HSBC "Safeguard"

MagicBoy

MagicBoy

MagicBoy

Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
19,353
Location
South Manchester
I got a lovely letter in the post today, purporting to be from HSBC. In order to help them "protect my account from fraudulent transactions" they're demanding I fill out a questionnaire that's asking for information that's frankly none of their business, and to provide documents to prove my identity. If I don't provide them within 30 days then they reserve the right to limit services.

The options for this are to send them off blindly in a Freepost envelope to a PO Box that doesn't look like any HSBC address I've seen in the years I've been banking with them, or to use a online scanning and verification service I've never heard of.

They've had all the ID they require when the account was opened.

My first thoughts are it's either :
1) A clever phishing scam
2) Dumb yet sinister for reasons unknown

I'll be taking it to the local branch at lunchtime to get it checked out.

Anyone else had a similar letter?
 
Yeah. I've had several such things over the years. I just ignore them. If I'm unsure, a simple phone call to the company can clarify if it's legit or not.
 
darkgen said:
Nope; I would pop into local branch and discuss.
Click to expand...

Sliver said:
Yeah. I've had several such things over the years. I just ignore them. If I'm unsure, a simple phone call to the company can clarify if it's legit or not.
Click to expand...

Indeed. Though local branches are rare these days, around here they are anyway.

Give them a call direct and ask them. You could take a pic of the letter for us to judge also if you like?

I'm with HSBC, i haven't received anything of the sort.
 
So it's a knock on from them getting caught money laundering...

Walking distance to the local branch, so I'll be heading over at lunchtime. It's odd that they only offer post or online checking, and not the local branch .. which is one of the things that set alarm bells off.

Dressing up ID checks and personal data mining as "protect(ing) my account from fraudulent transactions" is downright sinister. It fails the "Personal data shall be obtained only for one or more specified and lawful purposes, and shall not be further processed in any manner incompatible with that purpose or those purposes." bit of the Data Protection Act.

It's similar to a passport form where they request the documents witnessed/signed by a someone in a trustworthy profession. To add insult to injury I work in one of those professions, a cursory scan of my account would tell them that!

Time to consider a new bank I think.
 
Last edited:
All my local HSBC branches have closed - I now have to travel to a town with all the assorted traffic and parking problem so I never go - they can whistle.
 
MagicBoy said:
It's odd that they only offer post or online checking, and not the local branch .. which is one of the things that set alarm bells off.
Click to expand...

They'll either have outsourced it to save costs, or they setup a dedicated team who will be verifying documents all day every day as they decided its more efficient.
Its still a pain for customers though!
 
Branch confirmed it's legit, to their credit offered to send the documents on my behalf. The look on her face was "Oh no, not this again! I hope he doesn't shout at me" when she saw the letter.

Paid a visit to another financial institution on the way back to the office. Appointment booked to get everything moved.
 
neil_g said:
Bit melodramatic no? Just ignore it, they don't say in their faqs that they'll take away existing services.
Click to expand...

I won't deny I'm annoyed. It's a deceitful, badly handled sledgehammer approach where they're asking some customers for information they have no legal right to.

As for the FAQ : "if we don't receive your up-to-date information we may not be able to provide you with all of our services".
 
I've had it. Pain in the arse. I guess they don't want people going to branches therefore not giving that option.

There is info on this on their website so legit. I mailed mine in and they just wrote back basically saying thanks.
 
My wife got one of those. Annoyingly we'd just got a mortgage with them so we had given them all the info already the previous month. Was a pain to sort, especially after they lost the info and stopped her card for not responding!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom