ABSA Cash Passport - Forget it

<p>I have been planning a month-long trip to Australia for over 18 months and left on 11 November returning 11 December (although it was the 12 December by the time Qantas and SAA got themselves sorted out but that's another story.</p> <p> </p> <p>After looking at all options, I decided to go with the ABSA Cash Passport. I must say that ABSA in Claremont handled the transaction very efficiently and explained how the card operated and what I must do, i.e. register the card so that I could access a statement of account whilst I was away. All was well until I came to accessing my account whilst in Australia. The system would not accept the user id or password I had registered and the failsafe question it requested was not the one that I registered. The telephone number on the back of the card had been disconnected according to the recorded message and so I was left to resort to emails. Unfortunately, the *****s on the other side failed to read my emails and kept telling me to phone the disconnected number at the back of the card. Eventually, someone did call me and after asking me umpteen security questions, changed the password but still I could not get into my account. Again, I had to resort to email and again went through the problem of being told to phone the disconnected number. This morning, my husband and I went to ABSA in Claremont to close the account and arrange for the balance to be transferred back to our current account. However, ABSA were also unable to access a statement of the account so I was unable to check if a deposit for car rental had been paid back. The poor lady in the Forex Department tried desperately to assist us but had no joy. All she could so was obtain a balance which is no help. After an hour, we all gave up because we were so frustrated. So I am no nearer to obtaining a statement or closing my account and have no means of resolving the situation. My suggestion to future travellers - don't touch this card with a bargepole.</p>