Consumer complaint received 2022-07-12
Company: HSBC NORTH AMERICA HOLDINGS INC.
State: WA
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports
Sub-product: Credit reporting
Issue: Problem with a credit reporting company's investigation into an existing problem
Sub-issue: Problem with personal statement of dispute

Complaint:
The below narrative can also be found on the attached file named " Complaint Letter.pdf ''. 

I want to file a complaint about HSBC XXXX on them not exercising due diligence and inappropriately reporting me to the credit bureau for late payment. 
I am a current HSBC credit card holder. However, I rarely use HSBC 's credit card. ( please see the attached HSBC credit card statement regarding my usage of HSBC 's credit card ). 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I was charged by a merchant ( XXXX XXXX XXXX ) without my consent for USD XXXX. Since I rarely use HSBC 's credit card and knowing that I haven't used it for months, I was not tracking my statement. Owing to this, I had a missed payment and I was notified by HSBC via a letter for non-payment. I called HSBC on XX/XX/XXXX and disputed the charge as I did not authorize it. I also told HSBC that to block this merchant from charging me again in the future. HSBC acknowledged ( acknowledged by HSBC XXXX XXXX, employee ID XXXX ) over the phone to me that they had disputed the charge. HSBC claimed that the charge for whatever reason was valid, but they had refunded me the late fee and interest charge. I was assured by a HSBC associate that I should not expect any unauthorized from that merchant. I have also explicitly asked HSBC to remove my late payment record that they had reported to the credit bureau due to the fact that it was an unauthorized charge and I should not be responsible for the payment. HSBC said over the phone to me that they had filed a correction request to the credit bureau, but to my knowledge they did not do anything as the late payment record can still be found on my credit report. 

To my disbelief, 8 Months after on XX/XX/XXXX I was again charged by the same merchant XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ) for USD XXXX, on my new, replaced HSBC credit card ( HSBC had since replaced my credit card twice ). Since I haven't used my replaced card ( and knowing I probably never will ), I was not monitoring the credit card statement. That again incured a late fee and interest charged. I called HSBC on XX/XX/XXXX to reason and dispute with HSBC, and HSBC agreed to I ) remove the late fee and interest charge, XXXX ) start an investigation and dispute the charges, and ; III ) try to remove the late payment record reported to the credit bureau as I have disputed the event, and also to the fact that I have asked HSBC to block that merchant from charging me again in XX/XX/XXXX. 

HSBC submitted a credit bureau dispute on XX/XX/XXXX, but then they replied to me via a letter that no late payment was reported to the credit bureau during that period, and thus there is nothing to correct. Since the result of dispute investigation was not made known to me by that time, I decided to wait and act until the investigation is done and communicated with me. Little did I know that during that period, HSBC reported me to the credit agency that I missed another payment. I was shocked to learn this only through my credit monitoring app ( " XXXX XXXX  '' ). HSBC effectively just told me to wait for the investigation but also on the other hand reported me to the credit bureau on a late payment that I have just disputed and explicitly asked them not to. I called immediately HSBC on XX/XX/XXXX and spoke with HSBC XXXX XXXX ( Employee ID XXXX ) and asked how did this happen. I found that not only HSBC has not cleaned up my credit report from XX/XX/XXXX, but they were now adding another late payment record to my credit report in XXXX. I immediately asked XXXX to help to put a stop to my entire card. On XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX confirmed that HSBC has filed a dispute regarding both my XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX event to the credit bureau, and also my case was escalated and will be reviewed and contacted by someone from HSBC. During my talk with XXXX, I demand answers to the following questions : I ) I have disputed this merchant ( XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX ) once already on XX/XX/XXXX and asked for a permanent block from this merchant at that time. Why is this merchant allowed to continue to charge me? 
II ) I have already disputed the XX/XX/XXXX charges with HSBC by calling HSBC on XX/XX/XXXX. But why did HSBC just go ahead and reported me having a late payment when I was awaiting HSBC 's investigation result? This is not ethical, especially since HSBC knows that I cared about my XXXX XXXX and had communicated this explicitly with HSBC. 
III ) I was assured by HSBC back in XXXX that I should have a new replacement card with a different card number and I shall not see any fraudulent charges. How did this happen again? 

I requested compensation for my loss. I was in a process of buying a house, and the sudden drop in XXXX XXXX caused me to lose the opportunity. I demanded compensation of either the amount of XXXX money or HSBC willing to be my loaner when another opportunity shows up. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I received an email from XXXX XXXX, a Customer XXXX XXXX, citing my complaint number to be XXXX. I called that number given by XXXX at least 3 times and left messages, but I never got a response back from XXXX. I finally heard back from XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX ( Her response email is attached ). Her response was unacceptable to me, as she just noted that HSBC has found no wrongdoings and denied that I have requested to block transactions from merchant XXXX XXXX XXXX. This is in total contradiction to what the HSBC XXXX have told me during all the previous phone calls, and XXXX did not back up her statement with any more details. Upon confirmation with HSBC XXXX XXXX ( employee ID XXXX ), I confirmed that all HSBC phone calls are recorded. I thus requested HSBC to share those phone call recordings with me, especially concerning the phone call made on XX/XX/XXXX, as I clearly remember that I have asked HSBC to not let that merchant to charge me again on that day. XXXX has not responded to me since even though she had assured XXXX that she was going to communicate with me on XX/XX/XXXX. She never called me back nor respond to my request. 

I am deeply disappointed that HSBC has not exercised their due diligence to take heed to their customer 's requests, and even to some extent deceiving their customer in my view. In my case, I was told by multiple agents that a correction had been made to the credit bureau, but that never happened. I have asked HSBC to block the merchant from charging me again, yet that again never happen. What's most important is HSBC advised me that I can sit and wait until the investigation is complete on my disputed payment, but in reality, they reported me for late payment to the credit bureau while I was waiting for the investigation result. 

Attached below is supportive evidence " Account summary and transactions.pdf ''. This shows that I rarely use HSBC 's credit card, and thus I did not actively monitor the credit card 's statement knowing that I had not used it. 
" XX/XX/XXXX - 10 day letter.pdf ''. This shows that I had already had an issue with the merchant in the past for XXXX consecutive unauthorized {$5.00} USD charges and I had disputed XXXX of those ( i.e. {$5.00} USD ) to HSBC on XX/XX/XXXX. ( presumably, as I no longer have access to my old 's credit card bank statement to confirm ). 
" XXXX  XXXX XXXX ''. This is the latest reply I got from HSBC. HSBC had not provided any objective evidence to support its claim for saying " I found no instances before XX/XX/XXXX in which you requested to block any transactions from " XXXX ''. ". My request for obtaining a record of the conversation I had with HSBC on XX/XX/XXXX has also been ignored by HSBC. XXXX XXXX XXXX is mentioned to be the Customer XXXX  XXXX, and XXXX XXXX is mentioned to be the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. 
*A copy of the conversation I had with HSBC XXXX XXXX XXXX Employee ID XXXX ) can also be provided if needed. I can not upload it as it exceeds CFBPs XXXX uploading limit. But please reach out to me for a copy if needed, as XXXX and I have discussed most of my claims above. 


XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation