Keith writes:
On Friday February 15th I called HSBC customer service. I explained that there was a $1,000 difference between my “Bank Balance” and I was concerned because I hadn’t used my ATM card. They said that the money was “on hold.” They could give no further explanation. I pressed them and said “How is it possible that $1,000 of my money is out in space” They had no reply. I asked to speak to a supervisor to which the person I was speaking to refused and said “They have the same information I do and they are not available.” I was talking to outsourced “customer service reps” from the Philippines so I hung up and dialed 716.841.7212 again. I kindly explained my store from scratch to Helga REP # 6124, also in the Philippines, not Buffalo, NY. She said the same thing as the guy before (at least they were consistent), and refused to let me speak to a supervisor.
I grew tired of this so I went to bed. When I went online to check my account on Sunday I noticed a $2,000 difference. Now I was very concerned. I called and got the same story, only this time I demanded to speak to the security and fraud operations.
I was transfered to “Jeremy, #A09″ Jeremy was very helpful and asked if I had been out of the US. I said no I’ve been in Brooklyn all weekend, he then tells me that there are $2,000 worth of ATM withdrawals in Bulgaria. He said that someone stole my card number and pin, imprinted it on another card and is taking money out of an ATM. When I asked how long it would take to credit my account he said 11-15 business days!
Luckily I don’t need to pay rent out of that money, but thats not the point what if I needed it for rent?
My complaint is that HSBC is negligent when it comes to consumer fraud detection. Because their centers have different information they have cost me an additional 3 out of my 11 business days so far and who knows how much longer it will be until I see all of the money back. I would really like to let the folks in Buffalo know how their call centers are treating people who have been customers for 5 years.
I will do everything I can to get this money back before 11 business days.
- Keith
What would have happened if Keith hadn’t demanded to speak to the fraud department? Would $3,000 of his money be on hold? Other companies have automatic alerts now that detect when say, a customer who lives in Buffalo New York is making an out of the ordinary withdrawal in a country formerly under the rule of the Ottoman Empire. They should have detected it and called Keith and said hey, are you in Bulgaria? No, ok, we’ll be working on stopping this charge and getting the money back to you.
More From Consumerist
-
Report: HSBC Will Tell Senate How Super Sorry It Is For Money Laundering
-
HSBC Confuses, Angers Online Customers With Vague New Fees
-
HSBC Executive Apologizes For Lax Controls That Allowed Mexican Drug Cartels To Launder Money
-
HSBC Really Wants Your Cellphone Number To Alert You To Suspicious Activity (Oh, And Also To Make Collections Calls)
-
Report: HSBC To Pay $1.9 Billion To Wash Away Money-Laundering Claims
On the other hand, I went to the UK in 2005, neglected to tell my credit card companies, and in Feb 2006, AmEx called me to ask about potential fraud charges made on my account three months ago. As in, it took them 3 months to think about maybe asking if the charges were valid.
I would imagine that now they’d be more vigilant, since I’m sure identity theft has only gotten worse since then.
@ptkdude:
unless you puechase a bed every month then they need to call you keep in mind that banks dont see what you buy just the name of the merchant. Thats so you wont be embarssed when you get personal things like sex toys. Thats just an example
I just found out yesterday that 2 cash withdrawals on my HSBC card totalling over $1,000 had been effected on my card 2 days ago in Romania. I was in HSBC at the time and was luckily able to speak to a supervisor. They didn’t have the decency so tell me that this was a problem that HSBC was having and suggested that this probably occurred when I used my card at a restaurant. They closed down my card and PIN and told me I would be credited in 5 to 10 business days. Unfortunately for me, this was the only money I had; I had 2 dollars left in my pocket. They said they felt really badly for me but there was nothing they could do. I then had to start making phone calls to hunt down a family member to lend me a couple of hundred dollars to see me through the “5 to 10 business days”. Had I known at the time that this was a recurring HSBC problem, I would have insisted that my money been returned immediately.
@mouse63: as you can see by other peoples comments theres no chance of getting your money immediately, so give that idea up right now. I am surprised however that the supervisor did not tell you anything about it. Actually come to think of it, I am not. This is a problem that all banks are having but HSBC is getting all the credit as being the only one. You should expect to wait ten full business days.The branch rep should have offered you options to help with this dilemma but maybe she did not know what to do. I think the lines of communication ned to be open ,but no ones going to tell you something that will further upset you. That would not make sense.
HSBC Bank, as verified with me on a 3-way call with a live CSR from LIFELOCK (identity fraud protection agency that I use), did/does not follow the simple procedures for identity “fraud alerts” placed on credit reports.
I currently have a “fraud alert on my credit report which requires the recipient of any credit application in my name to call me to verify my identity before viewing my report to approve/deny credit my credit worthiness. HSBC failed to do that.
During the 1st few calls regarding this fraud alert with HSBC, they admitted that my application was denied due to the alert, yet they could not describe the proper procedure that they were suppose to have taken (calling me to verify my identity). After several more calls to HSBC executives, the story changed. Suddenly, CSRs were telling me that my app was denied for other reasons, but not due to my fraud alert. They also were suddenly able (sounding like they were reading from some new script) to describe in detail the procedure they would take if there was a fraud alert on a credit report. They told me, with Lifelock CSR on the phone (to verify that there was a fraud alert on all my credit reports), there was no fraud alert and that my app was denied for other reasons.
What this means is that HSBC is either lying to cover their asses or that they looked at my credit report with a fraud alert on it without verifying my identity.
So what is worse….. the flat out lying/dishonesty of a BANK, or failing to respect a fraud alert to keep someone’s identity protected???
What is really the kicker here is that this was for a tax refund aticipation loan through H&R Block. The company that does the taxes for so many of us, trusts this bank HSBC, the world leader of identity theft (so I’ve read), with our most personal financial info such as our income taxes??? I would think that a company like H&R Block would have more sense to trust a more secure bank that has better customer service.
That what I call Risky Business!!!!!!!!
Just to be fair HSBC Bank and Hsbc credit card services are not the same thing. So its not the dishnesty of the bank but the CSR that you spoke to
Uuh, okay freedom69…just to be fair to Keith, HSBC CService in India gave me the same explanation verbatim in January. They then gave my boyfriend an identical lecture in mid-February. They were however, friendly and serious once we got past their initial wacky and inexplicable responses.
Luckily for me, I was amongst the first of thousands of NYers from whom Bulgarian/Romanian/Sunset Blvd 7Eleven sticky fingers lifted $2,000-$4,000. (The stellar fraud unit expedited my case, and the $ was back in my account 4 days later).
By the way ConnertheCat, HSBC’s fraud unit IS, in fact, in Buffalo. I would have immediately been transferred there during business hours, but the thieves are clever little buggers, so they steal on bank holiday weekends while HSBC seemingly fumbles about for a few days.
For the following reasons, I suspect HSBC allows the fraud to occur:
Firstly, the FBI is investigating the ring, so they need fraud to occur to follow the trail.
Secondly, I was able to use my card over the weekend after the pathetic scum on Sunset Blvd stole money with which I would normally feed my niece and nephew.
Thirdly, I had only $650 in my account. If I had attempted to withdraw $3,400 in $400 increments over 10 minutes 2000 miles away from a $40 withdrawal 1 hour earlier, NO ATM would permit me to do so. I think they are now capping the bugger punks at $2,000-whether or not that amount is in the victim’s account…my boyfriend’s account had only $700 when the replay occurred over President’s Day wknd. (CS in India told him that AOL was holding $1,500)!!
Fourthly, during my initial freak out call to CS after India transferred me to the US call center, the rep told me that there was a note on my account that HSBC had already caught the fraudulent activity, and that was why I could not access funds…not the negative $1,900. OYy. Will anyone ever read this?
OR, it’s easy to byspass HSBC’s security net on cash limits once someone already has your Debit card # and PIN#.
Ultimately, the lesson here is simple; When you are cold and need funds in Brooklyn nowhere near any banks, just go hungry and cold. DO NOT use the Deli ATM machine at Coney Island Ave and Cortelyou. They will copy your ATM card as you withdraw cash, and film you as you enter your PIN #. You will return a week later, again cold and hungry negative $3,000, and notice that the deli purchased a new ATM machine…huh. No way to trace how they sold your info to their bugger buddies in LA, Bulgaria and Romania.
Keith, did you use one of those machines?
OR, HSBC has absolutely no security net for their ATM cards.
By the by, in order for th