Consumer complaint received 2020-03-27
Company: HSBC NORTH AMERICA HOLDINGS INC.
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: Domestic (US) money transfer
Issue: Other transaction problem

Complaint:
HSBC Premier Service Center. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, NY XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Case : Federal Transaction No. CHIPS XXXX USDXXXX. This is vital to the HSBC to trace the transaction apparently. 
Compliance Dept. 

On or about the XXXX XX/XX/2020, Mrs XXXX XXXX, a citizen of California, used an online CHIPS transaction through XXXX XXXX XXXX  to send to my account with the HSBC USDXXXX. My account ends in XXXX. This was to pay 2 months rent ( XXXX and XXXX ) for her son to reside in our tenement accommodation in XXXX, XXXX XXXX. She has previously made quite a number of payments at the appropriate times and there has not been a problem. On the above date the transaction was successful for her, however, the amount of USDXXXX did not appear in my account. This caused a problem with the sender who felt she was not trusted even though I steered clear of making any suggestive comments as she had paid many times before. I rang the HSBC Premier and Fraud numbers several times over a few days as per the telephone menu guidance of the HSBC line. On every single occasion the HSBC stated that the amount had not manifested itself and there was no trace at all. To all intents and purposes it appeared that Ms. XXXX may not have been telling the truth. She gave me only few details that she had been given to her bank by the HSBC that they had launched an " investigation '' into the payment with undertones that it may be money laundering. WOW, so over the top by my bank without looking at my account where it would show Ms. XXXX 's previous payments. She persisted with XXXX XXXX XXXX  and received information from correspondence that the HSBC had requested my date of birth and my gender and that she should be asked for these details! i will not repeat what her feelings over the matter were. Meanwhile I was completely without any contact from the HSBC inquiring about it - Yes! I am the account holder and left completely in the dark about these monies. I am both surprised and amazed that this inept attempt at making an investigation was made by the HSBC so called Compliance Department. Of course she did not know my date of birth. How silly is this and contrary to data protection values. I recontacted Ms. XXXX who had become stressed, as myself, as to what was going on as she and I were now " under investigation ''. Getting very frustrated with the HSBC I was even more determined to find out what the HSBC was doing with my money. She eventually managed to get hold of a federal transaction number under the CHIPS scheme as stated above. I gave this to the HSBC and finally it came up with the 'Compliance Department '. Suddenly there was a 'tracing to my account ' well known to their system yet no-one else in the HSBC knew about it. I left a formal complaint with the HSBC and the lady who answered me stated she had registered it. I am convinced, and will not be told otherwise, that my account had been randomly selected to boost the " compliance ' department 's statistical record to satisfy the executive. Personally I, as an XXXX  XXXX   XXXX and retired XXXX XXXX  XXXX, suggest that the so called Compliance Department has a 'shake up ' of its system and people running it. Both I and Ms. XXXX have no record or other transactions to ' flag up ' a problem. Meanwhile with no contact from the HSBC to date, still wondering where my money is, how dare the bank keep my money without telling me and with no interest to be attached I have no doubt, banks being what they are reputed to be as on the 'mean ' side. This money pays service people, repairs, maintenance and service parts. I could go on but this action has caused me endless concern, stress and lack of sleep. If they keep doing this to people without just cause, we all could be out of business whilst the bank thrives from our monies. It is totally unacceptable and deplorable with the shabby way this transaction has been handled and my and Ms. XXXX 's treatment to boot.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation