HSBC computer error is ruining my life. Why you shouldn’t bank with them.

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I’m desperate for any advice on this it’s been a massive stress and I just can’t see the end of it.

In May I got a notification saying my credit card had been added to an Apple wallet. Because it wasn’t me I cancelled the card then I called HSBC who said there was no fraud it was a computer glitch. Nevermind I think. I noticed the credit card didn’t come back onto my HSBC banking app and I called a couple of times and they didn’t seem to understand my issue on the phone and thought the card was lost in post but I don’t think it was ever generated. I figured it would sort itself out when the automated didecf debit was due or id sort it out after my holiday.

On holiday I suddenly get a notification saying my credit card is overdue. I panic and transfer £50 to stop the notification and then I call hsbc intending to pay off the whole balance. I’ve actually no idea how much it is but I’ve got plenty in my account to cover it. Person on the phone was clueless. Tried to setup a payment to pay of the minimum balance of a different credit card. Eventually tells me that I don’t owe anything on the late credit card , in fact , they owe me money due to a refund I got on something after I’d paid the balance off.

So long story short, I have spent hours and hours on the phone to hsbc, have logged an official complaint and have spoken with them over email and it’s not sorted. They keep saying I don’t owe any money, I don’t think I do but if I’m wrong I’ll pay it , but something in the system has been generated which says I do, but I can’t pay it because it doesn’t exist.

Both my hsbc credit cards are now closed, and the day after they did so I get a new banking notification saying I owe £1,576 and have two credit card missed payments. I have checked Experian and yes, it shows I’ve missed credit card payment with HSBC and it’s damaged my credit rating. Meanwhile the last
email contact at hsbc is saying I don’t owe anymore money and to ignore any correspondence saying I do. He isn’t listening to me when I say something in his computer system clearly says I do. He even said he’d put a note on my file to make sure nothing affected my credit rating.

I have written to the ombudsman but that’ll take months, is there anything else I can do? I am worried hsbc will just tell ombudsman it’s sorted and closed and I don’t owe anything meanwhile this bill keeps growing.

We are trying to buy a house. We were in the process
of it when this started. That house fell through but we can’t find a new house/get a mortgage whilst I’ve got this on my credit record!

I also have a job where I need security/financial clearance and this is causing me so much stress.

I I’m desperate to escalate this but don’t know how.

Bloody hell. Sounds like they don't know their arse from their elbow. Good luck OP.

send this link to the press. That’s outrageous. Good luck sorting it out

If they do ever sort this out, they owe you some compensation!

Can you ring the debt team back again? And ask for the amounts and statement and card details?

Then call the complaints team?

Also raise an issue on credit expert and Experian (and possibly another one) disputing the missed payments.

Really feel for you

OP I had something similar. Basically when the card goes into arrears it can disappear from your online banking. But they carry on reporting to credit reference agencies. You need formal complaints with a copy of the missed payments. They are known for cancelling their own direct debits which is probably why it happened in the first place. I ended up with a default because they wrote to me but I didn’t open the letters (long story) as I thought I had a direct debit in place and by the time I realised it was too late. Was v galling as they cancelled the direct debit and I paid the whole outstanding amount off in full as soon as I realised. I got no where with the complaint though as they had written to me twice (I thought it was just a statement and didn’t open it - was also over a summer where we were away for 6 weeks). My other credit card company texts you if you are late for a payment so you can figure out. HSBC texts you before you go overdrawn but not credit cards. There is no consistency. I think you will be able to get the late payments removed though.

I’ve also banked with hsbc for 30 years and had a similar issue this summer. My credit card is meant to be paid in full each month automatically. But one month that didn’t happen and they started charging me interest and late fees. Luckily im with hsbc premiere and one phone call sorted it. But it does suggest they may have had general problems with their credit card system this summer.