Disgruntled Lifelong FBN Customer stranded abroad with no access to my FNB accounts – & No Help!!!

I recently went abroad for a vacation. I traveled to the UAE as well as Thailand. Half way through my trip I realized that I was burning through the foreign exchange I had brought with me faster than expected (forex I bought through FNB ironically). So it was time to use my FNB credit card, only to discover it wasn't working. I realized that it was a fairly new card and most likely had to be activated since I had not used it yet. In a desperate, vulnerable position with little cash, I decided to make an international call to South Africa hoping FNB can rescue me by either activating my credit card OR changing my OTP settings on my Debit card so I could do online banking. I made the international call from my Bangkok hotel knowing that I would be charged for the duration of the call. I sat for more than an hour being transferred from one department to the next trying to find the right person who could assist. I also got cut off more than once and having to call back myself. After being cut off twice I eventually asked the person I was talking to, to please take my number at the hotel and call me back if I got cut off, as I was being charged for the call and I had very little money. Needless to say, I got cut off again. No return call and 2300 Thai Baht later (call charges) I was in a very tricky situation…. In a foreign land and no access to my money back in South Africa. Luckily my trip was paid for upfront and I made the best of it with no extra cash. A few skipped meals, a few kilos lighter and no souvenirs for friends or family.

PS – The only reason I am exposing my complaints via HelloPeter is because I actually tried lodging a grievance via FNB's complaints page and it just froze. No ways am I going to retype 1500 characters of complaint because even this sh*t is worth complaining about! Thanks FNB for being there when I really needed you!!!!!! *sarcasm*