HSBC froze credit and debit account

cauley81

Really annoyed with HSBC. I already have a bank account with them. I have for years. Never had an issue. I also have a Tesco bank credit card that’s coming to the end of its 0% period. I applied for a 0% balance transfer card with HSBC in the week and was accepted. The card came the next day and I activated it on line. All ok so far. The following day I actioned the balance transfer from my tesco card to the new HSBC one. Again all ok without an issue. 

My car insurance is also due, so yesterday morning I found a good deal and decided to buy. I didn’t want to pay on my old tesco card. My new HSBC was activated so went to pay on that. I put the details on the payment screen. The security message came up that sometimes does when you pay online. As it’s the first time I’d paid with the card I’d expected it. They wanted to send a verification code by text or email, I selected text. I entered the code and it wa accepted, however the next page then said the bank declined payment. I didn’t really think anything of it. New card and all. I didn’t bother trying again as knew they’d probably block the card. 

About an hour later, I got a call off HSBC fraud team, stating unusual payment attempted on the card, they quoted the figure and car insurance company and I said, yes that was me, trying to get my car insurance. They said, unfortunately it’s raised issues so we need to block your credit card, and hers the killer, and my linked bank account. I made him repeat it. I said it was me who tried paying, no one else. Why you blocking my bank account too. I can’t go into that sir was all I got. I was fuming. No access to any money. I was told to expect a phone call once it’s all sorted, but they can’t give me a time frame. I rang them back after a couple of hours yesterday, but they won’t tell me anything or give any indication when I can access my money again??

i don’t understand what the issue is. I’ve previously had an issue years ago and they thought there was a dodgy payment, but they called me, I confirmed it was me trying to make the payment, they then alllowed it through, unblocked my account there and then. Don’t understand why this is different, and why they blocked my main debit account too. I checked my transactions on my account. Nothing out of the ordinary at all.  It would take someone 30seconds to look at the account and see that. 

I’m now 24 hours later, no word off HSBC, no idea when I’ll have access to my accounts again. Luckily I went food shopping on Friday so at least we’ve food in. So annoyed they can just block the account for something not out of the ordinary, and something I’ve confirmed it was me. No other out of ordinary transactions, should’ve been sorted there and then yesterday when they called me initially. 

Has anyone else had similar issues, or any idea how long their ridiculous investigation will take?
 

D3xt3r5L4b

Of course they can block things for suspect fraud.
They need to complete their investigations which can take up to 8 weeks. 

cauley81

How’s it fraud? It’s trying to buy car insurance on the card and then blocking that and the linked bank account. It’s literally as simple as that. Would take all of 5 mins to look at the accounts. There’s no backwards, forwards payments, just standard direct debits and shop payments.  Leaving us without access to any money to buy food. 

cauley81

If they suspect an issue, block the credit card. I don’t see the reason to block my debit account too. 

D3xt3r5L4b

I said suspected fraud.
Fraud can be anything including spending on a card not just money mule-ing. 

Do you not have another bank account with money in you can use? 

cauley81

No. Hence the frustration. Been at the address 6 years, had the car 4 years, got mortgage, phone account, previous bank/credit card accounts, all linked to my name, address, DOB etc. Exactly the same as this transaction, nothing has changed. If it was in a different name, or address, I can understand it raising a red flag to them, but everything is status quo, that’s why I don’t understand the drastic action in blocking both. 

cauley81

Quick update. Finally all sorted over live chat after confirming it was me making the transaction. Even though I told them yesterday over the phone it was me. Seems like some extra training required there 

happy_hazelnuts

i suspect for whatever reason when they talked to you on the phone they didn't believe it was you and blocked everything. normally, as you say, the call goes without problem but this time they didn't believe you!

xlnc99

D3xt3r5L4b said:

I said suspected fraud.
Fraud can be anything including spending on a card not just money mule-ing. 

Do you not have another bank account with money in you can use? 

Gary Dexter - is that you with another username?

How is this suspected fraud when the op admitted it was him purchasing the car insurance. How is money muling applicable to this scenario - please enlighten us all

cymruchris

xlnc99 said:

Gary Dexter - is that you with another username?

Yes I'm confident it is.

cymruchris

If there was even an element of doubt in the call handlers mind - they would have blocked your card. It's very inconvenient granted - but at least it's been resolved fairly (less than 8 weeks!) quickly. You know it was you, but something made them think it possibly wasn't you. They probably did the right thing trying to protect your (and their) money. It was possibly linked to it being a fairly large value transaction as the first use of the card itself. No matter though, it's resolved now, glad to hear you got a positive outcome.