Friday, November 21, 2008

To laugh or to cry?

Unpleasant experience of my friend has thought me to make sure before I left UK that I told my bank that I will be using my debit card in Japan and Australia. And then...

It all started yesterday when after attempting to withdraw money, my card nevertheless appeared on a fraud prevention list and had to be cancelled. After talking with HSBC over the phone, I made the withdrawal what they authorised me to do, and we agreed they will send me a new card to Japan.

And now I have just spent one hour with them on the phone to inform me about the withdrawal that I informed them I would make yesterday. And for me to confirm that the withdrawal they authorized me to do was not fraud! And to go though the whole sending-card-to-japan-and-spelling-address-thing again.

All this on my costs, despite dialing the number they told me to dial in order for all costs to be payed by them. One hour call from J-a-p-a-n. Maybe they could have just taken my money and closed my account.

2 comments:

Boza said...

Oh, te banke, bolje da se smeješ kot jočeš.

Ben said...

Close your account when you get back, and tell them why. It is ridiculous that they are so keen to block transactions just when it is most inconvenient to you! You might end up completely screwed in a foreign country. Happened to me in Brazil and Canada/USA.