To think HSBC woukd wait for me to confirm receipt of my new debit card before cancelling my old one

[hermioneweasley]

Aaargh. Trying to book flights, the system keeps telling me there's an error. Phone up, "oh of course that card won't work - we've cancelled it. We did write and explain that when changing your account we woukd change your debit card". Me "wtf?" (not literally). He seemed to think I was highly unreasonable for expecting to receive the card and activate it before they cancelled my existing one leaving me not only unable to book those flights but also without access to cash for the weekend. Twats.

(I have booked the flights now before lovely and supportive MNetters give suggestions!)

Depends why the card was cancelled? Mine was immediately cancelled after it was caught being tested for fraudulent use.

Good point lljkk, no they have changed the type of account I have so have changed the debit card accordingly. No fraud risk at all.

That's odd, my account is being changed this weekend, too, and we were told the cards will keep working almost as normal until new ones are activated. Yup, your situation is shite.

Thanks for the validation!

The thing which annoyed me most was the crappy attitude "I'm sorry you fel inconvenienced, but we did write and say we woukd be changing your card". That type of shite, instead of "I am sorry this has happened. Let's see how we can get you sorted in the meantime"

Years ago HSBC decided to send me a new card (may have been the switch to chip and pin). They cancelled my debit card. Which would have been fine but they hadn't even told me they were sending a new card, my card was nowhere near expiry and when I phoned to find out what happened it turned out they hadn't even sent the new card yet.

One of many crap reasons I will never bank with HSBC again.

In the days when you had to go into branch to collect a new card, I went to get mine from HSBC. It wasn't until I was signing it that I thought I'd see whether they had put my full name or initials - so I checked, and instead of Horatia Winwood or H C Winwood it said Harriet White or something, same initials but totally different name and account number.

Erm.

Yes, it turned out they had already given my card to someone else, who had set a pin on it and gone shopping in good faith.

Banks alas are fallible.

Glad you could do what you needed, OP.