OCBC Bank
Reviews and Complaints

I had a $400++ fraudulent transaction from my card January 2021. I found out first week of Feb 2021 and disputed right away.
Until now the dispute has no results.
I keep following up to then, the would just tell me in few weeks then it's nothing.
They don't message either unless you message them.
This is so disappointing because other banks are able to solve faster than this.
Lousy.
I don't recommend banking with them.

OCBC debited our account on 15 June 2021, 6 digit amount of $, and never arrived to the beneficiary (today is 18 June). Their hotline can't answer where the money is, their business banking staff can't answer where the money is, what happened or when will arrive. They can't answer whether they are using it? Their intermediary bank is using it? Did somebody commit fraud and stole the money in transit? They even wanted to charge 20 $ fee just to look into it. to see where the money is. They lose the money and they want to charge the customer to find it?

I was a Customer of OCBC Business Banking for several years. It is an 'old-school' bank with a very dated internet banking interface, poor customer service and high charges.

When I closed my account, they created some new charges and didn't let me know about them, passing them over to a Signatory on my Account 6 months later. Email complaints to Line Managers, the Global Head of the Department, and even the CEO and COO of the Bank, have been completely ignored.

It says a lot that a Bank like OCBC would rather have negative reviews about them on the internet, than refund erroneous charges equivalent only to around $200 USD.

Seriously, in the age of the Neo Internet Banks, there is no need to use a Dinosaur Bank such as OCBC anymore.

To whom it may concern,
I am writing in to state my extreme frustration and displeasure at the wrongful concealment of my salary status by OCBC's Frank Loan department, inaccurate advice and incomplete information that has been given to me in my facilities, namely credit card and education loan with OCBC that has led to all my credit cards being suspended

— The brief timeline of events is appended below.
11 Jan 2021 - Hardcopy of Application form for Frank education loan was submitted to OCBC Frank Loan staff, Ms. Pauline Teo. This form indicated that I am employed for 5 years.
12/ 13 Jan 2021 - Pauline Teo contacted me via my Singapore mobile number, for me to call her back via my Thai mobile. She then informed me that since I am employed overseas, additional supporting documents would be required to process my loan, which I was agreeable. However, she stated that she can indicate me as unemployed for my application as my guarantor's income would suffice. This will make the approval process faster. I was not asked to re-submit a new Application form to indicate that I am unemployed. As such, I am not sure now where she indicated me as unemployed. In addition, I have already indicated on my application form that I am employed and had emailed her the last 12 months of my salary slips.
13 Jan 2021 - Education Loan Approved (Great!)
14 Jan 2021 - Found out that my Credit Card was suspended when I was doing my online payment. How? Why? I don't know and I was not informed at all. I called into OCBC Hotline and a CSO officer (I didn't catch his name) advised then it was due to a suspected fraudulent transaction on my husband's card (who is my supp card holder) and hence the account was suspended as a precautionary measure. He informed that I will be informed once the suspension is lifted.
15 Jan 2021 - Called OCBC Hotline 4 times (during the course of the day) to check why my card is still suspended. To my utter dismay, (mind you, I was on my 34th week pregnancy), CSO Geetha infromed that my credit limit has been reduced to $1 because Pauline Teo had indicated that I was unemployed for the Frank Education Loan. To my basic understanding as a client, retail bankers interact with different kinds of clients on a daily basis by assisting with services and products and counsel clients on banking procedures. Now I felt I was taken an advantage of. Pauline Teo was now not answering my calls where prior to the approval of the Frank Loan, she would pick up my calls within a few rings and knew it was me (indicating that there was a Caller ID on her landline phone).   
15 Jan - 29 Jan 2021 - I had to speak to multiple CSO Officers, who include Geetha, Aarthi, Rosie, Gavin, and Nora repeating to each of them the same incident that has happened to me. My main point of contact was Geetha however, she hardly followed up with her word to call me back with an update. I had to call in daily requesting for an update (which the CSOs themselves were aware of) on why I am indicated as unemployed and how my credit card got suspended and why it cannot be lifted. I also asked for how this can be rectified but I was given the same reply everytime (like a standard template answer) this is subject to the processing department. I still had no clarity on why this happened.
Summary of update from Frank Loan Education Officer Pauline TeoI likewise requested for several updates from Pauline Teo. I informed her that this whole issue had been raised based on her wrong and fraudulent advice and I asked her to rectify it. She gave me a conflicting explanation that the card was suspended because the approved loan amount plus the credit card facility exceeded the total facilities that can be granted to me based on my income. (Do note all the previous CSOs had indicated that my card was suspended based on my income status as being unemployed, also now there was a fradulent transaction done on 14 Jan 21 based on the very first update I received from OCBC?!)
I explained to her as being a client (a layman) that it does not make sense for a bank to cancel a card while extending another facility without informing the client!?. The bank should inform me that in the granting of an additional facility, my credit card may get suspended due to the facilities exceeding my income and whether I wish to proceed in such instance. Why else would a customer want to get a loan in such an instance then? 
I then asked Pauline whether my loan can be cancelled so that I can get my card's suspension lifted. She told that she will check with her manager. I asked for an update from her manager and she shared that her manager is very busy and also loan managers will never call back to speak to clients as their conversations are not recorded!  I understand from CSO Nadia this is not true. Pauline also hardly followed up on her calls/ updates to me.
29 Jan - Update from CSO Gavin
On 29 Jan, CSO Gavin gave me the clearest understanding of what actually happened. He shared that the card was suspended because of the review done to my credit limit based on my Frank Education application. It had nothing to do with my facilities exceeding my income based on what the other CSO's and Pauline had indicated. I explained that I am employed but Pauline had asked me to state as unemployed to quicken the processing time for the loan approval. He then provided me with the email address in email below and advised me on what documents to include so that this department can review my income.  I promptly submitted my documents for review based on his advice.
9 Feb 2021 - Update from Pauline Teo's manager, Amutha
As reported by one OCBC staff, Ms. Amutha that investigation was conducted and credit cards was suspended.  She said that that credit review was unsuccessful because I am indicated as a full time student in my application form.  She also shared that my loan cannot be cancelled. 
OCBC has been very delayed and unprofessional in the handling of this entire issue. I was not getting updates from the CSO team and different CSOs gave me different accounts of what is the core issue that led to my credit card suspended.
Above all, I am very troubled that my card was suspended based on Pauline Teo's false declaration that I am unemployed. Based on my signed application form stating that I am employed, I am also upset that Pauline had given me dishonest advise to indicate I am unemployed. I had trusted her in the simple faith that as an OCBC staff she would know better on what to do. Never did I expect my cards to be suspended.
Nadia had also informed me that OCBC will send me an apology letter which I not receive. She stated that through the incident that happened to my card, the bank recognises there is a gap in the granting of loans while not checking on the credit card status of an applicant. She informed that OCBC will take note of this gap and ensure such issues do not happen in future. 
I received a letter from OCBC which states that my credit card has been suspended based on my income records with OCBC and that my balance of $14, 557 has exceeded 12 times of my monthly income. However, this is false as my income documents were submitted to OCBC and I am earning an equivalent of $4000 SGD monthly. Hence, the outstanding amount of $14, 557 is within this amount. Also, never did I state that I am unemployed. My signed application form states I am employed. 
I have my credit card suspended which is used to pay off all of my Great Eastern insurance policies. Now the card is suspended, I have to pay up the total amount of $14, 557. I just gave birth on 10 Feb and I did not have a card to use for my delivery expenses. I had mentioned this situation to these staff 
I am asking OCBC for a solution to this issue caused by OCBC. 
Being an OCBC customer for more than 10 years, I am seeking OCBC's help, especially in this time of the Covid pandemic, to reinstate my credit limit.

I bought a Premier Life Generation 3 product from them on their advice, and took a loan to pay for it in May 2020. While going through my banking statements at the end of 2020, I notice there was no quarterly repayment of loan and asked if there was an error. I was told there the loan department has forgotten to charge me for the interest, and there was an ongoing internal investigation.

A week later, I noticed a huge lump sum being deducted from my statement, indicated as loan repayment. No indication of what rate has been applied, to what tenor, and no prior warning that the funds will be deducted on what date. Pure lack of basic courtesy, and simply frightening, especially when you are managing your cashflows closely. As of now, I don't even know if I am overpaying for my loan!

I had an suspicious transaction made in last Sep. I received the message which asked me to verify this transaction, if it wasn't made by myself, I need to contact the bank to dispute it. So I called the hotline, and the guy asked me to monitor the bill - whether the merchant gave back the money, if not I need to contact them to dispute. So after few days I directly went to the service counter instead of calling (of course not call them again, always wait for more than 10 mins to get someone to connect...), then the service counter said they will follow up and will send me a new card for replacement and I can get the money back after 3 months.

I wait around 3 months, still didn't see the money back, then I went to the service counter again, after a long check, investigate, they told me I didnt sign a dispute form... their guy will investigate, after few rounds of phone calls, visitings, everytime the same - they will investigate and followup... Finally one lady called me, told me directly that was my fault, I need to request clearly to their staff, must be my communication problem...

Dear Sir/Madam,

I had an credit card previously and the credit card was cancelled in year 2020 and the card number is [protected] which supposed to expire in year 2022. Now, I received the call from singapore airline regarding the refund amount s$492.3 which already returned to 5488 account, however, I didn't receive any clarification from bank which suppose to call me and return my money.

I called OCBC hotline, nobody reply and I called other numbers and they all said they has no idea on this.
Now, I want the OCBC bank to return my money ASAP. if not, I will go and sue the bank no matter how much effort that I have to pay for it.

best regards
Liping
HP:[protected]

My wife wanted to activate her Robinson replacement card, OCBC Titanium Rewards, on 16 Jan around 3 pm and was successful with OCBC IT message" ..due to technical difficulties, we are unable to process your request. Please try again later". "Later" she continued to try . Till the next day 3 pm, she tried more than 10 times to activate but the same message keeps appearing .

It is very obvious: OCBC IT message is misleading. The word" later" has given customers a wrong impression to short duration ; worse still, IT service to rectify the service lapse is not forthcoming.

Hope the Bank could quickly rectify the IT lapse to resume card activation promptly. A clear SOP is needed for the IT folks.

I was a Customer of OCBC Business Banking for several years. It is an 'old-school' bank with a very dated internet banking interface, poor customer service and high charges.

When I closed my account, they created some new charges and didn't let me know about them. Complaints to Line Managers and even the Global Head were completely ignored. Seriously, in the age of the Challenger Banks, there is no need to use a bank such as OCBC anymore, as the Challenger Banks beat them in every single category, most importantly the cost of banking.

Hi...

I made a complaint on the issue of excess paid for my Personal Loan and can't get back the excess amount from OCBC AL-Amin, KL
(Ref: COD/171406844400000/RD). Your Officer called but fail to see and ensure to settle the problem raised up till now. Very disappointed...

I have always made payment for my credit card before the due date. However I have been charged late fee and interest charge not once but more than 3 times.
This shows the inefficiency and negligency of ocbc.
I tried to call their hotline but has never been able to get through to them.
I will not be banking with ocbc anymore. And I will not recommend ocbc to anyone!

Dear all, I duno what should I do now because I made a big problem to my company. I received supplier's email regarding remittance which it actual scammer email but display is the supplier email. We did inform bank to stop this transfer and sent swift message to the bank(the scammer's bank account) about this matter. However, based on our bank, no respond from them. We did made police report as well, and currently investigating our emails. On the first day of making TT Transfer to the bank account (from scammer) however beneficiary name is our supplier name, then, after 5th days, we been asked by the (scam) supplier to change the beneficiary name. After amendment the beneficiary name, no respond anymore and end up next two days the actual supplier inform us that they still have not yet received payment and eventually realise that we get scam. Now already the 8th days, I wish that our bank had really do the best of their effort and take serious on our matter. Thats a huge amount. I really felt hopeless and I wish anyone of you who are consultant or knew relevant of this case who looking my status here can let me know this Oversea TT Transfer can be stopped and recall the transfer back to our company. Kindly advise from all of you.

The Manager
Credit Card Division
OCBC Bank Ltd.
Singapore

Subject: Request to Waive Financial&Late Fees Fee

Reference: OCBC

Dear to whom may concern,

This email is in reference to the late payment fee and interest charged to my credit card. OCBC Bank Credit Card No. [protected]. The dated of the charge is 07/08/2019. I have not received the credit card statement for the period from 01/05/2019 to 07/08/2019. Due to the non-receipt of the statement, I had no way of making the payment. Thus, I request that you kindly waive the late payment fee and interest charge, for without the statement, it was impossible for me to make the payment.

May: interest rate S$61.23
June: Late charge S$100.00
Interest rate S$63.49
July: interest charge S$60.64
August: Interest Charge S$62.14
Total: S$347.5

I have already paid $2814.77 through iBanking dated 07/08/2009 drawn by UOB Bank, payable in Singapore.

I kindly request you to waive the Financial&Late Fees Fee as a goodwill gesture to a loyal customer of yours. Many of the other credit cards I am using will helps waiver those fee once we requested.

I look forward to your confirmation that my waive financial&late fees has been waived.

Thank you.

Sincerely,
QIU TIAN

Dear Miss Tan,

I spoke to another officer ( a Miss Ong or Ng? - I can't remember) last week who explained the situation to me but your branches are telling the borrowers something else. Therefore I wrote to you yesterday requesting you to call me urgently. I expected a call from the same officer because we find ourselves wasting our time explaining the same things to every person who calls. But we do expect the officer who calls us to have read your own logs of communication with us SO THAT they understand the current query.

A few minutes ago Cik S called me and it appeared to me like she had not read my email of 19.6.2019 or had not understood our urgent query. We do not have the time to waste to keep explaining the same things to every officer who calls us.

If the bank is forcing us to only communicate with you via email instead of being able to call you ( as there no telephone numbers that we can access) then we do expect the bank officers to be on their toes and alert as to the problems borrowers or the solicitors are facing.

When I asked Cik S to please give me the name of the officer who spoke to me last week which I assume was in your log of communication I found her response a little rude and she was not willing to give me the name of the officer who spoke to me last Thursday (13.6.2019) and when I asked to speak to her supervisor or Miss tan or the officer who spoke to me last week she said she will get whoever it is to call me immediately and that was 15 minutes ago.

PLEASE BE INFORMED THAT I HAVE YET TO RECEIVE A CALL FROM MISS TAN OR THE OFFICER WHO SPOKE TO ME LAST WEEK.

Please be informed that we will bring the matter up with top management if we do not get a phone call from an officer on this matter before the end of the day. We have already informed you that consent application is pending your letter of no objection. If the Purchaser's loan is withdrawn due to your delay and unnecessary requirement as aforesaid the Purchaser will be holding your bank accountable.

PLEASE CALL US ON AN URGENT BASIS.

Regards

Philomena

I wrote this email a few minutes ago. My question to OCBC is why aren't the bank officers accessible to the public or at least to Solicitors. We may have an urgent legal query that can sometimes be dealt with by a quick phone call instead of a laborious process of writing an email and waiting for your officers to call us. In this age of quick communication and getting quick answers I am of the view that your current method of communication via email only is counter-productive. As you can see from my email above, the officer who called did not seem to know what was going on. Please enlighten me as to why your officers need to be protected from public and solicitor phone calls. And please enlighten me as to how long this process is going to take.

My name is Miss Yoh and last week, I have placed booking for a property in the Klang Valley and thus, started looking for loans at various banks. OCBC Malaysia was one of the banks that I am eager to deal with and the person who approached me was Mr. LOH Jun Chang [Personal Financial Manager, Mortgage Sales] (mobile no: 012-6617685). He texted me via Whatsapp and emailed me the forms on Thursday (13 June). On Friday (14 June) at about 2:20pm, LOH Whatsapp me if I have sent him the needed documents. I immediately, replied no and that I will email those documentations to him on the following week. This morning (Monday, 17 June) at about 10:33am, LOH again texted me for the documents! Please let me know if LOH is out of his mind or what?! He expected me to provide him with all the documents in less than a week (which included weekends)?! Or is this how OCBC staffs are trained to push its potential client for businesses? Moreover, LOH is so rude and impolite when he texted me! I could provide proofs if the bank wished! This is a complete HARASSMENT to me! I am so pissed off by LOH's pushed and have decided to drop OCBC for my loan consideration! If LOH continues to pursue this way, he would definitely, chase more potential clients of OCBC away! He needs to be trained! My email is [protected]@gmail.com
Looking forward to OCBC's reply!

To whom it may concern,

Last 2 weeks, I went to OCBC at Batu Maung, Penang to open a saving account under my name Fuah Boon See. The staff had told me that they needed some time for checking before to approve my application.
Today, I had been told by your staff from OCBC Batu Maung Branch that they rejected my application and without giving me any reason. I am so curious about my application was rejected without any explanation. In the meantime, I am a holder of current account in OCBC Bank under name of Glitter Medallion Travel Sdn. Bhd. for many years. I hope OCBC is able to clarify and give a the reason of rejection. My email is glitter.[protected]@gmail.com or my contact no. [protected]

Thank you.

Hi, today I went to your causeway point branch to get the new notes change for hari raya purpose but was rejected by the teller just because I was not the acct holder. I used to have 1 but I guess it was deleted some time ago which im not really sure if the acct is still valid.1st thing he did was to check the amount on how much I wanted to change. Since they only allowed $200 each for each note so I told him I need $200 each for $2, $5 and $10. He did as per request and told me that the $10 note is not available. I'm fine with it but before handing the notes to me, he ask for my ic and discover that im no longer the acct holder and I cannot get the new notes unless im the ocbc acct holder and holder need to be personally present. Thats where I got piss off with him.in the 1st place he should atleast ask for my ic and tell me abt the term's and con's. I've already waited so long and this is what I get? So I tell him that my wife have an acct with ocbc and the reason why I came here to change was because my wife ask me to as she was too busy that she cannot come down personally. I can even give him my wife detail and particullar if needed but somehow after all the explaination given to him, he still say that it cannot be done. So ok, I went back to my workplace asked 1 of my staff who have the ocbc acct to help me change the note and also did not forget to inform her to bring along her ic for ocbc staff to check. After sometimes, she went to pass me the noted and inform me that the counter she went didn't even ask for her ic and allowed $2 noted for $100 only. Another thing that pissed me off is the double standard of service here.1 need ic for clarification, another don't have to show.1 allowed up to $200 change, another only allowed $100. I need an explaination on this and also pls check on the standard service of your staff.

Inward lc and lc transfer through ocbc singapore takes at least 3 working days each to be processed. Avoid using this bank if you do not wish your company reputation or business transaction to be affected. They do not place any sense of urgency when handling small time customer's request. All the customer service can do is to send reminder in their system and hope the relevant staff act on it eventually.

ocbc singapore has fallen way behind UOB and DBS in many areas. You really will not want a bank that hinders your business and at the same time charge fees which they totally don't deserve!

Name: Mohd Fazdhly Bin Kamarudin
I/C no: [protected]
Email: [protected]@yahoo.com
Contact no: [protected]

Need advise & action regarding my request for personal loan release letter & refund for excess payment still not received yet until now after a lot of follow up did by me.

20 February 2019- Submit service request form & Maybank saving account for Release Letter, refund for excess payment & close financing account at OCBC Klang branch. The officer said 2 weeks processing. After 2 weeks still not receive any feedback from OCBC.

After that I call OCBC collection department 03-27833491 to follow up the issue, but they always not pick-up the phone. Finally after few day trial the officer name Madam Norhaniza was pick up the phone & she pass to officer Miss Aini. After spoke to Miss Aini, she sais will check the status & will call me later. But, after 2 days still not received call from Miss Aini. Then I call again too many time. As usual around 2 or 3 days need to call until they pick-up the phone. Then another officer name Miss Hakima was pick-up the phone & promise to settle it within 10 days. After 10 days, still not receive any release letter & refund. I kept trying call them to follow up this problem by call two phone number 03-27833491 & 03-27833389, but they still not pick-up the phone for few days trial.

Then I went to OCBC Kuala Lumpur & spoke to customer service officer. They help me to call that department & I was spoke again with Miss Hakima. She promise me again to settle it around 10 days for refund process & after 3 days she will email klang branch. Then I can collect the release letter at OCBC Klang branch but sadly I still not receive the release letter after went to OCBC Klang branch. Klang branch officer also try to call them, but they still not pick-up the phone.

I try another solution by call OCBC Customer Service 03-83175000 & I told them all my problem. The officer was transfer my call to the Collecting department & as usual still not pick-up the phone. Then customer service officer said he will email them to call me as soon as possible. after one day, still not receive any call from them & I was call customer service again to highlight it. The officer said will email them again. Finally the officer name Madam Norhaniza was call me twice by using phone no 03-27833491 & 03-20537989. She said will try to settle it after she asked me a few question regarding submitted document by me at Klang Branch. But unlucky, my phone was low battery at that time & the conversation was stop without any solutions. Tomorrow morning on 05 April 2017 I call again Madam Norhaniza but the officer name Miss Aini was pick-up the phone & told me Madam Norhaniza is busy handle others customer. Miss Aini said she will take over from madam Norhaniza to settle my request & was promise again to settle it in 10 days also said will call me to update the Release letter status.

After 10 days still not received any call or feedback. Still not received Release Letter & the Refund money. I kept calling them by using number 03-20537989 but they not pick-up phone for a few day trial.

On 17 April 2019 I went again to OCBC Kuala Lumpur & highlighted again my problem with OCBC Collecting Department. The female customer service officer was help me by call that department by using this number 03-20537989, but still same, they not pick-up. She try others number & finally the officer name Miss Shareen was pick-up the phone. I spoke with Miss Shareen & she promised me to make sure Miss Aini call me back. After few hours Miss Aini was call me & promised again to settle it as soon as possible. She ask my email address & she said will email the release letter before office hours on that day 17 April 2019. She also said will call me after she email the release letter to me & to give me the document password. Unfortunately, until now I still not receive the email & the call from officer name Miss Aini.

Need your advise & action to settle my problem because it was take too long period. Almost 2 month I struggle to follow up my release letter & my refund money from OCBC. Please help & advise.

Your cooperation is highly appreciated.

Thank you.