WARNING: First Direct now using overseas call centres

baby_frogmella

I hold a 1st Account with First Direct and in the last few days I used my debit card to make a number of large transactions, definitely not my normal spending pattern. Unsuprisingly I received a call from their Fraud Dept yesterday asking me to confirm these transactions which i did. However the strange thing was that their
Fraud Dept is now based in India...this was confirmed to me by the agent who said their centre deals with both HSBC and First Direct customers issues. Having been with FD since 1997, this NEVER used to be the case...everything from fraud issues to foreign transactions was done in-house at either their Leeds or Hamilton call centres.

Of course, there's nothing wrong with overseas call centres if they can satisfactorily resolve customers issues. But anyone who has a HSBC bank account (i had one until recently) will know that HSBC also use Phillipines and Indian call centres for day to day phone enquiries...from my experience around 50% of telephone calls get routed to these call centres and god have mercy on you if you ever have to deal with these people. Even First Direct's secure messages sent through internet banking appear to get answered by their overseas team.

I don't think anyone will disagree that First Direct's biggest selling point is excellent customer service based in UK. Even though their day to day banking team is still UK based, it wouldn't surprise me if they merged more departments with HSBCs and used more overseas call centres. Might have to return to the likes of Nationwide or N&P (who use UK call centres only) if/when First Direct's customer services becomes on a par with HSBCs.

vax2002

None of these over seas countries are subject to data protection laws.

meer53

First Directs Fraud Team is based in Leeds.

Their Fraud Detection department is based in India and has been for a number of years now. This team contact customers and if fraud is confirmed, the cards are stopped and the case is passed to the Fraud team in Leeds to speak to the customer.

mrmajika

A lot of FD's back office functions are based in India (HSBC offices).

When you phone them you are guaranteed to have your call answered by a UK based person, however, if they are calling out to you, you sometimes get an agent based in India.

This has been the case since I joined in 2007.

GrungeMeister

I've been with FD since 1990. And I've been called, on a number of occasions since then, by FD representatives from India regarding what they consider "unusual transactions" on my account ... all legitimate purchases.

I'm glad they're on the ball, tbh. It's reassuring to know that someone is looking out for me, even if they're based overseas.

samwsmith1

I've had messages left several times from FDs fraud dept in India asking me to call back, I've even had text messages.

When I've called back the UK call centre transfers me to the India to confirm the card transactions.

CKhalvashi

I’m HSBC, and don’t really care where someone is based, as long as they’re looking out for various things. As a Premier customer, I always speak to someone in the UK, however had a call from an Indian centre earlier regarding a large transaction internationally (I’m in Azerbaijan and the transaction is for 6 figures). I let them know I’m here before I left.

It’s occasionally nice to know that someone’s on the ball. I’m not quite sure why a fraudster would want 138 hire cars and 43 coaches for a month (it’s a business expense), but I’d have gone into one if it had been approved and not weeded out.

CK

InsideInsurance

vax2002 wrote: »

None of these over seas countries are subject to data protection laws.

Unsurprisingly most countries do have data protection laws, even if they are "over seas".

HSBC/FD remain liable for the privacy of your data even if they are shipping it outside of the EEA

neil9313

Alot of wrong info on here regarding FD, HSBC fraud dept is in India, FD are part of HSBC.

No other part of FD are in India.

The OP needs to change the title of post IMHO

WARNING: First Direct now using overseas call centres

Dawning

The first post put me into a bit of a spin. Having banked with FD for about 10 years I've always found their call centre staff to be very helpful, friendly and like most people who bank with FD great customer service overall. So I was really disappointed to read the thread title.

Thanks to everyone who's replied and explained it a bit better.
That said, M&S card use an Indian call centre to deal with potential fraud issues and I've had so many problems with them that I hardly ever use that card now....

Pugwash69

Almost had me worried for a moment there too! I've recently moved to FD, because when LloydsTSB think there's suspicious transactions on your debit card they just stop them and block the card. They don't actually phone you. At least that's my experience on the last 3 or 4 times.