HSBC Horror Stories

SN in California says: “HRS Card / HSBC services my Costco account, and in an attempt to keep the card active, after one year of paying cash at Costco, I recently made a purchase for $255 using my credit card. I have always paid my bills through the mail, as I prefer a ‘paper trail’ vs. spreading my account numbers all over cyberspace and write out my payments the same day I receive them. After the closing date on my account had passed, I received an online notification of my balance due. I wondered how they received my e-mail address, but then just waited for my bill to arrive in the mail, as it always has.

The e-mail notification said to send in my payment 2 weeks prior to the date actually due. At the point where that date came and went, I called in and explained that I was waiting for a bill to arrive, and they told me I had ’selected’ not to receive a paper bill, just an online notification. The person then said they would mail me a bill, and I could pay by mail…no problem. After a couple more days, I got nervous, and went back online and printed up a copy of my statement, wrote a check for the $255, put them in an envelope and mailed it off. That was July 30 on a bill due August 6.

The check had to go all the way from San Diego to Los Angeles. On August 7, I checked my bank and the check had not yet cleared, so I called HRS. The agent informed me that I now had a $35 late fee and no payment had arrived. This seems to be their M.O. and good revenue generator I guess. She told me they have no way of controlling the U.S. mails, but they DO have ways of controlling when they credit your account with your payment, conveniently 1 day after the due date.

I then explained what had been happening to the agent, and I felt the late fee was WAY out of line. She finally took it off (a goodwill gesture she said), and reduced my bill back to $255. One day later, I got another online notification that they had received my payment (one day after the due date). This method of extortion from their customers seems to be the norm from what I have read. I suggest anyone who has a card with any store using HRS or their affiliated companies to close their account. They seem to be very dishonest in their methods of doing business.”