the ongoing canadian banking saga...

This morning I called the 0800 # that you can use from overseas to try and change my internet banking password. The first individual straight transferred me to the password changing process which didn't work. I ended up hearing "beep- beep- beep" in my ear. I hung up and tried again at the 0 800 # and got a different person who knew that changing the password wouldn't work from overseas. This person gave me 2 phone numbers to collect call- and advised that if I dialed them I'd be able to change it successfully. I looked up on the internet to find out that to dial a collect call from NZ overseas you dial 0170- no easy dial 0 for the operator like in Canada. Anyhow, the numbers the person from the bank gave me were not valid. I hung up and tried the 0800 # again. This time the person who answered said I needed to call the 900 # which was toll free. I tried that and hurray- it worked, but I'll be very surprised it if was toll free! I was on the phone for 4 minutes with that guy who was confused about my password changing story as he'd never known the password setting device to fail (he'd obviously never encountered anyone from overseas!) Long story short, I can again access my Canadian bank accounts- or at least the chequing one. The deposit one has gone inactive as I haven't been making deposits into it from overhere. I'm pretty sure I can't do anything on my bank card with that one to reactivate it, but will give it a try.

What a saga...