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Thursday, May 13, 2010

Absurd telebanking verification

Recently I have a rather unusual and annoying encounter with a telebanker for one of my credit cards whereby I was calling to update on the mailing address.

I will not elaborate further in paragraphs but in the following conversation excerpt.
I called the bank and after going through the annoying computerized version of "Press 1, For Credit card, press 2...etc" (I wonder why they have to keep this computer-talk for so long that they left me wondering sometime whether are there humans working in the place), I was put on the line to talk to this telebanker.

First of all, it was not that I had anything against him since I did not know him in the first place but there is one thing that irked me the most; people trying to speak fast and in a faked and highly accented English language.
I don't mind the natives of the different countries doing so, since it is their language accent after all, but when Malaysians or Asians do that, it is just unnerving, isn't it?

Alright, brush past the annoying part, now I explained to him about my intention and he of course, asked for my credit card number and then the next part is the verification process..

Annoying telebanker: May I have your ID please?
Me: XXXXXX-XX-XX
Annoying telebanker: Thank you, ma'm, now may I have your mother's maiden name please?
Me: XXX
Annoying telebanker: Thank you very much, and now for the final question, when was the last time you charged the card?
Me: Okay, I cannot remember as I have not used this card for a year or so now

At this point, the Annoying telebanker starts to read in some kind of script but because his English was so strong in the faux accent, I really could not hear a thing except this few sentences:
"It is very important to have answer all verification questions correctly....blah blah blah....advise you to go to our nearest branch...blah blah blah"

I just went, "HUH? what did you just say again? Why do I need to go to the nearest branch and what is the telebanking for?"

Believe it or not, the guy did not even explain anything but proceeded to read the above script again!!
He was like some kind of gramophone record which was reset and then played again.

I tell you, his English really got on my nerves and I just asked him, "What went wrong? I thought we have just done the verification, which question was wrong?"

HE told me, "You were unable to tell me the last time you charged the card"

Greeeeaaaattt.....I could steal this card from someone and could give the P&C information of the owner's IC and mum's name and I must know where he charged the card.

That is the darndest thing I have ever heard!
If you tell me that I am unable to get my IC correct or my mum's maiden name, I am fine, but last time I charged the card?
Great, just great and I just told him off and hung up

Yeah, for the first time (or maybe second) in my life, I hung up on someone on the phone, which is pretty unusual considering that was pretty rude in my perception.

Anyway, after that phone call, I proceeded to the nearest branch and got all my stuffs done and just out of curiosity, I decided to ask the banking officer to check my last payment/usage of the credit card.

This is the best part; he showed me the data on his LCD; there was 0 data.

Get that, there was nothing displayed and he asked me, "You must have used it a year ago?"

I nodded and he said, "Yeah, that's why there was no data stored anymore"

I thanked him and I walked out, telling myself, so the answer to my last verification question was, "None, Z-E-R-O and I would not have to come to the branch"

Hahahha...great....I shall remember that and if you happen to that telebanker who talked to me on the phone, please contact me because I really want to know your name (i forgot it during my annoyance), and also, you forgot to wish me a good day after your "pleasant" conversation...

Angel