Pitfalls of OCBC

OCBC provides a Website and a mobile App for customers to manage banking accounts.

Usually, you might assume that the Web has more features and is more convenient to use than App. For example, everything you can do on the Gmail App can also be done on the Gmail Web. Tasks that cannot be accomplished on the Gmail App, such as Advanced Search and Email Rules, can easily be managed on the Gmail web version.

But at OCBC, it's a whole different story.

1. Try to avoid emailing customer service and opt to call them instead whenever possible

OCBC does not provide any public Email address to contact customer service. Instead, there is a page called Secure Mailbox on Web and in App. Here, you could write email-like messages and send to customer service directly

Pitfall

It takes 5 workdays to get a reply.

Solution

Call +65 6363 3333 (Overseas Personal Banking) for help. You could use Skype if you wanna save on international call charges. About $0.023/min.

The automated voice prompts will ask you to enter any of:

• a 7-digit Singapore ID number
• a 16-digit credit card number
• an 8-digit phone identification code to verify your identity.

Unfortunately, you may not have any of them.

The one you most likely have is an "8-digit phone identification code". But it should be applied by mail a form to them.

Just follow the voice prompt and choose an option like "I am not a OCBC customer", then tell the representative your passport number for verification.

2. It is NOT a good idea to apply for a Debit Card on Web if you are a non-Singaporean PR

You may think you could apply for a Debit Card in App directly? No, there is no entry for that.

The only way is to apply for a 360 Account in App. In this process, you have the chance to apply for the debit card. This is your only opportunity.

Pitfall

When applying for 360 Account on Web, there is no process to apply for a debit card.

If 360 Account is applied on Web, then you go back to App, 360 Account is not listed in "Apply" page, because only one 360 Account is allowed for each customer.

Then you would want to apply for a debit card separately in App, you would find that Debit Card is not listed in "Apply" page.

Then you head onto Web again, try to apply for a debit card there, haha, it ask you provide:

1. FIN (Foreigner Identification Number)
2. Employment Pass Expiry Date
3. Address as in NRIC (the National Registration Identity Card of Singaporean)

which you don't have at all as a foreigner who has never been to Singapore.

Another option to apply for a debit card without providing these info is to fill a paper form then mail to them. Unacceptable either.

Solution

Call +65 6363 3333 (Overseas Personal Banking) for help, to close the 360 Account you applied on Web. Then try to apply for a new 360 Account in App.

The customer service representative will remind you that a processing fee of S$30 is required because your account has not been opened for at least 6 months.

Since you unintentionally opened 360 Account on Web without knowing that this would make it impossible for foreigners to continue applying for a debit card, you could try to ask customer service to waive this processing fee. Good luck.

Also, it would take up to 3 days to close 360 account as the representative said.

3. For Non-Singaporean, Personal PayNow Account Can Only Use Foreign Mobile Number as the Account Number. No UEN.