HSBC haven’t sent me any messages, phoned or emailed me. and I haven’t contacted HSBC about anything for probably a year since we looked at changing our mortgage.
In regards to my phone. I cant say for certain its not something I accidental did myself. It set up some kind of divert to voice mail (but when I rang it from the wife’s phone it just rang out but the call never came through to my phone). I could make calls no problem.

I have to say that this is in stark contrast to my dealings with HSBC regarding fraud.

I had both my current account, and associated credit card emptied a while ago, and on discovering I was potless gave them a ring. Got through the security checks with a bit of hassle, they wanted me to spell out my memorable place name (as it was Welsh) and I’d apparently spelled my mothers maiden name wrong on my initial setup form, so they quizzed that too.

Got sent a form with all the dodgy transactions listed, and a copy of my statement so I could add to their list, returned it to my local branch and had my money back the next day. So it took 3 days in all.

The only fly in the ointment was that the scrote(s) that stole my money used a cloned version of my debit card to pay for a rented house deposit, yet when I contacted the police, with an address, they didn’t want to know and said it was the banks problem not theirs.

It turned out that I got all 3 of the security questions wrong

You got your own date of birth wrong ?? 😕

No. Listening back that was a different question at a different time that fortunately I got correct.
Memorable word was the other I got wrong.

“The business about your mobile phone not working sounds familiar but I can’t quite think what the story was“

Not this story, was it? (details towards the end of the article)

http://www.wired.com/2012/08/apple-amazon-mat-honan-hacking/all/

Police aren’t interested in fraud because ‘Action Fraud’ was set up to take the reporting of these crimes away from the police. Unfortunately (and somewhat scandalously IMHO) Action Fraud just collate the statistics, and expressly do not investigate individual crimes.

Good wireless programme on it from the Beeb here (from about 13:30):

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0460zmj

It is run by the City of London Police. One could speculate whether their primary remit is to protect the interests of the ‘City of London‘ rather than Joe Public.

At least you got all your money back! When my account was emptied out it was all done from overseas and in smallish increments over the course of 2 weeks (this was about 10 years ago & I wasn’t using internet banking much then). They returned the money taken but not the overseas transactions fees, leaving me about £16 down. I guess I could have pursued it but was just grateful to get the money back (about £1300).

It’s odd that the texts/emails I regularly get about problems with my online bank account are always from HSBC/Santender/Barclays.
None of which I’ve ever had any kind of account with.
My two online accounts are with Lloyds and Halifax, and now authorise through my iOS devices, so I no longer need the password, but it requires the inputting of three randomly chosen characters from my ‘memorable info’, which was chosen and set up in the bank, and works really well.
I only have it written down in one place, a book with all my passwords and other info, the only issue is counting which character is so many along out of eleven, I usually write it on my hand and number underneath, just to make sure I get it right!
My memorable info is the registration number and make of an old car, that I’ve never forgotten. My current one would be useless, I can never remember it, despite owning it for nearly ten years!

Latest update.
A partial result for me but a disciplinary for someone.
Turns out that the fraudster should never have got through the security checks with the incorrect details(no sh1t) and neither should I of with the details I gave.

HSBC say the people who let me through will be facing disciplinary action. Normally i would feel guilty but the results of their action speaks for itself.

HSBC without me asking have credited my account with £150 as an apology and have assured me my account is as safe as it can be.
Reverb stealth here I come.

On one hand I’m happy that it’s all sorted but annoyed that it could happen in the first place. I really think it was an inside job though as the answers they provided (although they were wrong turned out to be very close) only exist in 2 places. Forgotten in the deepest darkest parts of my brain from 1996 and on the HSBC system. Seeing as I couldn’t remember them and they have never been written down I can only think they came from HSBC themselves.

and neither should I of have with the details I gave.

Exactly same happened to me last year with HSBC – I only found out about it when I got a rejection letter through the post for a loan. I hadn’t applied for a loan.

The same day as this letter came I got a different letter from their anti-fraud dept asking me to call them. I did this and it transpired that not only had my account been cleared out up to my overdraft limit, but they’d also taken out loans and opened other bank accounts at Barclays in my name.

Because everything had been done via the telephone they wouldn’t do anything else in the phone – I had to go to my local branch and sift through everything. To their credit I got every penny back.

The Police (that is, your local bobbies) just aren’t set up for this type of thing. The scale is incredible. This is why these have been set up:

http://www.actionfraud.police.uk

You need to report it via this link.

I toyed with have/of. Knew I would pick the wrong one.
Thanks for the link I’ll have a look now.

HSBC without me asking have credited my account with £150 as an apology and have assured me my account is as safe as it can be.

That’s a bit tight.

I got £350 credited as an apology when HSBC cancelled my overdraft for no reason, without telling me.

They reinstated it within 24 hours, but credited me with £350 (and sent flowers !) as an apology.

Log an official complaint and see what they give you then !

Weren’t HSBC done for helping drug cartels launder money a few years back? Maybe a few of the old looppholes that were used are still open.

For balance – I got **** all, despite it being their fault. Feels a bit late to moan now. Having said that, it was such a relief to get everything back that I don’t think I would’ve appreciated a cash bung.

I had the same thing happen with the HSBC. It was over a weekend also. The fraudsters do it on a Friday on purpose.

HSBC, in fairness, did return my money and gave me a free, unlimited overdraft to allow for any bills etc until the money reached my account (took 7 days). Mine was as a result of internet fraud, cloning my banking page or something.

Their security systems are crap though, compared to other banks.

Scary stuff. Glad to hear that there’s been a positive resolution, andysredmini.

My experience with First Direct was very positive. My credit card was cloned, they spotted it and froze the account before I noticed. I was in Afghanistan at the time yet I was still able to ring them, they sorted it and I had a new credit card in my hand within five days. Very impressed (although I’d have been even more impressed if the fraud hadn’t happened in the first place).