HSBC: The World's Local Thug

Today (August 24, 2010), HSBC's collection agent called and threatened me to pay annual fee on a life-time free credit card that expired in May 2009.

I had a "life-time" free credit card from HSBC from May 2007 to May 2009 that I rarely used. Of course, every May, they would slap on a Rs 2000 + taxes "annual fee", which I would call customer service and get reversed. When the card finally expired in May 2009, I heaved a sigh of relief -- no more calls to HSBC.


To my surprise, this May (2010) I got an SMS saying the "annual fee" was due. "Annual fee" for a LIFETIME FREE card that had *expired*. So I called customer service at the usual number (Bangalore 25589696) and told them that this was an expired life-time free card, and I wanted it canceled. The agent assured me he would block it and that I should call at a less busy time to complete the formality of cancellation.

It slipped out of my mind till I received another SMS from them this month saying that the cash and credit limits have been lowered. So then this Sunday (August 22, 2010), I called customer service again and asked for the expired card to be canceled.

The call was transferred to a "superior" who tried to tell me that 50% of the annual fee would be waived, could I please remain a customer? After all, the bank had been nice enough to block my card and not send me a new one when mine expired last year. When I pointed out that it was a "life-time" free card anyway, she "graciously" offered to waive the entire annual fee, if I remained a customer. All that I would need to do each year, she said, was call when I received the annual fee SMS and it would be reversed. I declined her "kind" offer and said I wanted the relationship terminated and the "annual fee" reversed. She said in a cold voice that it would take four working days.

Then today, two days after I called, I received a call from Mohan (+914442253400, at 16.47) -- collection agent of HSBC.  I owed HSBC Rs 3000 and the minimum due was Rs 400 he told me aggressively. I was completely taken aback because I lead a TOTALLY debt-free life; even the time that I had a valid HSBC card, I always paid bills on time and never had outstanding balances. I lost my cool and said I would call the cops but he did not back down till the call ended.

I am quite sure that HSBC has their sleazy banker posteriors covered by their lawyers for this shocking behavior. What about ethics? Have they really reached such a low that they need to harass women who are not even their customers any more?

Update: I called customer service Bangalore again this morning (August 25, 2010) and spoke with "Nandini" (supervisor: "Hamid"). She told me that the card had been blocked on June 4 and a request for cancellation had been placed on August 22, 2010. When I asked her why collection agents were calling me, she said there was an outstanding and oh, as per the officer who I spoke to on August 22, 2010, the amount on the card would be reversed when the card was canceled, again within 4 working days. She now pegs the last date of HSBC harassment at August 30, 2010.