Issues - HSBC - Card One Banking - Wrong Sort Code

IrisK

I have done what millions of people have done before me, I have transferred some money to someone's account using the wrong sort code. So far so good - BUT after 5 months of dealing with both HSBC (my bank) and Card One Banking (the acquiring bank) I am not getting anywhere. Both banks claim they don't have the money and are less than helpful.

Has anyone had a similar experience before? Any idea how I can get this resolved or do I need to resort to legal action? (which I want to avoid if possible)

Any help would be very much appreciated!

Iris

Premier_2

If it's the wrong sort code, are you sure Card One Banking is the acquiring bank?

Anyway, any legal action would probably need to be against the person you gave the money to in error should they refuse to return it. Your problem is identifying who you gave it to.

IrisK

Hello Premier! thanks for your answer
I only got the last two numbers wrong - I did check with Card One Banking AND NatWest (Card One Banking is an affiliate of NatWest) - I think a bank is identified by the first two numbers of a sort code (someone correct me if I am wrong) - see Wikipedai on sort codes (not allowed to paste links )

I also have two official letters from HSBC stating that the money was sent off to that sort code and never returned. I also have a formal letter stating that I actioned the same payment a few days after the person who was supposed to receive the money stated that she hadn't received it.

If the account number is ok and the first two letters of the sort code then no other person would have received the money I am fairly sure. It must be in a suspension account on either Card One Banking's or HSBC's side.

natweststaffmember

IrisK wrote: »

Hello Premier! thanks for your answer
I only got the last two numbers wrong - I did check with Card One Banking AND NatWest (Card One Banking is an affiliate of NatWest) - I think a bank is identified by the first two numbers of a sort code (someone correct me if I am wrong) - see Wikipedai on sort codes (not allowed to paste links )

I also have two official letters from HSBC stating that the money was sent off to that sort code and never returned. I also have a formal letter stating that I actioned the same payment a few days after the person who was supposed to receive the money stated that she hadn't received it.

If the account number is ok and the first two letters of the sort code then no other person would have received the money I am fairly sure. It must be in a suspension account on either Card One Banking's or HSBC's side.

Iris, the bank that has sent the money should do what is called a trace on the money. This should confirm that the money has or has not reached the intended destination ie Card One Bank(??). However, if the money has not been returned then it may(speculating here) have been sent to a genuine account number and sort code in error. That means that HSBC as the paying bank would have to write to the bank asking for the money back(they would contact their customer to debit the account but unfortunately there is no way of guaranteeing that that person will agree to it being given back). The scenario finally could potentially mean a loss of the money by the mistake you made since the only other recourse ultimately could be suing the wrongful beneficiary and that could be hard.
The initial stage should be HSBC tracing the payment and confirming it has been received into the account number and sort code it was sent to.

IrisK

Hello natweststaffmember, thanks for your post. HSBC has done a trace and told me that the money has been sent to this (wrong) sort code and the account number of the person who was intended to receive the money. I have an official letter that was sent to Card One Banking.

Both Card One Banking and NatWest couldn't find the sort code I inadvertently made up... so I assume it doesn't exist?

I don't think it went into anyone else's account as the sort code doesn't exist at all? (and it is a NatWest sort code as it starts with 20..)
Also, HSBC and Card One Banking could have confirmed that it went into someone else's account which would have taken me off their backs but didn't. Only HSBC are adamant the money was sent off to he acquiring bank - whatever happened then no one can tell me. Fair enough it was my mistake but this has happened to lots of people I know and they never experienced any issues with their banks in getting the money back. Fair enough it took a while but at least they got some kind of answers and not just someone shrugging their shoulders. Even though I have to say that HSBC are at least keen on answering back quicly and calling back within a few hours whereas Card One Banking are just staggeringly incompetent and unfriendly - or maybe pretending to be so.

I might try my luck with NatWest today

IrisK

Oh, and HSBC did agree on contacting the beneficiary bank on my behalf - so we'll see what comes out of this. Sigh, what a nightmare.

Premier_2

IrisK wrote: »

... HSBC has done a trace and told me that the money has been sent to this (wrong) sort code and the account number of the person who was intended to receive the money.

...I don't think it went into anyone else's account as the sort code doesn't exist at all? ...

It doesn't sound like HSBC has done a proper trace, both on the evidence you have given and the timeframe involved. I suspect they just looked to see where you asked the money to be sent to - this is different to perfoming a trace of where the money actually went.

I would go back to HSBC and insist they do a proper trace.
If the account details you asked the money to be sent to does not exist, the the trace will show where the money is now.

IrisK

Oh ok, thanks Premier. Will go back to them now!