HSBC Scam???

Mahesh_Rajagopal

I received 2 letters from HSBC recently which contained a business banking debit card and a pin generating device. But I have never had an account with HSBC ever nor had I applied for one.
Though initial thoughts were that it could be fraud, the authenticity of the letter and its contents still bewildered me.
So I decided to call HSBC and query this. After 30 mnts which included waiting times, transferring me one from department to another and my story narration the call got disconnected. I called again but with the same fate, only this time the guy disconnected me. I had given them my number in case the call disconnects but no luck. I called again the 3rd time but with the same fate and no call back even though I gave them my mobile number. 3 calls out of which 2 were disconnected by them lasted almost 3 hours and still no call back.
Anyone had a similar experience?
Anyone knows what best to do?

Max

pbartlett

what number did you call? You could try the lost / stolen number for the card.

it is either an error on their part or someone has opened an account in your name. You could look at your credit file and see if there are any HSBC searches.

Aylesbury_Duck

Could you take the letter and contents into a branch?

JJ_Egan

I had a HSBC text today telling me to update account .

Not a company i would do business with .

As their is no Consumer Rights maybe  Budgeting and Bank accounts would be a more helpful section .

Aylesbury_Duck

JJ_Egan said:

I had a HSBC text today telling me to update account .

Not a company i would do business with .

As their is no Consumer Rights maybe  Budgeting and Bank accounts would be a more helpful section .

Me neither.  The money-laundering scandal and more recently, their support for the Chinese regime's actions against Hong Kong means I wouldn't touch them with a bargepole.

pbartlett

what's a bargepole ? 🙂

Aylesbury_Duck

Sorry, it should have been hyphenated.  Barge-pole. A 10 feet long pole used for propelling a barge.  And would still mean HSBC are too close.

Sandtree

Unusual to think that the letter itself is a fake rather than to think its genuinely from HSBC but is a fraudster applying for an account using your address.

Given these are for a business account what is the name on the letter? Is it addressed to you or someone else? Any business name in the address at all?

eddddy

Mahesh_Rajagopal said:

I called again but with the same fate, only this time the guy disconnected me. I had given them my number in case the call disconnects but no luck.

Just to be clear - why did the guy disconnect you?

For example, was it because you were asking lots of questions and trying to be a detective?  Why did you want to give HSBC your mobile number? Why do you want them to call you back?

Presumably they took details of the name on the letter, the card number etc, so there is probably nothing more they need from you.

They won't discuss anything about the account, their security procedures, or their investigation with you.

They don't know you, and as far as they are concerned, you might be the scammer who has opened the fake account, or you might be a scammer who keeps phoning to try to find out details about somebody else's legitimate business account.

If that's the case, maybe it's not surprising that they kept disconnecting you.

Mahesh_Rajagopal

pbartlett said:

what number did you call? You could try the lost / stolen number for the card.

it is either an error on their part or someone has opened an account in your name. You could look at your credit file and see if there are any HSBC searches.

Thank you for your input. I called them today and they have started an investigation and said that they shall revert in 2 was time. They were as surprised as I was. The scammer had got my DOB wrong but it’s still scary to see that the scammer took it to that level. But I wonder what kind of checks and processes does does the bank have in place to allow such things. Is it that easy to fabricate with a reputed bank?

Mahesh_Rajagopal

Aylesbury_Duck said:

Could you take the letter and contents into a branch?

Thought of doing it but when I called again today, the lady was helpful and initiated an investigation. Fingers crossed.
thank u.