Consumer complaint received 2020-08-11
Company: HSBC NORTH AMERICA HOLDINGS INC.
State: MN
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Opening an account
Sub-issue: Didn't receive terms that were advertised

Complaint:
I opened a XXXX Checking account on XX/XX/XXXX under a promotional offer on the banks homepage. I completed all the requirements and did not receive any bonus. I reached out to a representative on the support phone line who told me everything looked good and that i should expect the bonus at the end of XXXX. When nothing showed up i reached out again via chat support and spoke to a new representative who assured me the bonus would show up in the next week. Again nothing came. 

A few weeks later ( XX/XX/XXXX ) I contacted the bank again and spoke to a representative named XXXX who said that i actually would not qualify for the bonus because i did not follow the terms. When i explained that i had in fact followed the terms and provided proof of that, the representative became aggressive towards me and was insistent that I had done something wrong. I asked to speak to a manager and talked with a very helpful individual named XXXX. 

XXXX offered to open a case and look into things because from his end he believed i should have received the bonus without issue. About a week later i spoke to XXXX again and he said that the management above him told him that i would not qualify because i applied to the account at the end of XXXX ( I think they said XX/XX/XXXX ). I explained that I had opened the account at the beginning of the month and i even had transactions from the first couple days of the year. He was as confused as I and offered to reach out again to his bosses for clarification. 

Another week went by and I heard from XXXX on the customer service chat. He explained that upon review i would not qualify for the bonus because the promotional offer was never linked to my account. I asked how that could be as multiple people before him had confirmed that the bonus offer was linked, I qualified, and I should see the account bonus soon. I even sent screenshots of my application with the bonus offer to XXXX. He said he really couldnt do anything else and that i should fill out a survey and could maybe get a response. He explained this this often happens, frontline support tells customers the wrong info or there are promotions that do not attach properly and that he had exhausted everything he could do. 

I am incredibly frustrated and feel that I was taken advantage of in this process. I held many thousands of dollars in this account for about 8 months and at the end was told that I never qualified and no one can make things right. I believe this is incredibly dishonest and ethically atrocious. I closed my account with HSBC earlier this afternoon. I think the only way i could be convinced that this wasnt a XXXX grab for new customers and inflated numbers would be if anyone could make this right. 

Nevertheless I intend to spread the word about my experience online and to everyone who is considering an account with HSBC. I wish this experience was better but this is the reality. I would like to be contacted should anyone wish to make this right. Thank you.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation