Details asked when activating a HSBC debit card?

Notepad_Phil

I have a rather anxious friend who has just received a replacement debit card and is worried that if they phone up the number that is on the letter to activate it then that it will ask for some detail that they don't have easy access to e.g. what their balance was on a specific date or something like that which means they should have kept their statements for the last 6 months. They are currently shielding so they can't get to an atm to do it that way and they don't trust the internet so they can't log on.

I've never had a HSBC account so don't know for sure but I reckon that they'll probably only be asked to enter the debit card number along with their date of birth. Is there anyone out there who could confirm that, or if not that then what are they likely to be asked.

Many thanks for any help.

Armorica

From memory it's just an automated line - you're not asked any questions by a human. (Could have confused with other bank's processes!) 

colsten

They won't be asking questions  they do not know the answer to. Your friend can also use online banking or the HSBC app to activate the card. It's a simple thing to do, they just want to be sure the card has been received and activated by the account holder. They check this via the secure key, or the biometrics in the app.

https://www.hsbc.co.uk/help/card-support/activating-your-card/

Notepad_Phil

Thanks for the answers. Unfortunately they're old school in their banking so no app, online access, etc. In the past they've been able to go to a cash machine to activate a new card by just entering their pin, but with shielding that's not an option and they're anxious about what the leaflet says about asking them personal details if they ring to do the activation.

If they know exactly what's going to happen then they're fine and I'm absolutely sure that they'd have no problem with any answers that they're asked, but I doubt that will persuade them to overcome their anxiety that they might be asked something they're not expecting, so unfortunately they're probably going to delay the activation until either they absolutely have to (e.g. because they need to do some online access with it, which thankfully seems to be very infrequent) or until they feel able to go outside, which hopefully won't be too many months.

JustAnotherSaver

It's automated. I can't even remember what was asked of me but it was over in no time. 
Phone the number, if they don't like the question then put the phone down.

Job done. 

born_again

Remember if they start asking for details on any phone call and you are not happy....

Who is in control of the call? YOU ARE... Just end the call.....

But as above it is/was a automated line. So i  think it asks for card no & exp.

General_Grant

born_again said:

Remember if they start asking for details on any phone call and you are not happy....

Who is in control of the call? YOU ARE... Just end the call.....

But as above it is/was a automated line. So i  think it asks for card no & exp.

It's got to want more information than that.  Anyone intercepting a card would have that much knowledge.

pbartlett

from memory - it was a while ago - they ask for dob and the numbers from your postcode