HSBC Retail Services

HSBC Retail Services

October 8, 2006

Our complaint is about HSBC Retail Services, the credit company for many retail chains, more specifically Art Van and Best Buy in our situations.

My husband has an Art Van and Best Buy credit card. Our first situation dealing with HSBC was a couple weeks before Christmas, 2005. We decided to purchase some gifts on the Best Buy card but when we inquired at the store we were told that a purchase had been made on the account for $2600 a few days earlier. Obviously confused we inquired further but no information was given. We were told to call the credit card company when we got home, which we did. After several phone calls we fianally got to the point where we were told that there was another name on the card other than my husband. They kept answering every question by saying that they could not tell us that information. It was my husband's credit card! After another call or two we actually got the name of who that was. It was my husband's ex, no big deal, right? We were told we were responsible for the balance on the card but they wouldn't to tell us the address this new purchase had been put under or where the bills were being sent. They refused to take my husbands name off the card, contact the other "purchaser" about it, give us infromation to contact her ourselves, or anything els that may have been useful. The were extremely rude and unhelpful. Finally, the ex was able to call in, and in one phone call, got my husband off of the card and was allowed to listen to recordings of each phone call my husband made to this company.

Our second situation with the company was refering to his Art Van card. We had some financial documents stolen in March of 2006 so we contacted our credit card companies to change our account numbers. HSBC wouldn't stop telling my husband about the credit protetion plan and offering a free trial so my husband said we would give it a shot. The next month we were charged over $35 dollars for this service so we called to cancel it. He spoke to 3 or 4 dfferent people who raved about the benefits but finally agreed to cancel it for us. After two more months we had to call again because we realized we were still paying for this service. Our last two payments of $100 went like this: $65 for interest, $32 for this credit protection plan and $3 towards the nearly $3500 balance. After speaking to a manager they told us they would refund us for the two months prior and cancel the service. Then, when we got our September bill we saw we were being charged for this service once again. We got out the past two bill stubs and saw that they had rembursed us for 2 months but charged us once again in July and again in August. Between the two of us we spent almost 2 hours on the phone and talked to atleast 5 people, two managers, to find out what was going on. They told us that someone put notes on our account the past two times we called that said we had called to cancel but changed our minds after being told once again abou thte benefits.And when we asked to be replayed those conversations (like my husband's ex had earlier), we were told that although any conversations pertaining to purchasing service plans were recorded, they did not record any conversations in which customers canceled services. Ironic, huh? i asked how it worked since there were two conflicting stories and they told me that they would not beleive us and that in situations such as these they only refer to the notes on the account. Much more was said and discussed but more than I have the time to explain here.

I absolutely hate this company and I cannot believe how unhelpful and just plain rude they are to customers. We will never open another credit card from another company using HSBC or any of it's subsidaries. I would do the same if I were you. I have never met a company with such low standards on customer service.

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HSBC should absolutely be investigated for illegal practices. We became so frustrated with the loan we had w/them, that we sold the ATV the loan was on. When we called for the payoff amount if paid during current month, an amount was given & a check was written for that amount. We were surprised to see a remaining balance after "payoff" then were told the figure was a loan release amount, SO we've been attempting to pay the small loan amount left off. EVERY time we try to get the balance to 0, some other FEE is tacked on so the balance never actually gets to 0!!! When we sent payments by mail even before the suggested mail date, we are told it's posted late (2 weeks to receive & post a pmt). Trying to make a point we tried sending a check even EARLIER, only to find it was so early they then posted it as an extra random payment & then told us the next month wasn't paid. I can understand if we cut it close or if this was an isolated occurance, but it's not. Every month they try to find a reason to tack on fees so we never pay it off. We decided to call to make the pmt, large fee for that, but at least it gets paid. To top it all off, every time we pay down our loan in an attempt to pay it off & close it, the limit is lowered. By doing this every time a "fee" is added even if only $15, we then have an overdraft!!!!! It's a crime!!!

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Wow, I thought I was alone. HSBC are criminals! My fiance bought a cell phone and never once received a bill for this. He went and had it taken care of and paid in full. 3 years later applying for a mortgage we come to find out HSBC left 29 cents on the account which incurred interest and not once did they send any type of documentation or bill to recover this amount. It went to collection and Still never received anything about it. We have called The Source where the cell phone was originally bought they have no record of his account, we called the collention agency they too have no record of this.

We recently got a future shop card and purchased a PS3 on it and paid it in full July/08. It is now Sept and they are sending us mail telling us we have no paid yet. We have all proof from our bank showing HSBC retail services accepted payment yet they told us we hadn't paid repeatedly over the phone. We called our bank and they sent a request for refund to HSBC to get our payment back and it was denied. They took our payment and then forwarded it to another company from the previously mentioned cell phone that had 29 cents remaining! We paid 451.99 to this account to pay off the PS3 and now they will not give us the money back. HSBC has taken absolutely no responsibility for this. Infact one of their agents last night slipped up and told us that they received the payment and it was redirected...when we asked for proof of that transaction we were told they didn't have one. Since when are transaction records not kept for accounting purposes??? So now we have HSBC asking for 451.99 when they took it already and then gave it to someone else, and wont tell us who. I'm at a loss now I don't know who to contact. I feel as though we have been violated and taken advantage of.

When talking to agents from HSBC they are extremely rude and unwilling to take any responsibility for this. When they don't have anymore answers they cut you off and transfer you back to another department. My fiance was transfered back and forth 5 times and still got nothing. Do you have any suggestion who I can talk to in order to resolve this?! I'm to the point where legal counsel will be sought. Our money has been stolen and no one seems to want to help.

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I have an excellent credit rating. Have other credit cards, secured other loans in the past for whatever amount I applied for.

I decided to get a Brick card to purchase a TV. I did one of those quick computer thingies and the slaes clerk announced all proud " there you go $1000.00 credit" I said "pardon'?

Who the #$%@ can buy a 46 or 50 inch HD flat screen for under $1000?

The Brick called them (HSBC Retail) for me to speak to and wow!

The lady tells me that they will not increase my credit limit to which I said "but why you haven't even taken any extra info from me?"

She explained that their system is very accurate in determining who gets how much credit and if I wanted to I could speak with her manager to discuss my credit limit further.

They were rude, made me feel like I was completely inept and bothersome to them

I cancelled that credit account and applied for and received 2500.00 Mastercard!

Then I bought my TV somewhere else!

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I agree with you they are the most rudest people i have ever had to deal with, and now that i have looked this company up, there are so many complaints about them, they are scheme artist and the companies that use them will not get any of my bussiness im so glad to see im not the only one, i am reporting them to the bbb