HSBC returns $270 for fraudulent charges on travel card
Natasha’s holiday was interrupted when unauthorised charges were put on her HSBC travel card. When Natasha tried to get her funds returned through the HSBC customer complaints process, she didn’t have much luck. After the issue went on for a few months, Natasha decided to use Ajust. We were able to get her problem sorted in 2 weeks!
Why am I being charged for a purchase I didn’t make?
The thought of going away on an overseas holiday is very exciting, but there's usually a bit of admin to take care of. In order to prepare, people may get travel insurance, check out any visa requirements, and usually get a travel card (more on this later). It can be a lot to sort through - but once all this is figured out, you’re ready to go and have fun!
We’re sure Natasha and her 3 kids were super excited when they arrived at their travel destination. We bet they had butterflies in their stomachs in anticipation of all the activities they had planned. They had 4 weeks of travel plans and were keen to explore, unwind and relax.
However, things often don’t go to plan. Shortly after their holiday began, Natasha saw a notification for a purchase of $270. She opened it up and realised her HSBC travel card details must have been stolen. She definitely hadn't made that purchase herself. What really gave it away was that the transaction had been made in a country that wasn't even listed as one of Natasha's travel destinations!
Natasha and her family were only 10 days into their holiday at this point, so it was something that she needed to sort out ASAP. She not only had to contact her bank about these fraudulent charges, but she also needed to work out how she would pay for things for the rest of her trip.
Straight away, Natasha made a call to HSBC customer service to notify them of the fraud, as well as cancel the card. This would ensure no more unauthorised transactions would be made, but now she didn’t have a travel card. Natasha was hoping that it was something that HSBC could support her with.
Dealing with fraudulent charges is tough even on a normal day. When you're in unfamiliar territory like Natasha was, the problem becomes so much worse. As the only parent looking after 3 kids, we can only imagine how hard this must have been for Natasha.
Getting those charges refunded
After Natasha got in contact with HSBC for help, she felt she wasn’t given many options going forward. The only thing that Natasha could really do was to transfer the funds in her HSBC travel card into her regular bank card. Here’s a quick guide on how you can deal with bank complaints.
Transferring the money to her regular account defeated one of the primary purposes of having an HSBC card in the first place. Like most people on holiday, she arranged the travel card so she could avoid international transaction fees. Her normal bank card did not have these benefits, and we can assume the extra charges were not something that Natasha had factored in for her holiday budget.
As for the money that was taken out of her account, it was clear that the $270 purchase was a fraudulent charge, and unlikely she’d have issues getting it back - just that it would take time. HBSC told her that these types of problems can take up to 60 days to be resolved.
However, after this time had passed, Natasha still didn’t have her money back.
A travel card is also known as a travel money card. It is something travellers like to use when they're going to a foreign destination. A travel money card is a prepaid card that allows its holders to transfer money into the card and save on transaction fees. It can also make currency conversation easier and is often safer than carrying wads of cash.
Most major banks offer travel money cards. The terms of each card will differ so be sure to carefully read them. It’s also important to keep in mind that not all places will accept a money card, so make sure you're prepared with multiple payment options when travelling.
HSBC refunds the charges
Tired of having to chase up the bank, Natasha decided to use Ajust to resolve her complaint. Once the Ajust team was able to collect all the relevant information from Natasha, a report was compiled and sent directly to HSBC.
In 2 weeks, Natasha received the refund of $270 - after almost 2 months of waiting! At Ajust, we aim to make the complaints process a little bit easier and quicker for everyone. It’s always satisfying to see complaints get resolved.
Unfortunately, customer complaints can sometimes take longer than necessary to reach a resolution. Using an independent platform can help get the problem sorted more efficiently for both parties. If you’re struggling with getting a complaint resolved, try using Ajust.
Editor’s note: We’re always excited to share the experiences of consumers that have used Ajust. This Consumer Story is based on a real complaint made through our platform. But we’ve changed some details to protect the consumer's personal information and make the story more enjoyable for our readers.
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