HSBC Bank Card Global Fail

HSBC Customers Impacted By "Worldwide Meltdown" Of All Retail Services

Submitted by Tyler Durden on 11/04/2011 12:11 -0400

Did HSBC not get the memo: the collusive attempt to pass debit card fees has failed. We jest of course, but in the footsteps of Bank of America which experienced a mini online bank run some weeks ago, this would at least explain what the Mail Online has dubbed a "worldwide meltdown" in which online banking, ATMs and debit cards appear have been blocked, and no customer access is available. From the British publication: "Thousands of HSBC customers faced the ultimate embarrassment of having their cards declined this afternoon as the bank suffered a 'worldwide meltdown'. Fourty seven countries have potentially been affected in the world's second largest bank. Cards were rejected at tills, cash machines read that withdrawal limits for today had been reached, and the card enquiries phoneline was also down. Unsurprisingly there was pandemonium in HSBC branches up and down the country as people rushed to find out why their cards had rejected." Sure enough, a few hours after this started we get this: "HSBC SAYS AWARE OF `SOME PROBLEMS' ON ITS BANKING NETWORKS" Supposedly what is a "worldwide meltdown" to some is "some problems" to others. Perhaps the bank's ad execs can use that theme for its next Hegelian ad.

While HSBC were unavailable for comment, the HSBC Online Tweeted that they ‘were aware of the problem and working hard to resolve it.’

In the banks, tellers seemed none the wiser.

At 2.55pm one HSBC worker in the Kensington High Street branch in London said that the whole system was down and had been for 20 minutes.

She suggested that it might take another 20 minutes to get the system up and running. But it seemed clear that the bank did not know what the problem was or how to solve it.

'I expect the lights to go out next,' she remarked.

Consider it a dress rehearsal.