********** fu cking farce

So more than a month ago I get a few SMSs about transactions on my account. *****, it turns out. I phone ABSA to immediately stop my card and freeze everything. They stop my online banking and freeze my card. They give me a case number and tell me that they will investigate and then pay me the money I just lost, and this would take 7 to 14 work days. This was apparently a toll free number. Except that it took all my airtime to ******well report the case in the first place.

I then go to make a SAPS case about the *****. So the police tell me they need bank statements. I go to ABSA branch number one. Takes so darn long to get any help, because my card is frozen so I can't use the ATM. Poor service. Then back to SAPS. Then I go to the next ABSA branch to get my new card. Pooooor service. So I go to the THIRD ABSA branch to just get my online banking reactivated. After that long and unfriendly hassle with banking staff that really don't give two s#!t$ about helping you, I ended up at a FNB, opening an account in half the time it took to reactivate my ABSA online banking. As far as my readings go, FNB also have actual ***** detection algorithms and measures to prevent this type of thing from happening.

I had a lovely experience at FNB, even at the local SAPS station, what a pleasant experience! The police, whom I would least expect it, were nice and helpful and immediately attended to my case. How is it that the public service, SAPS, with all it's stigma and quite honestly truthful stereotype of poor service, end up helping me so helpfully and constructively but ABSA employees give you a blank stare and basically tell you to **** off with your troubling issue of *****!?

I have had no answers about my ***** case and I'm strapped for cash, digging into my credit card to make ends meet. They can't tell me what the progress is on my case and they can't tell me why either. Sitting with a ABSA and FNB account now, I will end up closing my ABSA account if I don't get back that R2200 ****** from my account.

Will you PLEASE pay back my MONEY lost on your poor and insecure banking systems?