Lagos-based entrepreneur Babalola Martins has reported a new unauthorized debit of $23.70 from his company’s Access Bank domiciliary account, marking a second incident after a previous $13.89 deduction on September 20 without his consent.
Speaking with FIJ on Friday, Martins disclosed that the latest deduction occurred on October 5. “What do we call this? Is this not another case of fraud? Why should my hard-earned money keep disappearing from my Access Bank USD account?” he questioned.
Detailing the incident, Martins stated, “I received a notification that $23.70 had been debited from the account on October 5 without my authorization. This was shocking, as I am still in the process of having the initial $13.89, deducted on July 29, refunded.”
Martins explained that he has reached out to Access Bank via email and in-person visits, requesting a reversal of both sums. “All the officials tell me is that they are working on my complaint and will provide feedback as soon as possible. First, it was $13.89; now, this? Both amounts must be returned.”
Expressing frustration, Martins added, “I have never been careless with my USD debit card, and I suspect this might be an internal issue. To rule out all possibilities, I’ve also asked that the card be blocked, but my money must still be returned. One should be able to trust one’s bank.”
FIJ contacted Access Bank for comment on Friday. On Saturday morning, a bank representative responded, stating, “The account owner has been contacted for further assistance regarding his complaint. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.”
Later that day, FIJ followed up with Martins to check if his issue had been resolved. He replied, “I received a complaint form from the bank this morning, likely after FIJ reached out to them. However, I had already filled a similar form when the first $13.89 was debited, and no action was taken. I hope this time they address it properly.”
