In September of 2008 I wrote an article entitled: Political Irony in Financial Fiasco in which I wrote:

The real irony is what happens when Idealistic Socialism or any other 'ism' for that matter, tries to 'legislate' a mind set rather than deal with the realities of life. (Ideology vs. Pragmatism.)

It's those 'realities of life' which just keep getting in the way of ideological situations in life. Take for instance my bank.

Sometime ago I got a message saying that to help me keep my credit card secure, they were offering a new security measure. Well! I really couldn't be bothered could I? I mean, I only have a $1500 limit on my card; the same as the first day I took it out. I read the email and never gave it another thought!

Last year when I went to organize my plane ticket back to China, my travel agent told me that my credit card details were not being accepted and that I had better go to her office. I did that and the card worked just fine.

Then at the end of the year I went to pay my merchant bank fees online and it threw up a screen telling me that I needed my special TOKEN ID. "My what?" you ask. Yes! I asked that too!

Well I had to get this special TOKEN ID so that my card would be accepted. But how to do it? I had to call the Commonwealth bank, but from China that is problematical. So I sent off an email through my Commonwealth SECURE Netbank for which I needed my account number and a password.

They said that I had to telephone the Commonwealth bank on a landline. I told them I didn't have a landline and knew no one that did, and that far from being a 'free call', it would probably cost a fortune.

My boss wouldn't let me use the office landline, because he said that the free call would not be free, and as the telephone company doesn't give out a 'record of calls' he would have no idea how much the call would cost. Nevertheless he agreed that I could have the Commonwealth bank phone me.

The bank agreed to this, but come the day and time to get the call, no call came.

I sent off an email through my Commonwealth Bank secure netbanking service and they said that they just kept getting the answering service. But there is no voice mail or answering service attached to that telephone number.

Oh Well! Forget it! I contacted my Merchant Bank and they said they would wait until my Sister in Australia could send a bank cheque. Murphy's law being what it is, that is when the floods hit and my sister couldn't get to the bank. That cheque/check was very late indeed. But no problems.

Until now!

I had a little spat with my bank over the Commonwealth Bank SECURE NETBANK email service, about being charged late fees even though I paid money. They told me I didn't pay it on the right day! So I followed their directions and found that section where it tells you the due date.

The following month I paid on the due date, but still got a LATE FEE. The next month I paid on the due date and two weeks later see that it says that I must pay the minimum amount by the last day of the month. The statement asks if I would like to pay that amount NOW - so I clicked YES!

That then took me to a page where I could fill out the details BUT it required me to provide my TOKEN ID which I don't have and can't get. So I quit that section and paid it by normal bank transfer.

This month, I checked my Commonwealth SECURE NETBANK on the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th of the month and the only details in that section applied to the previous month. So I sent off my little (not so polite) email and asked why the due date kept changing and why, having paid on the due date, it showed that I still had to make a minimum payment by the end of the month (October).

Well DALTON - the name of the service person - wrote me a nice letter and told me that he was refunding me that late payment fee. I thanked him profusely.

Yesterday, November 10th I checked the online Commonwealth Bank statement again to see when my payment is due, and it shows that my last payment was made in October and the next one is due in December. I had already written and accused them of trickery, so I wasn't buying into this 'no payment due' in November, and promptly paid twice the minimum payment (fully knowing that at the end of this month I am sending money back to my Commonwealth Bank account to clear that Credit Card).

So once again all was well with the world - well until my brother called me today.

He asked if our Sister had contacted me, because my bank (The "Which Bank?" - Commonwealth Bank Australia) had called her (the only HOME telephone number I have in Australia) to enquire about the use of my credit card in the USA.

Now here's the thing. If she had called them, and asked a question, they would have told her that PRIVACY LAWS prevent them from discussing my account with her, but it seems that the converse is not true.

She told them where I am and they said they would send an email to my kingscalendar email account. Problem is that since I came back to China, I haven't been able to access that account, (nor my googlesite nor facebook) AND I can't update my Commonwealth netbank contact details because I don't have that TOKEN ID.

So what's the score here?

I need this TOKEN ID to use my credit card on most sites now - but I don't have it. I can't call the Commonwealth bank, and they couldn't get through to me. (They won't call a mobile phone.) They can't contact me via my stated email address at kingscalendar, because I can no longer access it, and I can't advise them of an alternate address because I DON'T HAVE THE TOKEN ID.

I did ask that we arrange this TOKEN ID via the Commonwealth Bank Secure Netbanking Service but was told that it couldn't be done.

Having been told by my brother about the Commonwealth bank call to my sister, I went on the net a few hours ago and opened up my Commonwealth Bank Secure Netbanking Service and immediately saw that it doesn't show that I even have a credit card account. A real WTF moment that was!

I looked at the bank messages section and there is a 'security' email for me to read. It said that they want to check some 'strange' activity on my credit card and that I should call them on such and such a number and that it is a free call.

"NOT AGAIN!! - Been there! Done that!"

So what can I do about my bank - the 'Which Bank?"  - The Commonwealth Bank Australia.

I did the only thing I could do. I sent them an email through my secure Commonwealth Bank netbanking service. There is a limit of 1000 characters per email and after I sent it, I was still so cheesed off that I sent another.

God is the only one who knows what will come of all this! But I have to wonder, "Is this because my not so polite email pissed off someone in the Credit Card Section of the "Which Bank?" Doesn't matter! Do not worry! It's not important!

Anyway, here is a copy of both my emails:

1/ I can't call - 2/ you can't call me - No landline - Where is my credit card account? I won't be able to pay my credit card - will you charge me LATE FEES - too bad - I live and work in China I seem to be the only one who can't use my card because I don't have the TOKEN CODE and can't get it through this SECURE netbank service. Got a call today re: your calls to my sister. Maybe you sent me emails to @kingscalendar.com - can no longer access in China - but can't provide my other email address cause I don't have TOKEN CODE. 10 years I have lived and worked in China - using my card here - in Australia when there - paying bills in America and China. Have I complained about unaccountable CHARGE? No! ONLY You guys give me problems. China is not OZ - things more difficult to organize. Write me at rpbendedek@hotmail.com or call me in Suzhou China Mobile no. 18251196927. R.P. BenDedek is my pseudonym - do an internet check of that name.

Got security message and sent reply. YOUR OWN system prevents me from upgrading contact details. I live and work in China and have for years. Question? Since my credit card account has disappeared from my netbank window - does this mean I don't have to pay it? Have scheduled to send $1000 back to OZ in 2 weeks time - so I can pay off credit card before the new bills in December and January - Need I bother? If you would send me a message querying a particular payment then I could explain it to you - BUT YOU WON'T! Because The Commonwealth Bank  netbank IS NOT SECURE - correct? So - Bottom line - GOOD BYE COMMONWEALTH BANK. Can you extradite me from China for unpaid credit card? My @kingscalendar email address is no longer accessible in China - you can try rpbendedek@hotmail.com or ......@hotmail.com - but your system won't let me PROVIDE those details. Can you tell that I am angry? I think it is time to publish a story in my online newspaper column about your INSECURE NETBANK.

And so I did!

Ideology is a system of thought. Pragmatism is realizing that not every situation is a 'one size fits all'.

Ideologically, banks and other institutions 'protect your privacy' by not letting anyone but you speak with them on the phone. Pragmatists know that if I know enough about you, I can fake being you on the phone. My brother-in-law did just that one time, merely to help me determine when my next bill was due. They wouldn't let my sister enquire so she hung up and got her husband to call a few minutes later. Not a problem! All the right answers and my private information was given to someone who was not me.

I have this question to ask the 'CBA' (Commonwealth Bank Australia):

If I - not being the 'real' me - can access the 'real' me's secure Commonwealth Bank netbanking service where I can simply transfer funds out of the account into any other nominated persons account, wouldn't I have just done that? Why would I continue to pay off reoccurring bills. And what is so strange about a recent payment of a bill that I have paid to the same people at the same time of year in previous years?

Would the 'Real' me continue to pay money into a Commonwealth Bank account that has been hacked? Not Likely! I'd probably call the Commonwealth bank yes? Oh! I can't call the Commonwealth Bank! I could ask my sister to call, but you wouldn't listen to her!

If the 'WHICH BANK? - Commonwealth Bank' netbanking service is so secure, how come internal email exchange of 'private information' (security questions) is not possible?

Does 'WHICH BANK? - Commonwealth Bank' expect that all customers, no matter where in the world they are, and no matter the problems with which they are confronted, conform to the 'ideology' of the 'WHICH BANK's' square boxes and round holes?

Is it possible for you to get off your 'ideological' backsides and take a pragmatic approach? I think that's what they use to call 'customer service'.

You could call my mobile phone - but you have refused.

You could ask me the security questions through my Commonwealth Bank SECURE Netbanking Service - but you won't.

But this much I know with certainty - I know that I now don't have a credit card account - so I don't have to pay anything! A $700 debt just disappeared.

Thanks 'Which Bank'!

'Which Bank' is the TV advertising slogan for - The Commonwealth Bank Australia.

Addendum Nov 16th. (after 4 days of no internet)

The Commonwealth bank sent a message through the Commonwealth Bank SECURE netbank email server, telling again to call them --- been there done that. Told me I can still pay credit card using BPAY --- but no can do because I still need that bloody CODE which I can't get. They told me that they cannot upgrade my email address because I need that CODE.... So this is the reply I sent back.

THANKS - 3 days no i'net - prepared this - BUT DO GO TO THE LINK.. ...Commonwealth Bank is run by people with heads up arse. BPAY no good - tried it...

(Prepared during the 4 days while waiting for reconnection to internet)

"You  funny foreigner think China same as Australia. Think world revolve around your ideology - I no can call you - But you can call me - you won't - you can email me use this secure netbank but you no trust system - very funny foreigner - I come back July 2013 we talk then OK? I write tell everyone about  'which bank' but maybe I change name to 'Commonwealth Bk Aust' in article 'Trouble at the Which Bank' at Magic City Morning Star News. Tell everyone you so funny - no trust your own security. Hey! Why you discuss my private information with sister - you no hear of privacy laws? You take away credit card from my netbank so I no need pay yes? OK! No pay! No extradition treaty! Funny foreigners - very smart but no commonsense! Write again OK! I like your emails! (link to this article provided.)

My thanks to Amar who sent me the email but I am tired of saying the same thing to every DIFFERENT support staff at that bank. Friday 18th I will change this article and fill it will the actual name of the bank and after will cease to have any contact with them.

November 21st: Do CBA staff tamper with customer accounts?

This morning I checked to see if the Commonwealth Bank had sent me a message through my Commonwealth Bank secure netbank email system and there was none, but what was interesting was that the reply (as per above) that I sent last week - HAS DISAPPEARED - from the record.

It seems more and more clear some staff members of the Commonwealth bank are playing with my Commonwealth Bank account. I inserted this following reply into where the previous one should have been.

I see that my reply has disappeared from the record. It is becoming more and more obvious that someone is playing with me and my account. You will find my reply posted in my newspaper column at (link provided) I returned Sunday afternoon from an unplanned trip away. So here is the deal. Tonight I am going to change the carefully worded 'which bank' expression to the full correct name of this bank in the article above and then Sit down and write up a full story about how your netbank is either insecure or your bank has no concept of providing service to customers. As far as I am concerned - your bank has boxed itself into a corner. Any court will agree that I have been very reasonable - whilst your bank is just plain stupid at best or nasty at worst. I no longer care.

Something is not right at the Commonwealth Bank. Definitely not right! But what will they do? They can't use the email address below - can't use my mobile no. which appears further up - can't charge me late fees because it is they who have removed my account and BPAY doesn't work cause I don't have that code - and they can't send me a summons to my Australian address for non payment because they know I am in China and they don't have my physical address here.

I hope in a few hours time to publish the timeline of these events and it should be clear that my account is being manipulated by Commowealth Bank Staff.

I don't NEED their credit card (I am not dependent upon it) - but it is handy. And I don't need their bank account (which is used to store funds for upcoming bills) because I live and work in China. So what will they do? Good Question!

November 28th

Whilst preparing the chronologically outlined article about the events at this bank and the preponderance of 'unusual' actions on the part of the bank - it occurred to me that prior to publication I should see if I can't lodge a formal complaint through the bank's 'non netbank service'. Today I managed to do just that and am awaiting a reply.

R.P.BenDedek

Email:rpbendedek@hotmail.com

Open Letter to CEO Commonwealth Bank Australia (Dec 4, 2011)

I guess in the final analysis, it doesn't matter whether your staff are idiots, malicious, incompetent, outsourced or untrustworthy. The only important thing is 'How big will your bonus be this year?'

CBA's CEO Ian Narev's Asian Dream (Jan 13, 2012)

How will the Asian community view a bank which operates using minimal and/or outsourced staff, whose only incentives are related to how much the bank can charge the customer, and whose operational procedures tie them up in the law of unintended consequences, but without the power, authority or incentive to correct the flaws of the laws?

R.P.BenDedek is the Author of 'The King's Calendar: The Secret of Qumran' and a guest columnist and stand-in Editor at Magic City Morning Star News. He has been teaching Conversational English in China since 2003

Writers Journal Kingscalendar

"The King's Calendar" [ on sale- while the economic recession is on], is a chronological study of the historical books of the Bible (Kings and Chronicles), Josephus, Seder Olam Rabbah, and the (Essene) Damascus Document of The Dead Sea Scrolls. See Chapter Precis page.