Bank Card - German non-existant efficiency

Here's the story in bullet points...

* I enter my pin for my German bank card wrong 3 times, pin is nullified
* I phone my KSK bank in Germany
* They tell me that I need a new card aswell
* They send me a new PIN
* They send me a letter telling me to collect the card from the bank (although I've told them that I live in England and can't get to the bank, so send it to me)
* I phone up and tell them the situation. Man is sympathetic and says that he must send me a letter first.
* I receive a letter saying "Send us a letter telling us that you can't collect your card".

In effect, what was the flipping point of having to send them that letter? I'd told them on the phone. They can only send it to my address so there's no problem of me pretending to be someone else or whatever.

Now, if they really must insist on my signature, WHY do they insist on sending a letter to me first? I can send them one after all!!! And I had to wait for the thing!

German efficiency lines up with the Great Wall of China being visible in space and the Lemmings jumping off cliffs for ridiculous myths that everyone believes.

PLUS I WAS CHARGED 20 EUROS FOR THIS ESCAPADE!!!

Sorry but I couldn't help laughing when I read this...its just unbelievable really. So dumb, its funny. Hope you sort it out soon tho

It's not so much a German thing as a bank thing. I had a very similar experience when my English credit card expired and I needed the new one sent to me here.

My wife had her purse nicked a few months ago, a few simple phonecalls to the UK and all of her UK based bank cards and credit cards were blocked. Not so easy with her german EC card, although she informed the bank even giving them a copy of the police report they didn't stop the card.

Although credit card fraud is, apparently, rare in Germany nobody informed the tea leaves of this and they proceeded to go on a spending spree! So everyday wifey had to go into the bank to sign copies of all the transactions to say that she didn't make them.

It was days (and thousands of Euros later) that the bank finally agreed that it might be a good idea to stop the card. Except they don't stop the card over here (obviously too simple) they close the account and open a new one, obviously this can't be done without us going into the bank and signing a new set of paperwork!

I must admit the banks were pretty good when I had my purse stolen. I reported my EC card and credit card and they were both stopped immediately. Much to the thiefs annoyance, as I had left my pin numbers in my purse too :$ , he must have thoght it was his birthday and he tried to use them an hour later but to no avail.

When my purse was stolen I reported it to the bank and they put a stop on the card. Then they told me to wait two weeks in case the card turned up and they could re-activate it. Of course it didn't and two weeks later I went into the bank and asked for a new card. No problem they can order a new card and it will take two weeks!!!

Plus I had to pay 10DM for the inconvenience of being without a card for a month

sorry for quoting but:


there is a phone number to block it, it's really simple and works as soon as you notice you've lost it

OH FOR DAMNS SAKE!!!

PLEASE EXCUSE THE CAPITALS BUT I NOW FEEL THAT I HAVE THE RIGHT TO USE THEM.

I HAVE NOW GOT A LETTER OFF THEM SAYING "CAN YOU WRITE A LETTER TO US SAYING THAT YOU'VE RECEIVED THE PIN IN THE POST. THEN WE'LL SEND THE CARD TO YOU".

Is "Suicide due to German bank" an acceptable coroners verdict?