Bad customer support & they stole my money.

Mmmmm, where to start ... ? I'll try to summarise rather than rant, so that my review is easily readable.

1. Ordered a credit card. Got email that it will be delivered in 48 Hours. No credit card. Phoned customer support. Spent 3 hours on phone. Got another similar email. Another 48 hours later, still no credit card. Phone customer support. The two departments that I speak with start blaming each other. After more than 2 months finally got my card.

2. Overseas trip to Netherlands & Germany. I phoned ABSA and made 100% sure to notify about my travels. Credit card declined by hotel. Credit card declined in shops. Credit card declined everywhere. I almost spent the night on the street due to hotel decline. Ended up borrowing someone else's credit card, much to my embarrassment. Next day ABSA notify me in the most insincere way that the error is on their behalf.

3. Overseas trip to South Korea. I phone ABSA and notify about my travels. My card did not work once at any ATM or shop. Had to borrow money from friends, much to my embarrassment.

4. There is a transaction of R5777,00 deducted from my credit card account. I report this to ABSA. They reply and say that this is because they are phasing out MasterCard and changing to VISA. I rep**** and ask why this would cause a fee on my account, and they have not rep**** yet. I still have no clear answer. This was 3 days ago. With such a big issue, I expect immediate replies.

5. Apparently when changing MasterCard to VISA, they did not feel the need to notify me about this change, nor did they feel the need to tell me about the R5777 charge on my account. Seems like they just assume I check my transactions every week - and they are right. I do check my transactions, because I do not trust my own bank one bit. I feel sorry for the folks who did not notice this.

6. They phone me just about every 2nd day with their promotions and try to sell me loans, etc. I ask them every single time to take me off the marketing list. Then they say sure, no problem. But then they just phone again. This has been going on a couple of years now and I have accepted that they will never take me off their spam list. I wish they would rather phone to resolve my (usually serious) banking issues instead. What kind of organisation telemarkets their own clients?? Is this the year 1985? What is going on ABSA?

After years of mistrust and confusion, it seems like I will have to take a leave day out of my busy schedule, gather my FICA documents, notify all my beneficiaries and go through the process of changing banks. I'm sure it will be worth the effort.

**** you ABSA.