If something goes wrong with your account, start with your bank: put the complaint in writing, include the key details and keep a reference. If it remains unresolved, you can take the matter to the Central Bank of The Gambia.
Problems with a bank account, card, loan or payment can be stressful, but most are resolved quickly when they are raised clearly and through the right channel. The Gambia Bankers’ Association encourages customers to know the steps for making a complaint and what to do if a complaint is not resolved.
Start with your bank
Your bank is responsible for its own products and services, and it holds the records needed to investigate your concern. A complaint should therefore always be raised with the bank first. Banks should have a clear process for handling complaints, with a point of contact and an indication of how long a response will take.
Steps to follow
- Raise the matter promptly, in a branch, through your bank’s customer service channels or with your relationship officer.
- Put your complaint in writing, even if you first raised it in person or by telephone.
- Ask for a complaint reference number and the name or department dealing with it.
- Ask how long the bank expects to take to respond.
- Keep copies of everything you send and receive, and note the dates of any calls or visits.
- If you are not satisfied with the first response, ask for the complaint to be escalated within the bank.
What to include
- Your full name and contact details.
- The account, card or loan concerned. Never include your PIN, password or one-time passcode.
- What happened, with dates, amounts and transaction references.
- Copies of supporting documents, such as receipts, statements or messages.
- What you would like the bank to do to put the matter right.
A clear, factual account makes it easier for the bank to investigate and respond. Keep to the facts and set them out in order.
If the complaint is not resolved
If you have followed your bank’s complaints process and remain dissatisfied, or the bank has not responded within a reasonable time, you may bring the matter to the Central Bank of The Gambia, which licenses, regulates and supervises banks. Check the Central Bank’s website at https://www.cbg.gm for current information on how to submit a complaint and what to include.
Have your bank’s complaint reference, copies of your correspondence and its final response, if any, ready when you do so.
The role of the Association
The Gambia Bankers’ Association is an industry association, not a regulator. It does not hold customers’ accounts and cannot investigate or decide individual complaints. It supports good practice across the industry and helps the public understand their options.
What to do
- Act quickly, particularly where fraud or an unauthorised transaction is involved; contact your bank at once.
- Use your bank’s official channels and keep a written record.
- Escalate within the bank before going to the Central Bank.
- Be cautious of anyone who offers, for a fee, to recover money or “fast-track” a complaint; this is a common scam.