TO: John Curtis, Chairman, The Kogarah madhouse, 20 May 2008

Dear Sir,

This is the third letter I have written to you in connection with my new St George Visa card. I am getting the strong message that you do not want people to use your cards. I am writing to you because I think it needs to be known at the highest level how your bank treats your customers.

I note initially that the card was delivered to me by Toll Priority -- presumably in the hope of a prompt and secure delivery. The delivery was neither prompt nor secure. You sent it out in the middle of last week but I found it dumped outside my door this morning (Tuesday). Their ref is TATL 1362557 and 0025F370Z3. I suggest you ask for your money back.

But that is only incidental. The real problem, as always, is with your phone hotline. I had to ring it to activate my new card. Alas! I knew from past experience that I was in for trouble.

The first time I rang, all I got was a robot. I did all I could to follow the robot commands but was told that I had got some number wrong and to start again. I note that the robot did not explain what the three different numbers were and where to find them on the card. The first one was easy and I figured the second one by looking closely at the front of the card but the third was quite a mystery. I found some numbers on the back of the card and entered them but who knows if that was what was wanted?

Anyway, I am a patient person (would I still be dealing with St George if I were not?) so I tried again:


The second time I rang, the phone went immediately to an engaged signal.

The third time I rang, the system went dead after I had entered the menu number

I think three tries should be enough, don't you?

Please get a human being to call me on 07 33914168 and have them activate my card

I note that the letter with the card says that I should have received a "Welcome Pack". I have not. Perhaps Toll have that too.

Visa card 4564 5777 0382 **** refers. [Full number given in actual letter]

Yours amazedly


(Dr) John Ray

TO: Chairman, St George Bank, 2 May, 2008

Dear Sir,

The incompetence of your credit card staff has just reached a new low. I have now TWICE asked for the name appearing on my Visa card to be changed. And yet again I have received a card with the name unchanged. Is there anybody there with half a brain?

Please get them to have a third go at this. Is there really anybody at home in that department? Your bank is beginning to make the government look efficient. I note that the latest card issue was supervised by one of your senior people in response to an earlier request from me. Maybe it is a requirement for getting a job at St George that the person has to fail an IQ test. Are YOU happy about this vast and wasteful inefficiency?

I enclose both cards as I do not wish to use them.

Yours faithfully,

Dr John Ray