HSBC for Business - Not a Chance

[Big Pete]

I have banked with HSBC for years , both personal and businesses .

Well on 23rd November i sent $ 508 US dollars to China to pay for a New Prototype product i want to sell both in UK and Spain, it is agreed that if i like the new Model i can have exclusive sales rights if i buy the Quantity etc..

So via Internet Banking i send $ 508 US Dollars over to there Bank in China, didnt give it a second thought assume its all on its way and done and dusted ..

a few days later i get a phone call ..
"hello this is HSBC blah blah blah , the reason we are ringing we have been asked for more info from the USA on the transaction, " so i say what you on about (this guy speaks the usual slight English but is obvious in India or somewhere ) well he says they have asked for the following ..

So i say what the hell you on about ? as i have done loads of transactions with China on Container purchases etc in the past and never had any problems ..

Well i have a request here with things they need to know before sending the funds . At which point you tell them to send the Money its My Money FFS etc etc . In my normal dont take any crap way

So he tells me its International Law !!!! Well never heard so much crap in my life etc i tell him but after a few minutes i say come on then lets have a laugh

So , What is the full name of the Company the money is going to , so i drag out the proforma Invoice and tell him ..
Next, What is the product i am buying ? So again i explain as best i can .
Next, What vessel is the product going on , Now dont be so stupid the things not even made yet its a prototype . Well he says they are asking , so tell me how do i know its not me making it is it ???
Next, Will this Consignment be going via , Cuba , Iran , Iraq and a few other places he mentioned ? Now how the heck would i know i am NOT the Captain am i ? which he agrees and laughs .. Stupid question right ...
Next, Is this Item going to UK or Spain ? I tell him Spain , ok where in Spain ? I tell him The paradise island Mallorca ..
So if its going to Mallorca is there a reason why a UK based Company is buying it ? yes its my UK Company and i want it to go to Mallorca right starting to get the hump again now ...

So i say we are talking 500 dollars here about £ 300 FFS its my money and i will send it where the heck i like .. He says its not me its the new regulations we have to follow ..

So we eventually get back to the questions,

Next, Is it for my own use or for resale ? So i try and explain its a for me its a product i may be launching at which point if i like it i will sell them and bring over in Bulk although God knows what a nightmare thats likely to be using you Dickheads right !!

A Few more stupid questions which i now forget was asked , and then he says well i will put the form back to them .. If theres a problem what should i do ? I say if theres any problems tell me , send my money back to me and i will get a proper bank to send the money ..

Next thing my China guy tells me still had no money this is now 12th December .. so i ring HSBC they say its in China , so i tell my China contact to check his Bank etc ...

He reports back 2 days later there is nothing in China from me ..

Back to HSBC , Now they tell me its still in HSBC New York USA !!!! I am not amused as you can imagine , so i blow my top ..As the last Guy said China its in China already !!!!!!!...

Right i want my money put back in my account now , . And a lot of angry words are said as you can imagine..

I get back in touch with my China Guy who is not amused and now says his Bosses will not let me have exclusive agency as they have lost all confidence in me !!!!

So HSBC have cost me big time ...

Now as you can imagine i am just about to flip .. i get nobody from HSBC ring or reply to my emails and messages , all i have had is my manager advise its down to the International HSBC side and she has no control or say there ..

Its now 23rd December - 1 month later and still HSBC have my Money and not a reply or word from anyone .

So HSBC for International Business NOT in a million years . absolute nightmare .

stole my money and charged me £ 17 to send it and not a word from anyone. amazing. Cost me what could of been a good new Business.

Can you imagine if it had been say 30k on a new business , and HSBC adopt this leave the money in USA HSBC and keep it philosophy !!

They are nothing but Theives in disguise ,in my book ..

so what would you do ??

[Indizine]

I was a bit confused (but I am blonde so I am allowed ). Why are you having a prototype made of something that someone else can deny you the rights to sell?

[Paul Norman]

I have recently had experience of the HSBC on a much more mundane matter than this. They were hopeless.

[Big Pete]

I was a bit confused (but I am blonde so I am allowed ). Why are you having a prototype made of something that someone else can deny you the rights to sell?

Its a product they already make that i got them to add a new feature on, which makes it the best currently available ..
Nothing so improved worthy of a patent as they have the main machine already.. if that makes sense ??

[Indizine]

ah right, yeah I get you now.

[Frauke]

If you just want a basic business bank account and want to do normal banking stuff- HSBC is as good (or bad) as any of the UK Banks.

They really don't like doing foreign transactions or dealing with Foreigners. I recently had a client who after 4 months of jumping through hoops HSBC decided they didn't want them as a client - a couple of phone calls and Lloyds set up a account.

One client who currently banks with RBS (with Euro & US$ a/c) had a problem when they ordered US$500 cash for a business trip wasn't ready, and several regular euro transfers went missing - decided to try HSBC. She's had several interviews and they are asking her to jump through loads of hoops before considering to let her move her business bank accounts.

UK business banking is pretty dreadful. If I kept large cash balances, I'd bank in Hong Kong.

[Big Pete]

Update still not a word from HSBC can you believe it

300 quid stole and they do not give a stuff

[Punched]

HSBC Closed my Account for a failed direct dibit payment, which i had not authorised.

It took me six weeks to tell them about the direct debit Guarantee, even got a letter from the insurance company saying it was their fault.

6 months later they reopened my account.

For such a large company, i've never dealt with such a large bunch of villiage idiots in my life