Consumer complaint received 2015-09-02
Product: Money transfers — International money transfer
Issue: Other transaction issues — 
Company: HSBC NORTH AMERICA HOLDINGS INC. (NY)

I paid via HSBC wire transfer on XXXX,2015 for a trip to XXXX to a bank in XXXX XXXX advised that this would take XXXX business days. On XXXX XXXX 2015 I was notified by the tour company that they had not received the funds. I called XXXX at HSBC bank. She was unable to tell me what the delay was. I told her that because we were about to leave for XXXX, I needed to ensure our trip in XXXX was paid for before I left the XXXX & to cancel the wire transfer on XXXX XXXX 2015 & I would pay by credit card - which I did. When I returned from overseas on XXXX XXXX, 2015 & turned my phone on, there were XXXX messages from HSBC asking me to call them. I did so on XXXX XXXX and was told by XXXX that HSBC 's security department put a hold on the wire transfer because I was supposedly sending money to XXXX. Apparently they had not cancelled the wire transfer as instructed on XXXX XXXX 2015. They advised they would cancel the wire transfer immediately. I was then called by XXXX at HSBC some hours later to advise that I would be responsible for the difference in the exchange rate as the XXXX dollar had fallen against the XXXX in the ensuing XXXX weeks. I said I was not responsible for the delay and that I should not have to pay for HSBC 's tardy service. I enquired as to the amount we were discussing and XXXX was unable to tell me but insisted on my giving her an acceptance response on the spot. I said I refused to accept the costs as the delay was not of my making but was because HSBC had delayed in my instruction on XXXX XXXX 2015 to cancel the wire transfer. I asked her to call me back on Tuesday XXXX XXXX 2015 with an estimate of the costs involved. She did not. I called HSBC Premier department at XXXX and asked why I had not been called by XXXX and given an estimate of the costs involved. I was informed that she was not available. 
XXXX of HSBC then called me at XXXX today ( XXXX XXXX 2015 ) and advised that due to the current exchange rate, cancellation of the wire transfer would cost me an estimated $ XXXX. This is 10 % of our trip costs. I said this was unacceptable as the whole reason the wire exchange needed to be cancelled was that HSBC had placed a hold on the transfer because they believed I was sending money to XXXX. 
My complaint was then transferred to XXXX of HBSC who advised me that on XXXX XXXX 2015 HSBC would have transferred the money and the accepting bank in XXXX was the reason for he delay. I asked him how could that be since on XXXX XXXX 2015 I was being advised that HSBC had placed a hold on the wire transfer due to the XXXX concerns, and that I still needed to cancel the wire transfer. This is totally unacceptable. HSBC then said they did not have a way to refund the {$220.00} to me as it was their 'Policy '. XXXX also said there was no way for me to make a more formal complaint. I enquired about a Banking Ombudsman and XXXX did not even know what an Ombudsman was. XXXX told me he would record my complaint for statistical reasons and to improve customer service. So I went on line and found this address and am making this complaint.