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HSBC Holdings review: credit card ripoffs! 140

K
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12:00 am EDT
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It seems that Credit card companies are ripping the user of their cards. I constantly have to watch for their little tricks.

I have a Best Buy credit card handled through HSBC Retail Services, City of Industry, CA and Wilmington, DE. I made a purchase on March 15, 2007 and decided to take advantage of the 90 days same as cash feature. Their records show that I paid the full amount on May 11th, so I was well within the 90 days. It now appears that I will have to pay an additional $10. Why? Because I did not make a payment between March and May. Dana in Customer Services stated that I am required to make a payment, even though I fulfilled all of the other requirements. The ten dollars is a penalty fee for not making a timely payment. OUTRAGEOUS, SHOCKING, SHAMEFUL, UNPLEASANT, DESPICABLE, OFFENSIVE, AND CONTEMPTIBLE! If I pay in full before the 90 days is elapsed I should not have to pay any additional amount.

I fully intend to contact everyone I can think of to vociferously protest and inform them of this action. Their customer retention will drop by at least one due to this action.

140 comments
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CLINT
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Mar 28, 2008 4:47 pm EDT

http://hsbc-retail-lied.blogspot.com/

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Frances
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Mar 25, 2008 7:07 pm EDT

HSBC must be investigated for consumer fraud, excessive charges and interest rates. They get you caught by offering low interest then really slam it to you if even one payment is late. And they do not negotiate.
On a try it and see whim, I applied for credit at Best Buy and was denied. Later HSBC sent a me letter about the denial. About two months later I get one of those "pre-approved" credit card offers from none other than HSBC! I called to ask what was going on and got a blow off answer.
Oh, and they also send these "pre-approved" credit card offers to my son who is a college freshman and unemployed.
Our government officials should be taking notice and placing restrictions on the greedy, deceitful and abusive credit card industry. Scammers!

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MaryBeth Hernandez
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Jan 20, 2008 4:37 am EST

They apparently finance Costco cards as well, because my sister, who recently died of cancer, got a letter from them saying she owed them $60. I called and explained that she had been really sick unable to leave the house for months and the last I knew, she had a credit with Costco, so I just wanted to know what was charged and by whom before I paid the bill. The lady expressed her sympathies and promised to remail a bill to my sisters address. Three months later, I got another demand letter for an amount $50 higher than the first. Well, tough luck, they can just take us to court to get this money unless they can prove who charged what and where. I have no sympathy for them.

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trisha hall
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Jan 19, 2008 8:40 am EST

Hsbc discreetly changed my payment date from the 29th to the 25th without notifying me. because i always paid online, I was never late until one day, thinking i had enough time, i made a payment on the 27th. my next statement showed a late fee. when i contacted customer service, i was told of the changes made to my statement which was done approximately 3 MONTHS PRIOR! I was so upset. needles to say, they refused to take it off, stating they would forward any unpaid amount to the collection agency. These people are definitely detestable, money hungry losers.

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Anne Bair
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Jan 18, 2008 9:05 pm EST

Definitely watch out with HSBC! It was so hard to pay off my bill because of all these random charges. I called their customer service and the man (who I could barely understand from his bad english) promised that I could pay one lump sum and send it to their overnight. I asked if it was all over if I did that, he promised yes. I asked a second time before the call ended, "Are you sure I will not have any further charges?" He said yes and promised I would get a letter stating my account had been canceled (like I wanted to continue with the Best Buy credit card after THIS).

So. I paid the $450.00 in one solid payment and check my account a few days later. What do I find? A $6.95 charge. Apparently if you don't make monthly payments, the better way for them to rip you off, and instead pay one lump sum, they charge you for it.

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james throckmorton
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Jan 18, 2008 6:46 am EST

I have an accoutn as well with HSBC via a bowflex purchase. Recently a check was made out for 100 and HSBC deposited 1100. It will now take over 30 days for me to recive my 1000 that they took withour any authorization from me to do so in the first place. Nice business ethics indeed!

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carlos
beaware, US
Jan 10, 2008 5:41 am EST

I just got off the phone with these clowns. Their billing policy has always been to mail out the bills as late as possible so that you only have one or two days to get it to the mail, however this last time I'm thinking they got delayed with all the holiday mail and I didn't get my bill till 1 day after the recommended mail date.

I called to complain, but the only thing they told me is that if I was having a problem that I'd have to just set up online bill pay or register a complaint with the postal service.

These people are pure slime and will actively try to screw their consumers over. I would highly recommend never getting any credit through these people.

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Drew
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Jan 05, 2008 10:27 am EST

Completely agree with everybody else here. I purchased a Samsung HDTV through HSBC Retail Services back in July 2006. My terms were no interest, no payments, same as cash for 18 months. Back in September 2007 I paid off the remaining balance on my TV, well before the December 07 end of terms. Come October, I received another statement to my surprise stating I owed even more money that had appeared on my previous statements but had considered them interest charges should I not pay the TV off by the end of term.

Come to find out these fees are from a Debt Cancellation or Credit Protection program that I supposedly signed up for and approved but I have no recollection of approving that. I think I waited about a week or 2, then called HSBC to put the fees in dispute and also to open a claim. 2 months passed and in the meantime, my account went into collections since I was waiting to see the results of the claim. During this time I received several, and by several, I mean at least 3-4 calls every Saturday and Sunday from a Collections agent, which I ignored at first because I didn't recognize the number. Now collections is telling me that the claim has been closed and that I approved the debt cancellation with a checkbox on my original application.

Suffice it to say I feel that HSBC is extremely dubious and misleading, not to mention most of the CSR's I spoke to were outright rude and unprofessional. They oftentimes talked over me when I was trying to explain my situation and were extremely pushy. Never before have I dealt with a company as disreputable as HSBC and once I clear up this situation, which means paying way more than the TV is worth, I will cancel the card and never do business with them again.

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Pandora Wallace
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Dec 14, 2007 10:05 am EST

I have a bowflex through these clowns. I never recieved a bill from them then they started with the calls I answered the first one explained to them I had not recieved a bill this guy was nice gave me my account number over the phone and there address. He told me my payment was 40.00 a month and my due date was the 20th of the month. I made the payment through my banks online bill pay then made a 50.00 payment the first month after that and a 40.00 the second. thats when it started they were calling me telling me I was late and that I had racked up a 39.00 late fee because my payment is due on the 13th or 14th depending on the billing cycle. I explained to them I didn't have a statement so I had no idea when the payment was due. again I was refered to the online services. So I thank him for informing me and told him I would make my payment on the 14th of Dec per the billing cycle. I thought it was over well no I recieve another call from a rude threating individual stating that my payment was over due and I needed to make my payment today well the online fuction for my bank was down I told him it wasn't due till the 14th and I would make it then long of the short I ended up hanging up on him and made my payment the next day I don't need the stress but what made me write this was my payment wasn't due until the 18th of Dec and that little jerk lied his butt off to get the payment do you think they get bonuses for this type of behavior or is there one section that is nice and another that are jerks. I have a reqular credit card through HSBC and do not have a problem with them but this account SUCKS.

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PhDofnada
Upland, US
Dec 09, 2007 10:55 pm EST

I have purchased Hewlett Packard computer stuff and got 90 days with no interest. So I used their on-line web site to pay, but for the last two weeks their website says it is having tech difficulties so I can't pay on-line at this time. I wonder if they take their own words serious enough because they guide you to their website while you are on hold (takes a long time to get someone to answer their customer service phones) and tell you that you can make a payment on their on-line site. Yet it has been down for the last two weeks, mostly off.

I love HP stuff but I don't care for HSBC at all.

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kim. b. caballero
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Nov 29, 2007 8:12 am EST

I agree with everyone else. This is a very Poorly run company. My husband received a collect call from this company, which he hung up on then called me with the number to call back. When i did a guy answered. I asked him what was hsbc, he refused to tell me because i was not authorized on his account. I told him i am not asking about the account i just wanted to know where and who was calling him. he was very rude and still would not tell me. I ask to speak to a manager and he stated there was no manager to speak to. I then hung up and waited awhile then called back and got a lady who then told me everything i need. I work in retail and can't imagine ever treating my customers that way. I wonder if they ever realize why they can never get payments or why people cancel their cards. i guess the people who own this company don't care what is going on! So guess what were not the problem people IT'S THE COMPANY!

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pavan nahar
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Nov 23, 2007 8:00 pm EST

Dear sir ,
I had taken your life time credit card no is [protected] due to your request.
That time your Executive said that no any charges will requred to pay for life time .but up to till I not use my card Then I get your bill Statment of dated 10 Nov, 2007IN which you applied Bill Statement Rs. 100 Charge. It is not correct .So pl. Cancle Then i Can use your card in future . You can call me on my cell [protected] my name is Pavan M. Nahar

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jnaneswari
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Nov 13, 2007 10:34 pm EST

I am also facing the same problem. I have received HSBC credit card in march 2006. I haven't used the card at all. I had put an application to cancel my credit card in August 2006. I thought it got cancelled. Last month I got a SMS that I have to pay 4000/- Rs.

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Aliiana A. Fiu
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Nov 09, 2007 11:18 am EST

I agree completely. These people call at 3 o'clock in the morning and are extremely rude. I dealt with a woman of uncouth behavior yesterday saying "You know what your problem is.." and so on. She was way out of context and completely unprofessional. Maybe she was used to people being intimidated by her or actually listening to her garbage so I just thanked her for her time and hung up, all the while she continued her rampaging.

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Lucila
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Oct 30, 2007 11:19 pm EDT

I absolutely agree with you guys . Today I had the worse experience with a customer service representative from hsbc retail services. my brother who is in college was late for the first time since he opened an account, I received a letter stating that they can help you maintain your credit in good condition, all you have to do is call and they will work with you, so I call them and I got the most unpleasant person on the phone, he told me he had the power to close the account whenever he wanted to, and he needed a payment today not next week, I tried to explain things to him he was not hearing it. Finally i insisted on speaking to a supervisor and he told me that there was no one else that I could talk too. He wasted 25minutes of my time by playing games on the phone and being so rude, I have his name and Im writing a letter to the ceo of that company, you dont need people like him and when I said to him where on the best buy CONTRACT does it say that the account can be closed by being 30 days late and no notice, he said we dont have to go by the contract, so he broke every rule with better business bureau act.

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amelia franek
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Oct 21, 2007 8:59 am EDT

HSBC/Value City: For the first time since using the card, my payment was late by a day due to oversight. I requested a one time 'courtesy' reversal of the late charge. It was refused... the threatening letters have gotten more strident since [I refuse to pay and charges are added every billing period although I have closed the account]. The latest letter is tghreatebnong collection hassles and ruining my credit. I will simply ignore the crooks... especially now that I have learned all the adverse stuff on the web about these people.

Thanks for the info.,
Amelia.

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roxanne dockery
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Oct 16, 2007 11:08 am EDT

I have had nothing but headaches since I purchased two quads through HSBC. They have racked up so much in finance charges and "late" charges they I can't afford to pay. I continue to pay my monthly amounts and they just keep racking up more charges. I don't know what to do with them. Now they call me 4-5 times a day. I feel like I'm being harassed by them and taking advantage of!

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Bhanu dadhich
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Aug 17, 2016 7:43 am EDT

Dear Sir,
I had forwarded you request on 28 feb 2007 with reference to the matter that had not received my credit card no. [protected] and it has been misused. This was informed to you to take the suitable action, But in spite of that today I got a call from HSBC lawyer Mr. R.K Verma, That they are going to take some legal action ,this call disturbed me a lot as I was considering that some action has already has been taken on this matter and I was not found guilty.

I am again listing the facts with evidences I have already explained;

1) I had received a mail on 30 Dec 2006 that my credit card application is registered under application reference # [protected].
2) On 08 Jan 2007 I received a mail that my application is approved and application reference no. was # [protected]
3) I was at Baddi unit of Macleods pharmaceutical Ltd. At that time when I filled the application.
4) I was in Mumbai from 2 jan 2007 onwards so it is not practically possible for me that I can receive the card being at Mumbai as delivery address was of macleods pharmaceutical baddi dist solan (HP) .
5) On 23 feb 2007 I received my first statement at Baddi plant and I was informed on phone by my Baddi office that bill shows outstanding of 45000/- Rupees approximately . I called to customer care and told them to block this card immediately.
6) Also on the instructions of customer care I had submitted an application of mishandling of credit card at HSBC Bank branch ,stationed at Kamala bhavan Swaminityanand marg near Garvare house Western express high way Near old Bhar cinema Andheri (E) Mumbai.
7) On 17/09/07 I had received almost ten calls that warrant will be issued to me if I will not pay the settlement amount . But in between time span of almost 6 months I had not received any communication from HSBC bank.
8) As in this whole sequence I had cooperated with the bank a lot but as I got calls today Mr. Rajnesh Sarin directly told that this fault is not from banks side as he wants to indicate directly the delivery of the credit card in the correct hands is not banks responsibility and ones the card is handover to courier there is no responsibility lies with bank that credit card is handed over in right hands or not.
9) As per his statement any personnel working in courier services which banks are utilizing for card delivery is authorized to misuse the card if he/she requires.

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Bhanu dadhich
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Sep 17, 2007 8:57 am EDT

Dear Sir,
I had forwarded you request on 28 feb 2007 with reference to the matter that had not received my credit card no. [protected] and it has been misused. This was informed to you to take the suitable action, But in spite of that today I got a call from HSBC lawyer Mr. R.K Verma, That they are going to take some legal action ,this call disturbed me a lot as I was considering that some action has already has been taken on this matter and I was not found guilty.

I am again listing the facts with evidences I have already explained;

1) I had received a mail on 30 Dec 2006 that my credit card application is registered under application reference # [protected].
2) On 08 Jan 2007 I received a mail that my application is approved and application reference no. was # [protected]
3) I was at Baddi unit of Macleods pharmaceutical Ltd. At that time when I filled the application.
4) I was in Mumbai from 2 jan 2007 onwards so it is not practically possible for me that I can receive the card being at Mumbai as delivery address was of macleods pharmaceutical baddi dist solan (HP) .
5) On 23 feb 2007 I received my first statement at Baddi plant and I was informed on phone by my Baddi office that bill shows outstanding of 45000/- Rupees approximately . I called to customer care and told them to block this card immediately.
6) Also on the instructions of customer care I had submitted an application of mishandling of credit card at HSBC Bank branch ,stationed at Kamala bhavan Swaminityanand marg near Garvare house Western express high way Near old Bhar cinema Andheri (E) Mumbai.
7) On 17/09/07 I had received almost ten calls that warrant will be issued to me if I will not pay the settlement amount . But in between time span of almost 6 months I had not received any communication from HSBC bank.
8) As in this whole sequence I had cooperated with the bank a lot but as I got calls today Mr. Rajnesh Sarin directly told that this fault is not from banks side as he wants to indicate directly the delivery of the credit card in the correct hands is not banks responsibility and ones the card is handover to courier there is no responsibility lies with bank that credit card is handed over in right hands or not.
9) As per his statement any personnel working in courier services which banks are utilizing for card delivery is authorized to misuse the card if he/she requires.

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George Rainha
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Jun 21, 2007 4:34 pm EDT

My payment is due Saturday... 6/23/2007. I made the payment online today... 6/21/2007. I was informed that they would not post it till Monday due to the due date being on Saturday (a trick of the trade that makes them millions). They will credit my account when I get done taking them to the Attorney General of Wa State. I have had nothing but headaches since dealing with these clowns for past 3 years.

George Rainha.

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