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27.08.2024 Featured Abuja Resident Wanted Cash for Fuel From First Bank ATM. His N1.15m Vanished

Published 27th Aug, 2024

By Abimbola Abatta

John Chinedu, an Abuja resident, had no plan to withdraw cash via the Automated Teller Machine (ATM) gallery at the First Bank branch in Gwarimpa Estate hours before his car broke down on July 12.

However, when his car broke down near the bank between 2:30 pm and 3:10 pm on that fateful day, he decided to get some cash with his Fidelity Bank debit card to fuel his vehicle.

That decision quickly led him into a nightmare because he lost N1.15 million after his Fidelity Bank card got stuck in the First Bank ATM.

Chinedu told FIJ that the First Bank branch had been unresponsive to his appeals to recover the money, as the bank insisted there was nothing they could do to help.

READ ALSO: Customer’s N95,000 ‘Disappears’ From Account After Card Got Stuck in GTBank ATM

Two unauthorised transactions of N950,000 and N200,000
Two unauthorised transactions of N950,000 and N200,000

Chinedu said he was about to leave without withdrawing when one of the three ATMs in the bank failed to dispense cash. But a man urged him to try a particular machine.

“I saw a man at the extreme right on one of the three ATMs, so I went to the extreme left. When the machine didn’t discharge cash I made to go, but the man said the middle ATM was paying and that he had just withdrawn cash from there with his OPay card,” he said.

The Fidelity Bank customer said when he first entered his details and amount in the said ATM, the screen flashed red instead of dispensing cash. On the second attempt, the first digit of his PIN was visible on the screen. Then he cancelled the transaction and tried to remove his card, but he couldn’t.

This was how Chinedu recounted the events of that day: “While on that middle ATM, I input my details and the amount, but instead of discharging cash the screen started flashing red, which really surprised me.

“By then, the man had left and two other men came immediately after him but on the other two ATMs on both sides. I tried the second time, and it exposed the first number of the secret pin I just pressed instead of masking it with the X sign, so I stopped and tried to remove my card but it got stuck in the machine.

“I alerted the security officer who was at the entrance to the banking hall and he directed me where to go. I explained to the woman in charge of ATM-related issues. She asked whether I met someone at the gallery and I said yes, and she said, ‘Ah, they have swapped your card’.

“I asked if I could have the card back, but she directed me to my bank since it’s a Fidelity Bank debit card. I rushed to Fidelity Bank, which is just a kilometre away.”

READ ALSO: Zenith Bank Staff in Lagos ‘Lie’ After ATM Swallowed Customer’s Card, N227,000

When he arrived at his bank, he was told that N1.15 million had already been withdrawn from his account in two unauthorised transactions of N950,000 and N200,000 using an OPay POS machine.

“After the incident, I wrote a letter of complaint/appeal to First Bank, Fidelity Bank and the Customer Protection Department of CBN. I personally submitted the letters and met the First Bank branch manager in person and discussed the issue one-on-one, aside from [submitting] the letter,” Chinedu told FIJ.

“He enquired about the particular ATM to help him narrow down the search when checking their CCTV. My letter has my name, address, cellphone number and email address, but to date, he hasn’t responded to me.”

His letter to First Bank's headquarters in Lagos
His letter to First Bank’s headquarters in Lagos

Chinedu said he received a call from Fidelity Bank on August 9, informing him that the missing funds had been traced through a series of transactions: from OPay to Access Bank, then back to OPay to Moniepoint, and finally to First Bank.

The bank also mentioned that an email had been sent to First Bank but was still awaiting a response.

Following this revelation, he returned to First Bank to see the branch manager. “I didn’t meet him, but I was referred to another person in the bank. When I explained what happened, he started teaching me the modus operandi of the fraudsters.

“He said the first person I met at the ATM was the one who planted the skimming device that picked up my details even without my body contact with him, and the second one only came to pick up the device after their successful fraudulent operation and as it is, there’s nothing they can do to help. He said I could go and get a court order to give to Fidelity Bank where the account is domiciled to assist me.

“I was angry when he told me that there was nothing they would do to help me. I said I was going to escalate it and also invite my lawyer to sue them. He started denying it, saying he never said that there was nothing they could do.”

One month and two weeks after Chinedu’s N1.15 million vanished while his debit card got stuck in a First Bank ATM at Gwarimpa, the money is still missing.

In response to FIJ’s inquiry sent via X on Monday, First Bank wrote, “Thank you for contacting us and we empathise with you on the issue raised. Kindly engage the customer’s financial institute for quick resolution/update. We regret any inconvenience this may have caused you while reiterating our commitment to serve you better.”

Also on Monday, FIJ emailed Adebowale Banzi, the team lead of Fidelity Bank’s media and internal communications, who wrote, “We have shared the enquiry with the relevant team and would revert shortly.”

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Published 27th Aug, 2024

By Abimbola Abatta

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