Highly unacceptable and risky behaviour by FNB Bank!!!

Total unacceptable behaviour from FNB - my bank account was unceremoniously locked today (without prior notification to me) because they needed to do a FICA verification. On my enquiry FNB stated that they did send me SMS in this regard. SMS as a channel is for me a totally unacceptable, hi-risk (and in my case) unused channel of communication). This is the space where hackers are thriving.

This left me in a pickle when I had to pay at a restaurant and couldn't. My wife had the same experience going to the grocery shop where her cards were also decline and she had to return home empty handed. This was a high risk that FNB forced me into - if I I for instance were at a airport I could have gotten stuck there.

All of this could have been avoided by one simple telephone call by my personal banker as the secure channel. This call from my private banker would have given all the confirmations FNB FICA department needed.