First Direct fraud block abroad, is this really a reasonable process?

wmb194

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82101076#Comment_82101076

First Direct is HSBC.

mta999

yes I do know that FD is owned by HSBC but FD is definitely not HSBC

Rich1976

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82101079#Comment_82101079

first direct is just a brand name of HSBC.

Amh2026

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82101076#Comment_82101076

I strongly agree. I've raised the issue now and hopefully highlighted what I think are valid points not just me moaning or a lack of responsibility. These may help bring change but I am most definitely not hanging around and will be moving our accounts because FD has certainly not lived up to what I expected. Will keep all posted re any response but not holding my breath.

mta999

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82101324#Comment_82101324

They are two different banks even though one is owned by the other

In the same way as Lloyds and Halifax or Nationwide and Virgin Money or back in the day Lloyds and TSB

They do of course share a lot of backend systems and corporate staff so they are not totally independent but when it comes to which bank to choose you should consider them as separate entities when deciding which is best for you

In regard to the OP's specific problem, FD and HSBC have different customer service staff and it may well be that HSBC would have handled the situation better

jimjames

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82101324#Comment_82101324

FD is far more than just rebranding of HSBC. Everything is different from their app to call centre and processes even if the owner is HSBC.

Tommaso46

Does this have something to do with Brexit? I hope First Direct are aware that their practices are being discussed in this forum - and that as a consequence, they are improving their systems. I hope they are not triggering investigation processes simply because someone uses their card outside the UK.

Rich1976

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82101782#Comment_82101782

yes I know. We’ve banked with them for about a decade and they are superior to ‘HSBC’ in many ways

Rich1976

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82101723#Comment_82101723

yes I know . Alternatively HSBC could have handled it much worse .
it could be that the other person was dealing with an HSBC call centre employee instead of a First Direct one.

When we had fraud on our card a while back I was put through to an HSBC one.

victor2

I had a problem with my FD debit card in Vietnam - no SMS as I was using a local SIM and didn't have my UK one working. I could see on their website that the only way to talk to them was through their App, which I didn't have. Used hotel Wifi to install the App and got through to them and the problem was sorted.

A different scenario, but I was in the UK when I got an SMS from FD saying they'd declined a couple of fraudulent looking attempts to use my card. It wasn't me, I let them know that and they cancelled my card and sent me a new one which arrived within a few days. Wouldn't help if you were abroad, which comes back to having another means of paying. I always keep two credit cards active, one on Visa and one on Mastercard, so that if one of the networks goes down, the other will hopefully still work.If both go down, we'll be in the same boat as many people, so won't feel too alone!