

Ogbodu said he was later asked to write a letter of complaint about the unauthorised debits on his account through the manager of Wuse Branch in Abuja.

“I submitted the letter and I was told they would reach out to me but I haven’t heard from them since. Whenever I call them, they’d tell me they’re investigating it,” he said.

“At other times, they would ask me to send the last six digits of my card and I have done that several times. I keep calling them and sending emails and each time they keep saying they’re investigating and now it’s almost a year.”

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Ogbodu said when he eventually realised the bank’s plan was to continue giving him ‘false hope’, he decided to take matters into his hands.

“In an independent investigation, I discovered someone had created a Sportybet account with my number. When I reached out to Sportybet via email, they sent me a Palm pay account details created with my profile. The money was transferred into a palm pay account with the details: Success Ogbodu – 9073807379,” he said.

“And from this account to a Stanbic Wallet: Precious Alabie – 9034563233. I contacted Stanbic Ibtc Bank but they said I was not in the position to report such complaint; that it should be done by Wema Bank and not me.

“I called Wema Bank to give them this latest information. They repeated what they had been telling me previously — that ‘they are investigating it’. Wema Bank appears not to be doing anything about it the issue and it is frustrating.”

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Ovie told FIJ he believes Wema Bank was not doing enough in helping him recover his money.

“I think Wema Bank is covering something up because it is their duty to make sure my money is secure. How can my money disappear without any authorisation from me? Not even a password approval from my ATM card or something,” he lamented.

FIJ made several phone calls to Wema Bank’s customer care lines, but they were not answered. The email sent to the bank had also not received any response at press time.