Orchard Bank - HSBC Ripoff Predatory Lending Practices Intentionally Unresponsive Customer Service Internet
I have had this Orchard Bank secured card for more than 8 years with a limit of $350. Recently, I decided to set up online payments for convenience and to avoid their "slow-processing of payments leading to bogus late fees" scam. Using the website to enter in my account info and other info to initiate online account access, I was told by the web site that my account info was not found. Concerned, I called the customer service number on the back of the card. The rep there said there was no record of that account number. I called another number on the statement, same repsonse. Each person I called either said there was no record of my account, or that it was held by another division of HSBC and they each provided me with a number to call somewhere else. I spoke to people at the call center in India. They were useless. When I explained that someone had to be able to help me with my account, they simply said, "that account does not exist". Now if I were to have stopped paying the bill, you could be sure the account would exist.
The long and short of it is that this company makes a practice out of signing up unsuspecting consumers, many with compromised credit, and then not providing any real access to customer support. This way they can fleece people in the most vulnerable financial situations, without having to answer for errors or to justify their illegal and improper activities. I am afraid to try and close this account because of all the horror stories I have read here on this site. Instead, I have simply paid it to zero and no longer use it. This company must be dealt with. I am posting here hoping that one day, a law firm will bring a class action against these awful parasites at which time I will be more than happy to help drive them into oblivion. If you are ever tempted to deal with this company, do your self a favor and forget it! Household Bank and HSBC are the same company as Orchard and they are all unacceptable. Caveat Emptor.
Anthony
Warwick, New York
U.S.A.
3 Updates & Rebuttals
Juliet
Birmingham,Alabama,
U.S.A.
Anthony, Don't Be Blackmailed!!! Cancel That Card!
#4Consumer Suggestion
Tue, June 12, 2007
Regarding the issue of the card member needing to register on the website as a New User, yes, that might be the problem. But when the card member CALLED them, why didn't any of them ASK ''did you register as a new user''? That is probably a pretty common issue, but the call representative has to have initiative, number one, to make this knowledge known to themselves, and then to make it known to the customer. The call rep well may have figured that was the problem, but is too apathetic to care about truly helping a customer. This little bit of insight comes from the sad experience of working with too many people in a bank's call center who just don't care, and they get away with it.
There is also an issue of possibly the call center management having ridiculous edicts such as not answering any questions not in the handbook for that specific department, which is also a case of someone, or more than one, needing to be fired. Since Orchard Bank serves people who are not always in a position of feeling they have a right to speak up, this wouldn't surprise me at all. Get their money -- that's a possible company slogan, unspoken but clearly communicated.
As for the Original Poster, Anthony, YOU NEED TO CANCEL THAT CARD. Annual fees, etc., are going to start piling up, and the card you paid to zero will end up far from zero. There is no sense in paying these fees out of fear. If you have paid off your legitimate balance, fight however you can to get the card cancelled.
Document everything --- it's a horrific pain, yes, but before you pick up the phone, write down the date on a regular sized piece of paper, the time, and start noting Phone # you dialed, Department Name if possible, Rep Name, details as best you can, if you get transferred, that department name, etc.
It's hard but you don't need to be blackmailed by this company for who knows how long just because they make it hard. If you need to write something down, tell them, ''please wait a moment, I'm making a note''. If they are rude about that, NOTE IT. If they hang up on you, NOTE IT.
I don't know if you can email them or not, but if you can, save a copy of your email somewhere other than the account you send it from. You can copy and past into word processing programs, or forward the SENT email to another of your own email accounts. Make sure you save any responses, and forward those to another email address, if possible.
If you have to resort to pen and paper, make copies, and send it whatever kind of mail it is that will give you a receipt so you KNOW they received it, and save that, too!
If you have to spend some money for special mailing, if it's less than the annual fee, etc., it's worth it.
Just like THIS site says: Don't Let Them Get Away With It!!! They make it hard ON PURPOSE. Good Luck, Anthony!
Karen
Wilkes Barre,Pennsylvania,
U.S.A.
Comment on website registering of account
#4Consumer Comment
Mon, June 11, 2007
This is to address the comment about having to register on the website for an account to be recognized for access.
How do you explain the fact that this person called, spoke to a person, and was still told the same thing?
Even if you're not registered for internet access I would hope they have access to your account when you call them.
Kathleen
Mesa,Arizona,
U.S.A.
Read the FAQs
#4Consumer Suggestion
Wed, June 06, 2007
On the Orchard Bank website is the following FAQ:
If you were not previously registered for online Account Access, you will get a message that the Account number is not recognized. Please return to the home page and register your Account as a new user.
I am not defending Orchard Bank, just saying that usually if you follow instructions you are less likely to run into problems.