Fucking HSBC.

[MinesaBottle]

So my HSBC debit card linked to my personal account - an account I've held for about 30 years - has been declined for a couple of online transactions with sites I have used many times before (Amazon, Deliveroo, PayPal). I called to query this and was told the card had been 'renewed' and that a new one had never been picked up from branch. This would be because I'd never been told about it. The card in question also expires in 2018 so there seems no reason to renew it. The card hadn't been cancelled as such, or at least I never got told if it did, but as it is well before its expiry date I have no idea why this would happen.

The operator I spoke to (HSBC Advance I might add) gave me a confusing response and seemed fixated on another card which is linked to a different (joint) account. He insisted my personal account card was linked to this account, despite me having the card in front of me and several times informing him that the card had my personal account number embossed on it. It took me over ten minutes to get him to understand which card I was referring to and ultimately it doesn't seem to have got through to him after all. The result seems to be that the other bloody card is now also being declined!!!!

I now have no access to my own account or to the joint account. I have been unable to buy a birthday gift for DH, I've been left completely confused and I can't withdraw money or make any transactions online or in shops. I am so fucking pissed off with this - everything was working fine until around a week ago, and although I have been overseas I filled in a travel plan on online banking just like you're always advised to do.

I've sent them a complaint but it can take up to 5 days for them to deal with it and in the meantime I'll need to sponge off DH! I am so, so pissed off. I've been a customer for about 30 years and I've never had any trouble before.

[tofutti]

I sympathise, is shit when it happens. Do you have a way of getting emergency money frim your account, going in branch with your passport perhaps?

I think sometimes you need to change your bank. I was with Natwest for 15 years but have moved to Halifax now, and things do seem more simple with Halifax (e.g. no card reader required for online banking).

[MinesaBottle]

I can withdraw over the counter as you say, it's a pain though. Just got back from a holiday so I have no UK cash on me!! I'm definitely going to at least threaten to change banks, this is so annoying.

I might go into a branch with the card so the staff member can actually see it and, unlike the idiot on the phone, won't keep insisting the card has a different a/c number embossed on it...