Applying for HSBC Advance account when on a low income.

JuicyJesus

veryintrigued wrote: »

Congratulations - that's fraud!

I look forward to the follow-ups, "Why did HSBC close my account?" and "Why can't I open a bank account anywhere?".

veryintrigued

JuicyJesus wrote: »

I look forward to the follow-ups, "Why did HSBC close my account?" and "Why can't I open a bank account anywhere?".

Posting advice like this is naïve (from SA96).

If you look at this persons posting history they were highlighting the fact that they ignored HSBCs request for three months of salary slips.

If it were me I would be conscious that a little more digging and HSBC will be able to identify them on age, live with parents statement, stated salary and lack of salary evidence alone from their posting history.

Edit - this thread topic also made me smile

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/71219741#Comment_71219741

Hopefully SA96 revisits this thread and acknowledges his unsound advice and life lesson so we can all redact our responses.

badger09

JIL wrote: »

I was all ready to transfer my FD account, and was keen to set up a savings account.

Why?

What is wrong with the FD regular saver?

soulsaver

soulsaver wrote: »

I got an acceptance letter in about 7-10 days, (2nd Jan) with a signature form to post back.. then after another week, after a call to them,
'...we haven't received the form - phone back next week..'

Then on Monday gone (16th) '...we've got it (on 12th Jan)... but we haven't looked at it yet as we work through them roughly date order... I'll put a chase on it to get the telephone banking code asap...' (which you need to register for online banking & subsequent switch.)
(How long does that take?)
We'll call you..
(When -ish?)
'This week...probably..' (..which ends today, Friday)...
So probably 5 weeks elapsed so far but TBF Christmas is in there.

So - they got back today as promised, to say the account is open, details, card & initial security number which I'll need to register for online etc. is in the post..

Edited the quote to include dates that I've now come across again.

JIL

badger09 wrote: »

Why?

What is wrong with the FD regular saver?

I had it for a year and it matured.
I haven't been that impressed by FD, however I am not impressed by HSBC so far.
I hoped to take advantage of a switching bonus and higher interest saving.

bigadaj

JIL wrote: »

I had it for a year and it matured.
I haven't been that impressed by FD, however I am not impressed by HSBC so far.
I hoped to take advantage of a switching bonus and higher interest saving.

Well they are the same bank after all.

soulsaver

HSBC Advance account opening; I hope the info may help people watch out for the tripping points:

I've edited some of the info to come in line with their jargon and the incorrect understanding of their process.

I applied on-line Dec 12th (so Xmas is a factor)

I got an acceptance letter in about couple of weeks, (2nd Jan) with a sample signature form to post back..

After another week, after a call to them (9th), '...we haven't received the signature form - phone back next week..'

Then another call on Monday (16th) '...we've got it (got on 12th Jan)... but we haven't looked at it yet as we work through them roughly date order... I'll put a chase on it to get the telephone banking security number set-up asap...' which you need to register for on-line banking & subsequent switch.
(How long does that take?)
'We'll call you..'
(When -ish?)
'This week...probably..' (which ended Friday 20th).
So probably 5 weeks elapsed so far but TBF Christmas is in there.
So - they got back 20th as promised, to say the account is open (but it wasn't - see later), details, card & initial security number which I'll need to register for on-line etc. is in the post..

I got nothing until Thursday 02/02/17 - and then just a debit card - no pin - no telephone code. But the debit card shows ac no & sort code (obviously). So I go back to the registration page... but I need the telephone banking security code.

So I ring the helpline and after much frustration with the automated call answering I finally get to an agent - who tells me she can help.

So (note) after security checks (DoB, Card Number (although already entered) etc - which they confusingly call identity checks) she puts me through to an on-the-phone system where you key in your chosen 6 to 10 numeral telephone banking security number... twice to be sure.. then transferred back to her, for a bon voyage, and any other ???s & offers to send a video of how to register.

She also offers to do reg for OB over the phone: How long does it take? 20 minutes. Me:I'll do it on-line.

I'm busy so I leave on-line registration until the evening (mistake, in hindsight) CS not open after 18:00

So armed with my debit card & my telephone security pin I settle down after dinner to register.

Get to the registration screen: sort code, done; ac no, done; DoB, done; Telephone sec key, done; Click continue - ERROR you have not supplied correct info - phone this CS number - quote error code HK1.

Cancel & go back to start - I fill it all in again with close attention, click continue - ERROR you have not supplied correct info - phone this number - quote error code HK1.

I fiddle around with it for a while before giving up... unimpressed.

So, new day, and settle down to phone the help line - get the automated choices cr*p and key sort code, ac no, Dob.... and get 'can't match your details'. Ah methinks someone has screwed up the DoB in their system, but it worked the previous day??

But JIC you do it again - just exclude the fat finger doubt - same fail.

Then you push random buttons until you get we'll put you through to an operator... then the aggravation of '..all our operators are busy...' & additional wind-up '... have you tried our on-line banking...'

Then some music (decent IMO - sound like east coast modern jazz, possibly Earl Klugh on acoustic gee tar) - couple of tracks of that later I get the ringing out tone ... and finally a lady's voice... with a Philippines accent.

Me: Are you in the UK? No - Philippines. How can I help?

I give the summary to date. She apologises & says she can resolve this & I will be on-line banking with HSBC today.

So I'll take you through security - fails. DoB: Did you say 5 or 6? '5'

That's incorrect she says. No it's not - I say - I'm fully aware of my correct date of birth.

She - it's not what we have here.

Me- How did I get through your security yesterday? (But it's dawning on me why I couldn't register on-line - they've input the incorrect DoB).

She can you hold on? Music again. Then after a few mins- additional security questions and then 'Right that's been corrected'

Then (was still on the phone but she offers to phone me back) on my PC I open HSBC.co uk/register/ go through the set up which takes 10 mins to complete, chhosing the usual security questions inputting answers etc.

Original attempt, after getting the DoB 'wrong' apparently it suspended the telephone security pin - so no matter what 'correction' I tried wouldn't have worked. Duh!

Now we're all sorted? Well, no - 'cos now I'm waiting for the digital key. Can I use my First Direct one? No, she says it won't work.

I can't set up a new payee on-line without it - she seemed unclear whether you can with telephone banking (like FD can).

PS There is another idiosyncrasy - you choose a user name (not case sensitive) which must comply with several criteria including must be unique . For convenience I wanted to use my First Direct user name which is unusual in 13 characters - it failed on 'not unique' so I guess it must be checkin.

I subsequently opened the reg saver - appears you don't need the key for that...:)

Now do I wait for the key before initiating the switch? ermm..

badger09

Oh dear.

If you just want to bag a switch bonus, I'd say go ahead. If you want to use it as a proper current account, I'd definitely wait until I had everything in place:cool:

Katiehound

and as I have said before, quite a few times! If you can get into a local branch it is far far easier and quicker...........

soulsaver

Katiehound wrote: »

and as I have said before, quite a few times! If you can get into a local branch it is far far easier and quicker...........

There's not one local to me.
My OH was interested ... at one time. What's the branch process like? Can you open it in branch with one visit?