A sum of N330,000 withdrawn from the First Bank account of Patience Essien, a supervisor at Spa Super Market in Lagos, was traced to an account domiciled at WEMA Bank. Yet, First Bank is frustrating efforts to retrieve the money.

James Essien, the victim’s brother, who is a freelance bank service auditor, told FIJ that First Bank was delaying action to retrieve the money.

He said Patience tried to send N400,000 to his Guaranty Trust Bank account on February 9, 2022, “but she did not have a First Bank app on her phone”.

“She had to use a Zenith ATM machine with her First Bank card to make the transaction,” James told FIJ.

Patience’s account was debited, but the transaction was unsuccessful, according to James. Follow-ups with a First Bank customer care agent were fruitless.

READ ALSO: Simon Amajuoyi’s N18,500 was Sent from First Bank to Access Bank. But it Never Got to him

“The first time we called First Bank, they told us the money would be reversed in 24 hours,” James said.

The next time they would call, First Bank said the reverse would take four working days.

FAKE FIRST BANK TWITTER HANDLE

James could not wait for four working days. He contacted First Bank via a Twitter handle. He got a response, but the handle was fake.

Unsuspecting, James soon started communicating with the impostor, who requested the details of his ATM card. He provided them with his sister’s consent.

“I gave him all the details he requested, but he stopped responding after getting them,” James said.

READ ALSO: N2.95m Vanished From GTB Customer’s Account. He Fainted

“Not long after that, my sister called me and said a sum of N330,000 had been deducted from her account.”

TRACED BUT NOT REFUNDED

James rushed to a nearby First Bank branch in Oshodi, where the money was traced to a WEMA Bank account.

READ ALSO: N128m Scam: How Amos Olaniyan’s DHIL Limited Used Ibadan Radio Programme to Hoodwink Investors

As a freelance bank service auditor, he requested the details of the WEMA Bank account, but to no avail. ” I told them I had someone in WEMA who could block the account, but they refused. They said I should get a police report before that could be done,” he told FIJ.

The amount involved in the failed transaction and the stolen money totaled N730,000. Meanwhile, neither the N400,000 failed transaction nor the N330,000 stolen has been reversed, according to James.

Victoria Vincent, a First Bank customer care agent who spoke with FIJ, said a police report could delay the reversal. “A court affidavit is better,” she said. “Let them get it and the money would be reversed even if moved from the recipient’s account.”