Exclusive: HSBC’s Indian compensation battle

This is happening in India? What about the UK, it's no different, I was in my local HSBC this week and overheard a poor customer trying to explain to the call centre telephonist in the open forum of the banking hall that he had already been passed from pillar to post between branch and telephone "help" desks spending over 4 hours of worry so far.

His bank account had been emptied of £7k, he understood that a potential fraud needed to be iinvestigated, but was totally without any access to funds and in danger of his DDs etc being bounced.

All he wanted was some help to arrange an overdraft to cover the problem in the short term but was just being told again and again to register a complaint.

The classic help and assistance that would most certainly have been available in the good old days of a more personalised approach are long gone. The branch staff whilst I am sure were sympathetic, have their hands tied by the robotic computer driven head office edict -" we dont want you to help customers with problems as this removes you from being able to punt yet another poor value product to the other customers visiting for any completely unrelated tasks.Therefore we provide you with no discretion to arrange anything at branch level, you just dial a number then pass the customer the phone"

Marvellous! What they fail to get after all this time is that when a customer is happy with all the service levels, (including real help with any problems), they will actually approach their bank and ASK for products such as insurances etc,

Believe me, I speak from experience after many years former service with HSBC and final frustration in the way they were heading.(Hence the need to remain anon on this one!!)

Anonymous 1, you sound like a bitter ex employee. The way they are heading?? The only bank in the UK that wasnt in a complete mess after the credit crunch.

Joe King

If you spent your life making electric cattle prods and discovered that their main use was in torture chambers, you too would be bitter.

Other UK based banks not in a complete mess include Standard Chartered and the Co-op. Maybe they have not yet been exposed?

Psychopaths and sociopaths have abused the weak since time began. Modern understanding of psychology and modern computers allow them to operate on an industrial scale.

Thatcher merely legitimised a trend when she preached Victorian Values and meant "Greed and Selfishness Rule. OK!".

Jeremy - what a load of rubbish. HSBC employ approx 330,000 worldwide. Without companies like HSBC the whole economy would collapse. Anonymous 1 was happy to pick up his pay packet for many years, funny that he comes out the woodwork now.

HSBC in the UK returned thirty grand after a very clever electronic fraud was created in the Brazilian banking system at a very high level.

This fraud attacked my wifes bank card when she was on holiday in Rio.

It took a few phone calls, but then the UK part of HSBC was dealing with an event the like of which I t they had seen before.

My chum, a senior in another Brazilian bank would discuss what happened, thats how serious and clever was the fraud.

Corruption in India is endemic and wide spread at all levels of the population.

So this type of event doesnt surprise

Joe - read between the lines.

There are shades of grey in this world and Anon is, I suspect, a former longer serving employee from the days of local bank managers with whom you could make an appointment to sort out a problem.

He came out of the woodwork because of an event "this week" which probably triggered some pent up frustrations from his final years/months with his former employer, into whose pension fund he had made many years of contributions!

Interested to read this story - HSBC are quite simply the bank from hell.

About 4 years ago, my 20 year old son was persuaded to convert a £1000 overdraft into a £2000 loan - against my advise and encouragement not to.

My son was obviously attracted by the extra money which he promptly spent - he was then made redundant.

HSBC have doggedly pursued repayment which he is unable to do as he is out of work - despite endless explanations, visits to the bank, involvement of the CAB etc., they continua to call at all hours - not just on his phone but on my personal number and even my work number which is particularly wrong - legally I have nothing to do with this debt..

They have pushed this matter in such a bad and persistent way that I will never deal with them ever - they have broken all the rules and laws in place to protect privacy and refuse to accept a formal statement from the Job centre confirming that my son is unemployed a receiving a small amount of benefits.

My son should never have been coerced into having a loan for twice the amount he wanted/needed in the first place.

I would advise anyone to think very carefully before opening and account with HSBC.

Nobody is perfect.

Southgate - your son was an adult when he willingly took the money against, it seems, parental advice. iF, as seems from your note he was then made redundant and four years later is still unemployed then perhaps you should let him sink or swim. Sounds as though he does not want to work and happy to live off other people's money. Suggest he applies to the military for a worthwhile occupation with discipline built-in.

Joe King

Many banks did not take govt funding, Not just HSBC. But, just to put you right, HSBC owns a big mortgage lender in the US. It had good fortune. It was a dog with the need to make massive loan loss provisions (I think 50% in the end and some $5bn). The good news? it got buried in the crisis that enveloped other US operations - so it did not stand out.But it deserved to.

Right now, it is no better than other banks - its safety relies less in its management, criticised on many occasions, than on its size. Inertia carries it over any issues.

But here's the thing - its size should scare us - it is too big to fail and that means it can do what it likes.

By the way, taking money from accounts without consent - one of the most heinous crimes a banker can commit.

Sorry but considering the journalist can't spell simple English correctly - first line, "pretense"? - it makes me wonder how thoroughly the rest of the article is written and researched!

Dudes, Modern well run organisations have call centres in India, China, etc, because they are cheap and speak fast in an unintelligible accent so the customer has to give up. Ergo, problem solved

As for the banks, their directors have enough to do voting on the size of their bonuses, without you expecting them to look after your money as well. The cheek of some people!

Joe King

"what a load of rubbish. HSBC employ approx 330,000 worldwide. Without companies like HSBC the whole economy would collapse."

Substitute Mafia for HSBC. Think about it.

Anthony Tinslay

You don't know why the young man has been unable to work. Your assumption is mean spirited and shameful.

The bank or its debt collecting agency is harassing him and his family illegally for a relatively small debt. No doubt their unscrupulous charges have added to the original amount quite considerably. They ignore evidence that he has no money and cannot pay.

Perhaps they are simply being vindictive, debt collecting does attract a certain type. Perhaps they hope that their campaign will drive the young man to borrow from one of the officially recognised loan sharks or to commit crimes to get the vermin off his back. Since their illegal harassment extends to the parent, it is more likely all done in the hope that as the young man is driven closer to a nervous breakdown or suicide, his dad will pay off the debt.

Why don't you go and work for the CIA? They can never find enough torturers.

I do thank Victoria for being the only journalis in the UK have the courage to do this ARTICLE about HSBC.

The State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission. In INDIA Castigated the Hongkong & Shanghai Banking Corporation Ltd, (HSBC Bank) due to the unlawful functioning of the BANK.

The Judge who wrote the judgment, clearly held that there is deficiency in the service rendered by HSBC which 'had acted against the guidelines issued by the RBI and Banking Codes Standards board of India in regard to the code of bank's commitment to customers'. IS THIS TRUE? Or Another Weakness Mr Chairman?

So much for Maintaining the Reputation and the Integrity of HSBC?

You may first like to go to HSBC AGM, go to questions and answers 40:11 min's in then go to Resolutions 19:02 min's in. As you will see Mr Flint could not get his facts right or was he misleading shareholders or was this just another weakness by the Chairman. The information the Chairman gave about customers complaints in India was not totally true.

http://www.thomson-webcast.net/uk/dispatching/?event_id=eca849a680d030eb64ea12771acb40a3&portal_id=a909599fec8e2cfbf4564049bdecc311

The Chairman stated that is was a invidious irritation to customers when they were registered on CIBIL.

It is not an invidious irritation, it prevents a person from borrowing from any other lender, it has a very serious impact on that person and their lives.

So did the Chairman trivialise their complaints or was he trying to belittle the complainants in India?

Is this Chairman just ignorant to what it means when a person is registered on CIBIL or did the Chairman deliberately give false and misleading information to shareholders and the AGM. ? YOU DECIDE

So much for Maintaining the Reputation and the Integrity of HSBC?

The Chairman admitted that Shareholder returns have been “inadequate” for the last five years. Since 2006 three Directors have filled their pockets with pay and awards of over £80,965,000. Mr Flint has filled his pockets with pay and awards of £18,712,000 for inadequate returns to Shareholders. Mr Gulliver’s pay and awards since 2008 £27,236,000.

Is it fair to pay over £119,000,000 to Directors for inadequate returns?

Are the major shareholders of HSBC Plc happy with INADEQUATE RETURNS for the last FIVE YEARS?

Concerned Shareholder

Kind regards

Michael Mason-Mahon

Mobile: 0044 7834763544

E-mail: ckmdm@aol.com

"Corruption in India is endemic and wide spread at all levels of the population."

ENOUGH SAID!

I have to thank Victoria for being the only journalist in the World, for her article and to question HSBC Plc about their behaviour to customers in India.

The State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission. In INDIA Castigated the Hongkong & Shanghai Banking Corporation Ltd, (HSBC Bank) due to the unlawful functioning of the BANK.

The Judge who wrote the judgment, clearly held that there is deficiency in the service rendered by HSBC which 'had acted against the guidelines issued by the RBI and Banking Codes Standards board of India in regard to the code of bank's commitment to customers'. IS THIS TRUE? Or Another Weakness Mr Chairman

So much for Maintaining the Reputation and the Integrity of HSBC?

You may first like to go to HSBC AGM, go to questions and answers 40:11 min's in then go to Resolutions 19:02 min's in. As you will see Mr Flint could not get his facts right or was he misleading shareholders or was this just another weakness by the Chairman. The information the Chairman gave about customers complaints in India was not totally true.

http://www.thomson-webcast.net/uk/dispatching/?event_id=eca849a680d030eb64ea12771acb40a3&portal_id=a909599fec8e2cfbf4564049bdecc311

If this was your Chairman would you be proud od his behaviour?

The Chairman stated that is was a invidious irritation to customers when they were registered on CIBIL.

It is not an invidious irritation, it prevents a person from borrowing from any other lender, it has a very serious impact on that person and their lives.

So did the Chairman trivialise their complaints or was he trying to belittle the complainants in India?

Is this Chairman just ignorant to what it means when a person is registered on CIBIL or did the Chairman deliberately give false and misleading information to shareholders and the AGM. ? YOU DECIDE

The Chairman admitted that Shareholder returns have been “inadequate” for the last five years. Since 2006 three Directors have filled their pockets with pay and awards of over £80,965,000. Mr Flint has filled his pockets with pay and awards of £18,712,000 for inadequate returns to Shareholders. Mr Gulliver’s pay and awards since 2008 £27,236,000.

Is it fair to pay over £119,000,000 to Directors for inadequate returns?

Are the major shareholders of HSBC Plc happy with INADEQUATE RETURNS for the last FIVE YEARS?

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/HSBC-asked-to-pay-Rs-20-lakh-for-wrongly-blacklisting-customer/articleshow/5357634.cms

http://www.consumercomplaints.in/?search=hsbc%20bank&page=2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cB3vbb9Tx7E

Concerned Shareholder

Kind regards

Michael Mason-Mahon

Mobile: 0044 7834763544

E-mail: ckmdm@aol.com

Victoria,your spelling is poor.

Try harder

Anonymous 4

Is it just the spelling that bothers you, not the behaviour of HSBC Plc's Chairman? Then please accept my apologies that you are so upset if the spelling of a word is wrong, it is an mistake. There can be no MISTAKE in HSBC's behaviour towards customers in India?

Should you not be more concerned about the contents of the article or do you not care that the Chairman of HSBC can supply false and misleading information to shareholders at an AGM?

Do you not care that people are suffering because of the Actions or Inactions by HSBC?

It only takes for good people to stand idle while others do wrong, that they can get away with doing wrong.

So do you stand idle Anonymous 4?

Kind regards

Michael

Michael Mason-Mahon

When an idiot has no logical arguments to defend a losing argument he resort to ad hominem attacks. Attacking the person is the last refuge of the bad loser.

They are no different in Singapore and HK. The service in HSBC is terrible. My family is moving our accounts away from HSBC.

Thank you Mr Bosk.

It sounds like Mr Mason-Mahon has done a good job helping these poor ill-treated people. I have had some experience with HSBC in the past and found their customer services to be particularly unhelpful.

It's a pity that this situation doesn't receive more widespread publicity. If people stopped banking with HSBC it would hit them where it hurts.

"The World's Local Bank" indeed.

Michael Mason- Mahon.

Good for you. I worked in India [Bombay Municipality 1977/8] and there are some very dangerous people in that country. You're a brave man indeed.

Never had an account with HSBC. Did n't realise that they were a gruesome organisation like Barclays or RBS.

The protocol to ignore wrong spelling and bad grammar is often ignored in these threads. That's because most posters are old duffers like me who were educated in an age when good english was considered important. The end result is concentration on the use of apostrophes rather than the substance of an article !

Before castigating HSBC too much, I think this discussion should be put in the context of how other banks behave in India. Compared to some, HSBC's behaviour may seem positively benign.

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ICICI#Controversy and

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_banking#References .

I was looking at what seemed like a reasonably good ICICI (UK) savings offer a few months back, but dropped it like a hot brick when I read these reports.

@Jeremy Bosk,

"Modern understanding of psychology and modern computers allow them to operate on an industrial scale."

Up until you said that, I hadn't quite appreciated the power modern IT Systems actually do give people who are borderline sociopaths and more, but the evidence certainly is everywhere.

@Joe King

According to The Finansier, the future of the larger banks is to reduce in size because of their incredibly low profit per staff member, whilst the UK Council of Mortgage Lenders report the 2nd tier banks and building societies are increasing market share. UK Banks are closing some of their subsidiaries.

The perfect examples of functioning modern banks when similar large banks crashed or got rescued are now the small banks in Iceland, liked by their customers, and also seeing rapid growth.

So tell me that's rubbish too, and I'll be pleased to supply you the facts.

Firstly I have to say a big sorry to Jessy of Sunrise Media and Dr. Litt, Sunrise Media was the first to do the story about HSBC. I do offer you both my sincere apolopgies.

No matter how many Journalist have come to the HSBC's AGM's they have never helped the people in India. They have never showed any interest, even the BBC Business has ignored this story.

Also one should ask why has the FT never investigated THE COMPLAINTS in India?

Mr Rick Sarum, Mr Gordon Davison thank you for your comments and Kirbett.

People make like to look at who are the Board of Directors of HSBC Plc?

Kirbett you have to start somewhere and rather take on all, if you take one and deal with that one in a way that makes the rest sit up then I do think things can change.

Look at Household before HSBC bought it, then look at HSBC in the USA and what was published in their Annual Report.

If the UK and or India was to investigate HSBC Plc and found any wrong doing, then let the fines show it.

I do not mean £6 million or £60 million (Household in 2002 had to pay $484 million this was not fines) I do mean let the fines start at £500 million to a max of 25% of gross profit.

Then and only then will HSBC and others may change their behaviour towards customers.

Also as Mr Flint The Chairman admitted that Shareholder returns have been “inadequate” for the last five years.

Since 2006 three Directors have filled their pockets with pay and awards of over £80,965,000. Mr Flint has filled his pockets with pay and awards of £18,712,000 for inadequate returns to Shareholders. Mr Gulliver’s pay and awards since 2008 £27,236,000.

Is it fair to pay over £119,000,000 to Directors for inadequate returns?

It is my personal belief that Customers suffer, shareholders suffer and everyone suffers except the Board of Directors of HSBC Plc?

I have had a HSBC account in the UK since 1950. That is 61 years including its Midland Bank predecessor.

I have had no problems at all . Perhaps I'm just lucky, but I feel safer with HSBC than with any other Bank in theUK at present.

All the banking systems have recently had severe criticism levelled against them.

I am sure these criticisms are justified and that Banks are run by near crimials whose greed is enormous.

But I have always enjoyed nothing but courteous and helpful attention from their frontline staff. I also find their on-line banking excellent and fast.

Given the state of 'customer service' in the UK and the many criminal cases that get swept under the carpet, it's not hard to imagine a similar or worse scenario in India. However, I am quite surprised to hear this behaviour is endemic in HSBC as it has remained very much under the radar in the UK given the never ending horror stories that come out of our part state owned banks, Lloyds Banking Group with its infamous HBOS and RBS with its infamous villains.

Sadly, none of these problems will be addressed by the Vickers Report coming out next week because our Governments' (successive) and our regulators' are firmly in denial about the number of crooks and sociopaths in powerful positions in our banks - and that is the root of the problem.

BTW - I have spent four and a half years investigating the criminality in a major bank and that investigation has resulted in the police being into their second year of what they have called 'one of the biggest financial frauds in British History'. For what it's worth, the FSA are conducting a Section 168 investigation into the same matter. So anyone thinking to reply that I am simply a bitter client - think again - I am very well informed.

Well done Mr Mason Mahon - you're doing a good job even if, as I know, exposing bank corruption is a pretty thankless task.

@Donald Curtis,

You are indeed one in 120 people who may have no cause for official complaints in the UK for every one who has.

In India, only 3 out of 4 people would seem to be in your happy position, and this article is about HSBC India.

A 25% dissatisfaction rate, and frequent issues centering on the vanishing credit cards spells its own story.

I'm not a fan of banks but India has a population on 1.21 billion who are only now opening accounts and saving money so would you would expect such growth rates causing problems?

Over the last three years I have had some issues with security on three of my bank accounts and all three banks were quick off the mark, all resolved PDQ. All three had UK call centres who could understand me even though I am Welsh. My wife wasn't as lucky with her bank because the people at the Indian call centres struggled to understand her very posh voice... I had to perch on her shoulder and guide her through the quagmire that is a script on a computer screen in Mumbai being recited over and over by a well meaning yet badly trained native of that country.

The real issue with HSBC is that they have de-powered the branches and forced us to phone a call centre that is hopeless and gives the wrong advice.

I tried at my local branch to arrange to buy a car using my debit car. I was told that I had to phone the call centre half an hour before the transaction. Was I to stand in a car showroom giving out my personal details over my mobile phone?

After a serious conversation with the no-nothing kid on the end of the phone at the call centre I was transfered to the manager and told it would be OK.

I have been with the HSBC for 30 years, prior to that I was with the Midland Bank whome HSBC took over.

I am damned if I will be treated like this.

I wanted to transfer money abroad. I queued up (very usual in my branch of HSBC)

and was told by some very junior clerk that I would have to wait TWO WEEKS for an interview - (God knows what for) before the matter could be considered) Argument or further explanation was impossible - there was a great queue of people behind me.

On another occasion, I queued and eventually reached the counter and I said to the person behind the glass - "You should tell your manager about this" (Long queue - only one person in attendance at a very busy time). And she replied

"I AM THE MANAGER"

@ Anonymous 3: 'pretense' is the American spelling. Maybe you need to become more linguistically aware. Would you criticise someone writing, 'product catalog'?

---

HSBC = How to Say Bank Charges

Lee S

He probably would. Being solipsistic usually goes with being a little dim.

Victoria is British, her spell checker and possibly sub editor may not be.

As a Briton with American friends I rejoice in diversity. Add in the different usages in Indian, Australian, Canadian, South African etcetera English and oh what fun we have.

I will log off and read some Anne Bradstreet as an act of solidarity.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_Bradstreet

@Jeremy Bosk

@Lee S

I just had to look Solipsistic up!

From the Free Online Dictionary...

"The theory that the self is the only thing that can be known and verified."

So I'm having a little difficulty relating solipstic with the spelling of "pretense"

Strangely, I have less difficulty in applying the word to each of the 4 Banks.

HSBC is the most inefficient Bank I have ever dealt with. It took 3 attempts to get my signature on a simple bank mandate, they lost the documentation on each occasion despite the fact that they sent it through their own internal mail system. Getting anything done outside the most basic things is an nightmare. In addition,foreign currency accounts are impenetrable to most HSBC staff they can never find them on the computer system.

Their French subsidiaries are comparatively much more efficient, I was actually quite impressed with how quick they opened an account and issued me with a credit card, I was told I would have to wait 6 months for one in the UK.

Recently my co-executor died and I produced the death certificate to HSBC, which made me sole executor. They had already received the office copy grant of probate which clearly showed I was an executor.

I was then asked for a copy of the will to see whether I could sign cheques on my own.

As there was a grant of probate it was a matter of public record but they still demanded it otherwise would not perhaps allow any dealing on the account.

I asked them if they were challenging the authority of the court and also stated that they were intermeddling in the estate (interfering in the dealings of the assets).

All I got were blank looks, they had no clue as to what I was talking about, other than it was a complaint.. I then put in terms of clothing, that the probate was my authority and they were interfering with my clothing to see what was underneath. Unhappy looks and I could see 'sexual harassment' running through their minds. But they still demanded that I provide a copy of the will (which was silent on the point). In effect blackmail and intermeddling.

In reality, the staff don't have a clue other than that they can throw their weight around.

I had the same problem with Barclays years ago, and I demanded that if I was to disclose the will (before probate), I wanted the directors to provide their complete personal financial information per the inland revenue account. I was told they would. I am still waiting. But then the ombudsman seems to particularly protect Barclays.

The counter staff have no clue, other than to make unreasonable demands and when you object, for good reason, they are quick to label you a trouble maker.

Chris Clark

I had in mind the secondary usage:

Solipsism is: extreme preoccupation with and indulgence of one's feelings, desires, etc.; egoistic self-absorption.

By which I meant that Lee S could not imagine anything, anyone or any spelling convention outside his own immediate surroundings. For example that some participants on this site might be from outside the UK.

@ Jeremy Bosk,

Don't you mean to say that 'Anonymous 3' is blind to other spelling conventions not me?

This was my post: '@ Anonymous 3: 'pretense' is the American spelling. Maybe you need to become more linguistically aware. Would you criticise someone writing, 'product catalog'?'

It is quite ironic that you chose me as the one that cannot imagine spelling outside of the UK. I studied TESOL at MA level, which included sessions that discussed various varieties of English and how English is constantly changing. Besides, most English that is spoken is among non-native speakers. Native English speakers are becoming a shrinking minority in the English speaking world.

Maybe anonymous 3 is disgusted at the use of text language becoming more common. OMG! :) David Crystal, a prominent figure in linguistics I expect that corpora will soon exhibit hundreds and thousands of examples.

Lee S

Humble apologies. I did mean exactly as you say. That's what happens when I stay up past my bed time.

As someone whose language studies finished with 1965 O-levels in English and French, I was fascinated to look up "corpora". I was vaguely familiar with the thinking behind it but have learned something new today for which I thank you.

I have read some of Chomsky's political stuff and I keep forgetting where I put the book I bought to read in my old age to explain the rest of it.

@ Joe King.

Did the Chairman give False and Misleading information to the AGM, as defined by the Oxford Illustrated Dictionary False is 1 Erroneous not true or correct, 2 Lying, deceitful;. Mislead: Lead astray, give the wrong impression YOU DECIDE.

Would the question be:

Did the Chairman of HSBC Plc LIE TO SHAREHOLDERS at the AGM concerning the complaint by customers in India?

Registering customers wrongly on CIBIL is not an invidious irritation as stated by Mr Flint. It ruins peoples lives, it has a very serious impact on their lives.

So was the CHAIRMAN BEING DECEITFUL and GIVING THE WRONG IMPRESSION TO SHAREHOLDERS at the AGM concerning, what is means to be registered on CIBIL?

Just because HSBC Plc is a world wide Financial Company (Bank) should they not be more responsible in what they do? There are rules and regulation concerning Banks behaviour so has HSBC been negligent in registering people wrongly with CIBIL? I do accept mistakes can take place, but did the DSA's lie to customers by telling them that HSBC Credit Card was free for Life?

It is my personal belief that the British and the Indian Governments need to investigate HSBC Plc and HSBC India, for what they have done and are doing to customers in India. Any fines should not run into TENS OF MILLIONS but into HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS, then maybe it will teach Mr Flint and HSBC Plc a lesson?

Please look at who are the Board of Directors of HSBC Plc and ask yourself why have they allowed Mr Flint to behave in such away.

Please go to the link and look at the behaviour of Mr Flint the Chairman of HSBC Plc, see how he answered the question that I put to him. Then decide is this a person you want to be in charge of a Bank where you are a customer.

I have been lucky to have met and talk to very many good staff at HSBC all over the world. I am not anti HSBC I am just very concerned by the behaviour in India towards customers and the Board of Directors.

@ Anonymous 3 you questioned (it makes me wonder how thoroughly the rest of the article is written and researched!)

Please allow me to state I was the person that brought this story to Victoria.

I can state that Victoria has done a lot of research and has spoken to customers in India.

If you want you can follow the links in my previous postings.

I can not understand people arguing about spelling and not really understanding what HSBC is doing in India to so many of its customers.

This is part of a letter I sent to the Board of Dircetors in October 2010.

Reference HSBC India

I refer to the concerns that I raised at the AGM in May concerning the behaviour of HSBC in India. Following my representation of complainants against HSBC India I have found the behaviour by the Bank to be totally unacceptable. This is my personal belief.

As I have just returned from India where I met with some of the complainants, I also had a meeting with Mr Davis CEO, Ms Jasmine Baltiwalla and Mr Abraham, where I raised my concerns in the way that the Bank has been handling complaints.

I have found that the Bank has failed to comply with the RBI and the Banking Ombudsman Rules and Regulation in the handling of complaints. Also in all the complaints that I have personally handled there was no evidence that the Bank had informed the complainants of their right to take their complaint to the Banking Ombudsman which the Bank was obliged to do under the RBI rules and regulations.

What I have found that even when the complaint went to the Nodal Officer, they were asked by the Nodal Officer to wait five days to investigate further, only to never receive no more contact.

I have also found that the Collection Department have used verbal threats, intimidation and even blackmail to force people into settling so called charges and the miss-use of CIBIL. These are my personal beliefs and I do have to state this for Legal reasons.

@Michael Mason-Mahon,

Interestingly enough, there's an HSBC apologist writing vigorously in the Sunday Telegraph comments today about the virtues of HSBC, who states they are a senior well paid banker by the online name of dexter_rankin.

The angle he's pushing is the black hole that will happen in the UK economy if HSBC were to ever leave these shores. He's having his comments heavily challenged.

This was one such thread:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/banksandfinance/8754654/ICB-to-admit-its-reforms-will-cost-banks-billions.html#comment-307064247

His outstanding comment on another thread was as follows:

"who cares about retail banking? The main driver of profits at the big 4 is wholesale banking.

And BTW HSBC made $12bn last year. It has the lowest CDS spreads of any bank.

It is being actively courted by HK, Singapore and India as a place in which to relocate it's domicile. "

I do actually think this person's writings are taking us into the true culture at the 4 Big Banks and they are really feeling challenged by the ICB Report.

To the Prime Minister of Great Britain

Dear Mr Cameron

Why has the British Government not ordered an investigation into HSBC Plc and their Board of Directors (Mr Cable now is your chance)?

Is it because as Prime Minister you made the ex-Chairman of HSBC Plc Mr Green a Lord?

Will HSBC Plc and Lord Green become another embarrassment for you as Prime Minister?

Customers like me in India (did and are) suffering because of (Mr) Lord Green and his action or inaction, when he was Chairman of HSBC Plc. Also Mr Flint who I did ask for help and received none?

Some people will say this is in India, it is for the Indian Government to do the investigation?

HSBC Plc Head Office and their Chairman are here in London, so let the authorities in the UK deal with them.

Will you as Prime Minister not show the Financial World that any British Company doing wrong anywhere in the world and is registered in the UK will be held responsible in the UK.

Mr Flint did not tell the truth at HSBC's AGM when he stated, "that it was an invidious irritation to customers when registered with CIBIL". It causes so much hardship, pain, suffering and stress trying to clear your name.

As Prime Minister of Great Britain I ask you, will you not help the people in India?

Will you not stop HSBC Plc from damaging so many people's lives in the name of profit?

Prime Minister are you going to turn a blind eye to what HSBC Plc has done and are doing to the people of India?

If it was not for a person from Great Britain helping my family and myself, we would still be suffering at the hands of HSBC.

Will you as Prime Minister not do the same and offer us help?

Dear Southgate

If you would like to contact me ckmdm@aol.com. I would like to talk to you.

Kind regards

Michael

It can happen on their investment arm also.

I invested via my Financial Advisor in 2 tranches of an HSBC Chinese Fund quoted in Dollars. After about 10 years of following the investment on the annual statement, I was about to cash in and profit take, when they informed me that they never received my £2000 cheque (a lot of transactions were taking place simultaneously).

After checking his records, my Financial Advisor confirmed that the cheque had been sent to HSBC. My bank confirmed that the cheque had never been encashed. However, my profitable investment was anulled by HSBC. They only offered to let me reinvest at the current price.

I wasn't happy. I felt cheated. How could they send me these statements for so long which lead me to believe all was well.

Why should this come as a surprise to anybody? the banks were bailed out for their corrupt & scandalous behaviour. Crimes committed by them have been ignored & many of their actions which is considered illegal in the real world are allowed to go unaddressed.

Banks are some of the most overpaid businesses - they are able to more or less write up their own contracts which no other (profession - my foot!)would be able to get away with!

Governments are enthralled to an instituition not fit for purpose for the 21st century, but who has the balls to admit this?

i was with lloyds bank for twenty years, never ever would i walk through that bank again. totally aggressive, and dictatorial. what was the outcome-exactly, all the managers at the branches were puppets protecting their pensions, little short of incompitenence.the ombudsman i contacted and waited 6 months totally incomp. the whole system needs a revolution.

Perhaps that happened yesterday Tony.

Hsbc is not having any ethics. i ever seen this type of bank in india. wonder why british govt is not taking any legal actions for this bank if hsbc bank is doing business in wrong way. iam also victim for this bank.i know how iam suffering cibil problem because of this bank. one of the worst bank in global is HSBC

Regards,

Nagesh Kumar

To the CHAIRMAN of HSBC Plc and the CEO of HSBC India, I have received this complaint.

I ask is this a true complaint?

If it is true should people be very worried about HSBC Plc and all its subsiduaries?

WHAT IS THE CHAIRMAN DOING OR WILL HE SAY AGAIN "THIS IS JUST AN IVIDIOUS IRRITATION?????

One question: Mr CHAIRMAN and the CEO, how would he feel if this was happening to you or your family?

Dear Michael

On 14th Sep.2011 I have got a call from Mr. Santosh who is claiming that he is from JM finance Ltd. HSBC had sold all un recovered CC accounts to JM Finance. I need to pay Rs 74000/- as outstanding amount in 2 installments or Rs.32000/- in one stroke before 19th Sep.2011.On 19th Sep.2011 Santosh’s collogue Mr. Faiyyaz had visited to my home & threaten to me & my wife that if I am failed to pay Rs.32000/- before 30th Sep.2011,he will do any thing to recovery of money. On 28th September 2011 I got a call from Mr. Santosh for inquiry of 32000/-Rs payment. I had updated to him that I have escalated this issue with HSBC Bank & I will not pay single rupee before HSBC's conformation. He had threaten me that He beaten me & my wife and taken out things from my home.

I have logged a complaint with local Police through email,but there no response from them.

Mr. Faiyaz & Mr.Prashant had visited at my home & called me up.I had rushed to my home & display them all the mail communications to them ,but they are not ready to hear to me.Both had threaten my that they will killed me.My wife scared & handed over Rs-19000/-Rs to them which she had collected from her friends on interest.

Mr. Santosh, Prashant & Faiyaz aksed me to pay rest 13000/- Rs. before 15th Oct.2011.

Today had received reply from Mr. ------- that they need more 5 days to investigation.

Contact Nos

Mr.Santhosh Chavan :+919766610744,(+912041079704)

Mr.Faiyaz Thamboli : +919011411382

Mr.Prashant :

Type error in INVIDIOUS, very sorry.

Banks are good at playing Pontius Pilate. They hand over alleged debts to evil debt collectors who employ all methods legal and illegal to terrorise people to pay what is under dispute. The banks turn around and say it is no longer their concern. But they know exactly what will happen, however they pretend otherwise.