HSBC: Headache Sends Blogger Crazy

There won't be any blog entry tomorrow, I'm closing my computer and taking Sunday off.

I have a dull throbbing HSBC headache this evening.

I mean who really wants to spend their days blogging about HSBC's lousy decision to close an account.

How mundane, how prosaic, how monochrome, how two dimensional.

I can think of so many things I'd rather be blogging about.

HSBC can close your account without telling you

Brett King faced a closed door at HSBC.

Brett King and HSBC

Woah, Twitter has just informed me that Brett King is now following my blogging rant about HSBC's decision to close my account.

Little old me.

HSBC closes diplomatic accounts

A friend writes:

Really sorry to hear this. You are in good company though.....just read that HSBC closed 40 London based diplomatic missions including the apostolic nunciature to Great Britain  (papal embassy who had had an account with them for years, like yourself) and  Benin and PNG embassies.  Also came out of the blue. Apparently a spokesman for the bank said "it had been applying a rolling programme of strategic assessments to all its businesses since May 2011 ... We do not comment on individual customer relationships".

Justice HSBC style

Some of my friends are saying "Cut your losses, get out of HSBC and open an account elsewhere. It's a waste of time and energy to try and take them on."

No. If I can't get justice from HSBC, I'll use the internet to expose the injustice.

2000 views in 2 days. Not bad for a beginner, but the next step is to find out how to increase blog visibility...

Friends concerned about their own HSBC accounts

• This must be very distressing and weird! That's my bank... wonder what they will do to me. At the very least they owe an explanation.

• I am really sorry to hear about this. I too am with HSBC and now very worried and outraged on your behalf. I can only imagine the hassle, stress and frustration this has caused you. We are all behind you.

Facebook comments about HSBC's decision

• How infuriating!

• This is really Kafkaesque.

• WHAT???  Welcome to the police state! I've never heard of this practice. It's appalling. I hope your MP will help you.

• That sounds crazy! Thanks for speaking out.

• Sorry to read this. That's so incredible!….

• I was horrified to read of the way HSBC has treated you... I have never heard of such a thing before, especially as you have not had any trouble with your bank account either now or in the past. It is monstrous.

• How utterly bizarre. It's not some kind of scam is it?

• What HSBC has done sounds outrageous and infuriating.

• Outrageous!

• That's absolutely ridiculous. I can't believe they are allowed to do that and get away with it!

Posting, sharing, tweeting about HSBC

• I tweeted the link for your blog to the HSBC press office - others should do so too.

• My friend was due to return to Africa to continue working with a development project... Until HSBC decided to close his bank account without giving any reason or the possibility of appeal. Now he's writing a blog to document the experience and warn others of the powers that banks can have over us.

• Can't believe how banks can just close an account without explanation! Please read the experience of my friend and share.

HSBC: How Soon Before Closure?

If you bank with HSBC, just remember what the initials stand for.

For me, it's 20th January 2014, which is 53 days from now. What about you?

Reply from the HSBC customer couldn't-care-less team

An extract from the letter I received today:

"The Bank does not have to provide a reason for the closure of the accounts, although some of the reasons may include account conduct, change in bank policy, security, anti-terrorism legislation, anti money laundering legislation, fraud prevention or the risk profile of the banking connection. I am sorry I am unable to elaborate on the reason for the decision being made but can confirm the decision will not be overturned."

Remember, if you bank with HSBC, this may happen to you at any time.

Supreme irony: HSBC wins hands down

Now I've done the rounds of the High Street banks, I still maintain that HSBC is the best bank to suit my needs. Even after all that's happened this week, crazy as it may sound, I still want to bank with them.

But they won't let me.

And they won't tell me why.

And they won't tell me why they won't tell me why.

Notes from an HSBC orphan, part 3

I visited five high street banks today to find a home and NatWest was refreshingly different.

The staff member was suitably shocked that HSBC would close my account without explanation and assured me that NatWest does not do this to its customers. And he saw no difficulty with the fact that I'm an expat.