Consumer complaint received 2018-06-09
Company: HSBC NORTH AMERICA HOLDINGS INC.
State: FL
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Closing your account
Sub-issue: Can't close your account

Complaint:
I've had my XXXX Credit Card since XX/XX/2018 and paid my balance in full on time every month since inception. Recently I tried using the credit card to make a purchase at the grocery store and it was declined so I tried calling to find out what the problem was. I could not get through on the phone as it took well over 2 hours while I sat on hold for a representative so I tried emailing through the BankMail feature that the bank uses to communicate with customers and using the HSBC Chat option however no one would help. I was told that the only way I could use my credit card was to call the Security Dept. to unlock it. They wouldn't even allow me to pay my balance so I was in jeopardy of getting late fees and probably a blemish on my credit report. To avoid that from happening, I had to XXXX my check to some payment center in XXXX where they accepted and cashed my check. I continuously tried in vain to contact the security department at HSBC and was promised a call back numerous times however no one ever attempted to communicate with me. 

I've sat on hold for hours to be transferred multiple times and then mysteriously disconnected. I've had my father who is retired sit on hold because I couldn't afford to lose my job sitting on hold during work hours because I was told the department I needed to speak with is only open from XXXX XXXX to XXXX XXXX EST. I called every number in the credit department that I was told to call. My attempts were fruitless. 
I even called and sat on hold last Friday and began my call at approximately XXXX XXXX EST but exactly at XXXX XXXX on the dot, I was disconnected intentionally because the hours of operation ended and anyone sitting on hold just gets hung-up on like a piece of garbage. 

Yesterday, I sat on hold for 2 hours and 57 minutes before someone would talk with me and then they transferred me so I sat on hold another 1 hour and 42 minutes until someone else finally picked up in the correct department. Even with that horrible experience, it wasn't enough since they use some device which is supposed to instantly confirm an identity of the person based on the telephone number you provide to them and that didn't work with me for some odd reason even though I've had the same number for 10+ years. I then demanded that they close my account but they refused and told me they couldn't talk with me any further. I have a home phone and cell phone and neither was acceptable even though it was good enough for them to open my account to then subsequently freeze it and steel my CashBack balance. It sounds awfully familiar to alot of thee complaints I read on-line. It appears they are running some type of scam only to steal customer funds and not allow you access to your cashback funds. 

I provided my account number, social security number, 4 digit private pin that the bank assigned to me and 3 digit code on the back of my card and that still wasn't good enough for them to confirm my identity. I offered them copies of my drivers license, birth certificate and even copies of the utility bill but they wouldn't even consider that. The supervisor in the security department who finally took my call, had the ability to fix this mess with the stroke of a button but refused to unlock my account or accept my payoff even though she confirmed every bit of info that she requested of me to confirm my identity which I still can't understand why I have to do at this point. I can confirm anything in the world to confirm that my identity is who I am but that's not good enough for them. They have never called me even once to rationally discuss this even though I was promised numerous times both on the phone and through the secure Bank-Mail feature on-line that a supervisor would call me back. 

You can review my account and see there is no problems and has never been. Maybe it's because I'm young or maybe it's because they discriminate against women. I then asked for the overnight mail address to file a complaint and the woman refused to give me a physical address and said they don't accept overnight mail. Who doesn't accept overnight mail in the banking industry? 

I have now forwarded my complaint to you the NY Attorney General 's office is next. I hope an investigation of the banks credit card operations is initiated as a result. I also plan on contacting the Securities and Exchange Commission if they refuse to send me my money within the next 10 days. I'm sure they must be violating all sorts of banking and securities regulations and I hope they get fined to the max. Every single one of the people I spoke to or came in contact with on-line ignored my pleas for help. It shouldn't take an act of XXXX or my father having a stroke to get someone to help a customer that has nothing to hide or hasn't done anything wrong. I can't even close my account for gods sake. Please help me and thank you for your time.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation