HSBC

I received my card, along with TWO ADDITIONAL LETTERS: one had an electronic banking code, and the second had a 6 digit phone access code. Together with the card, this was THREE SEPARATE PIECES OF MAIL from HSBC (I'll tie all this together, just be patient). I activated the card using the website address on the sticker affixed to the front of the card, and went online to change the 6 digit access code. BAM! After I changed the code, I was notified there was a security hold on my card. A card I had NEVER USED. I called the number on the card, and was transferred 3 times, after being told I needed the "fraud apps" team. FIVE ** HOURS ON THE PHONE, and by the time I got a live person, and had to answer a barrage of security questions REPEATEDLY, I was told that department is closed FOR THE WEEKEND. What legit credit card doesn't have 24/7 access and support? NONE. That's how many. NONE.

I would have forgotten the card, but as mentioned, my daughter has medical expenses, and that $5,000 was going to help. So I called again on Monday. FOUR HOURS ON THE PHONE. They sent a letter requiring identifying documentation: EITHER a passport, driver's license or ID as photo identification, a form from the social security administration to verify my social security number, and a request for a utility bill or bank statement to verify my home address. I sent a copy of my passport card. NOPE. After another 4 hours on the phone, was told it had to be the actual passport, not the card. Sent that. NOPE.

I completed the PRE-APPROVED application using my driver's license number, so they needed that, not my passport. REALLY? Your letter said I could provide a passport OR driver's license. Now you need both? Okay. Submitted that. But it has my mailing address/office on it, whereas my bank statement has my home address. So now I need to submit documentation to verify BOTH addresses - my home and my mailing address. Hey, morons. You sent me the card at my mailing address. You sent me the access code I'm using to call you to that address. If it wasn't a real address, we would not be having these (now over 20 hours) of ** conversations. OH, and about that bank statement. The bottom right corner was cut off, so it wasn't accepted, although the address and all identifying information was perfectly clear. Guess that "page 1" makes a hell of a difference in identifying me. IDIOTS.

Okay, so I submit my mobile bill as proof of my office/mailing address. NOPE. Need a utility bill. Hey morons, I don't get the utility bills at my office. I get them at home. And I already provided you with proof of that address. In between this, the social security form was rejected because I forgot to check a box. I told them go ahead and check it for me. Nope, you have to do it. Which I did, and paid $7 for the post office to scan and re-send. GREAT NEWS! The social security form was accepted. Except then when I called back today to find out the status I found it wasn't accepted. "I don't see that in the notes here." "OH, and did you submit your driver's license?" "Yes, last week." "I don't see that here." Oh, no wait...here's a note. I guess your social security administration form was accepted, but we still need a utility bill FROM YOUR MAILING ADDRESS.

Sir, once again, there are no utility bills for my post office box. But you did mail me the card and TWO OTHER PIECES OF MAIL to that address. Is common sense non-existent on this planet any longer? I have bought cars worth $85,000 and had lines of credit for thousands with less issues than this ** $5000 card. SO...a few years ago HSBC was hit with fines for money laundering. In response, they implemented such ridiculous security measures you'd think you were buying a house worth millions. And who in the world feels comfortable email every piece of identifying documentation?? AND, their "fraud" team is only in India. Nothing in the US. Nothing in the UK. WTF? And they are closed on weekends.

As if that isn't ridiculous enough, you can't even understand anyone who answers the phone. They just read off of their little script and have zero idea what you are talking about. Robots. Orwellian. Oh, and that is actually WHEN they answer the phone. It has now been 2 weeks and my "active" card is not active, and I spent today and yesterday at the US Passport Agency and the Department of Motor Vehicles putting fraud alerts on my documentation. So now I have TSA issues to worry about next time I travel just for trying to protect myself from these fraudsters. Again, it was only my daughter's mounting medical bills that are not covered by insurance they kept me going back.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE avoid this bank and anything to do with them. It's a SCAM and you will never be able to use the card, and they will take all of your personal documentation and clone your identity and ruin your credit. Report this bank and shut them down. Some terrorist could be running around with your driver's license or passport number. And since when is a driver's license a form of ID? IT'S TO DRIVE A CAR. A passport will always supercede a driver's license. I hate these people, and I'm so angry that I was stupid enough to provide this information out of desperation to save my child. WORST BANK EVER. They are not even a bank. It is a SCAM to fund terrorists. STAY AWAY. REPORT THEM!

A few weeks later they blocked my account again for the same reason--logging from another location and my response was the same. This time they went above and beyond asking all kinds of questions that I did give a correct answer to. From SS#, address, phone numbers, and so on and so forth. First they asked me why was my phone number not registered under my name and I said because I have a family plan with my partner register under his; then they asked for his name. Then they asked what other banks I've had and if I recently made any transfers to what I gave them the right answer.

They kept on going with questions about other stuff even dare to tell me "Why did you open 2 accounts with 2 different banks on the same month? That's suspicious!." Like really? I can open as many accounts as I want in the time period I want. They called my financial institution to verify all my personal information with them and even then they were still doubting me (the bank institution did verify all the info with my authorization over the line). They asked "What is the source of your income" and I replied, "Obviously my job." They asked for my workplace, the reason I opened the account.... Blah blah blah.... I swear I ended up saying, "So what else do you need from me? A DNA test?"

I got so aggravated I told them I was feeling harassed and that they were making me feel like a criminal or fraudster; and why would I bother going through all this for a few dollars. I only had less than $125 on the account; like really? All this trouble "to protect my account" with just a few dollars on it. After 1 hour and 20 minutes they restored my access.

All in all I'm done with this institution. They humiliated me to the point I cried and for what? To lose another unhappy customer. This institution seems like a scam and control everything you put with them. Luckily it was only a savings account. I couldn't imagine doing other business with them. PLEASE THINK TWICE BEFORE DOING BUSINESS WITH THEM. I have the information of the people I dealt with but obviously I know they are following protocol and guidance. I'm not blaming those specific people but the process and policy of the company that seems like non-sense in some ways to me.

I ended up sending them photocopies of my drivers license, passport, utility bill, and a form authorizing them to verify my social security number. Finally after two weeks my application was approved and the $1 deposit was credited to my account. I received an email with some credentials and telling me that I would receive my security code by either text message or if authorized by postal mail within 7 business days. I cannot receive text messages or voicemail on my landline. I watched my postal mail for the following two weeks and nothing was received. Without the security code online banking cannot occur.

I finally called HSBC in regard to the security code. I waited 35 minutes to reach an agent. I asked if I could receive my security code by postal mail. I was told in order to do this I would need to accept a text message. I gave them my cell phone number. It was rejected because my cellphone was not registered with my savings account. They then said that I could receive a code via my voicemail, but my landline does not have voicemail. I was then told that I could give them the last four digits of my HSBC credit or debit card, but I don't have either type of account.

Finally, I was told I must appear in person at an HSBC branch within the next 24 hours to verify my identity. I live in Wisconsin. The closest branch is in the Washington, D.C. area. I asked if there were any other alternatives and I was told that there were none. I am glad that I only deposited one dollar. This account will remain dormant indefinitely. I will find somewhere else to deposit funds from my inheritance. Having an account with HSBC is not worth the hassle!

I did that immediately. But then never heard back!!! I called on day 3 to ask for the situation and was told that my email was not received. I resent the screenshot on the same day and called to confirm. The second guy from efraud told me they actually received all my messages. He even read my email out loud. I tried to interrupt because I knew what I had written, he kept going without letting me speak. He told me the reason for no reply is because my system language is in a language other than English so that they couldn't process my message. But they never told me until I called.

I then changed my system language and resend a screenshot. To date I have never received any reply. I NEED TO ACCESS MY ACCOUNT! Every time I call it took me more than 1 hour and I'm not going to call again. My next step is to contact the relationship manager to ask him/her cancel my account without penalty because the fault is completely on efraud's team.

Another thing that really bothered me is that they treat you like a criminal unless otherwise proven. Why do I have to deal with the fraud department of some bank if I want to open a simple savings account. I'm a very honest citizen who is investing my hard earned money. If HSBC has an unusual problem with fraud and money laundering they should probably put their executives under investigation and not honest and hard working citizens. ** HSBC and hope not to ever see you again!

I called again over the weekend (because I have a JOB during the week) and no one could help me because the fraud department was closed on the weekends. Seriously???! I arranged for a customer service to call me on Monday at 330 pm EST to resolve this issue. It's currently 11:10 am on Monday morning. HSBC called me at 10am on my cell phone (not on my work phone as requested) and left ANOTHER message asking me to return their call referencing a 9 digit number. As I am typing this I have been on hold for 37 minutes. And this is all to resolve something that NEVER should have been an issue. I will stop banking with them just as soon as I can.