The Saga of the Visa Card and the HSBC

Like any normal person, I have debit and credit cards. I used to have a few credit cards but that was dangerous, so now I've consolidated all my debts to just the one, which I hate having to use. One reason I hate using it is because I'm trying to clear the balance. But mostly, I hate using it because nine times out of ten, whenever I do, the HSBC declines it. With no warning.

Now before you jump to conclusions, no, I don't have bad credit. I'm just with a bank that doesn't like to lend you money. At all.

It's actually very irritating, because sometimes I've missed out on stuff when they've declined the transaction (because they think the activity on the card is 'unusual' or suspect it of being 'fraudulent). Like for example, when I booked tickets to go to the 2004 Olympics. They blocked the transaction and I lost my booking - then I had to phone them up and tell them it really was me using the card. Fortunately I was able to re-book some seats, but I did lose tickets to some events because by the time I tried to re-book, they were sold out.

They've also recently taken to blocking transactions using my debit card too. Like earlier this year, when Mum, Mal and I went to Scotland - here I am at the ATM in Fort William and I can't get any money out. I have to phone them up and sure enough, they've noticed 'usual activity on my account'. Unusual activity? You're kidding, right? It would be 'unusual activity' if I WASN'T using my cards travelling somewhere during the school holidays - I'M A TEACHER, FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!

Therefore as a preventive measure, when I travelled recently I phoned the idiots up and told them where I was going - and this time they didn't block my card! Congratulations, HSBC, a world first!

But I digress. Back to the story. Whenever the HSBC detects 'unusual activity' on my credit card, they get some poor blighter in Delhi to phone me up to check. The problem is, when they call, the first thing they do is ask me for my security details to confirm that it's really me they're speaking too. What am I, an idiot? As if I'm going to tell them my security details - it could be anyone on the phone! So I ask them to confirm the security details with me, they say they can't, as I could be anyone - so we go round in circles before they finally hang up, telling me to phone the HSBC on a number I know to be the HSBC. I of course don't phone - why should I pay premium phone call costs? - and I go online and leave them messages til the whole silly mess is sorted out.

Anyway. Recently I used my credit card to book a flight to Australia, and was not surprised when the HSBC phoned me about it later - but did the usual and did nothing (except for the online secure messages thing). I needed to use my card a few days later, and was quite surprised to see it declined - tried it a few days after that, and still no joy. Oy ve, I have to phone the HSBC.

So by the time I get through all the automated rubbish at the start of the call, I'm pretty irate - and when I get the woman in Delhi, I let her know in no uncertain terms. She passes me on to someone in Calcutta or something, who reads off the spiel about 'unusual activity'. Yeah, yeah, I've heard it all before - so I launch into my "What's the point of having a credit card if every time I use it you just block me?" speech, only to be cut off mid sentence by the statement "So you really did buy furniture from Bedz R Us online then?" Excuse me?

Alas, it seems this time the bank is right. There has been fraudulent use on my card - I just don't have any idea how. I haven't done any online ordering other than a flight with Singapore Airlines. I haven't responded to any phishing emails. My card has not been out of my sight, I haven't lost my purse... nothing. I don't get it.

But because of the Bedz R Us thing, I now find myself in the position of having had my credit card cancelled. This would not be a problem but for the fact that in December, I have to present the visa card I used to purchase my airline ticket in order to get my boarding pass - and that card is now cancelled.

And the bank are now giving me grief over writing a letter to that effect, which would get me out of all sorts of difficulty with Singapore Airlines... which means more phone calls to the bank til I get what I want... Oh Lord, give me strength...