Complaint Review: HSBC - Nationwide

My husband and I have filed our taxes w/H&R Block for over 15 years, and have never had a problem w/being overpaid on our tax return. A few years ago, The Food and Drug Adm. had claimed that we were overpaid on a benefit we had recieved, ultimately causing a collection from the Treasury Dept. In October of last year, our case was reopened w/F&D Adm. causing the collection to be voided because this department has been being paid back on a monthly basis.

In January, this collection was stopped so we didn't have to pay anything out of our taxes. We filed our taxes w/H&R Block at the end of January, and was able to receive our refund at the time of filing. We cashed our check, and continued w/our life.

Around February 10th, HSBC called my husbands cell phone (not our home phone, mind you) while he was in a dentist office, rudely demanding that we pay them back almost $700. My husband told them that he would have his wife call and find out what the situation was, and also requesting the information needed by mail stating we owed them anything. That was not satisfying this company, so they argued, demanding he give up some sort of account information so that they could get their money that they claimed we were overpaid.

My husband had me contact the bank and obtain the information. Once again, they were rude and demanding, also pushing that we signed an agreement w/them when we filed and received our check that we would immediately pay back what we "borrowed".

Well, come to find out, we did'nt technically "owe" anything. As what was said in the beginning, there was a stop on the collection in January. However, a check is being sent to the Human Services Dept. for the debt, which by law they have to return to us to give back to the bank.

A supervisor in collections w/Human Services Dept. immediately took the steps necessary in issuing a check to us to cover the bank, and will not be here until sometime this week. This morning, HSBC called to attempt to collect their debt, and I kindly gave them an update that they would be getting their money sometime this week. To my dismay, this man that called started pushing that if I would just give him a post-dated check, then he would hold it until March 20, and they would clear it. I explained that I was not going to give them any account information until the check we are supposed to get is in my possession. This made the representative very irritable because he could not get any bank account information from me, so he decided to threaten me w/the statements that we are now in bad standing w/their bank. I told him that I knew it wouldn't look negative until after the 13th of March, and he was stating that he wasn't talking about our credit, he said he was talking about our standings getting a loan from their bank ever again, even though I was told a couple weeks prior that this error would not look bad on us when we file our taxes and what-not with their bank. He then proceeded to harrass me and say that we are refusing to pay them the money, and to stop the calls, we need to give them their payment now over the phone. I then again told him no and explained that as soon as we received the money, they would get it. I started explaining to him that my husband and I have been being verbally abused by this company, and tired of the threats on our credit status, when we have been clients w/their bank through H&R Block for over 13 years. His words were, "That's fine if we've been rude, you and your husband are refusing to pay us what is rightfully ours." I told him that no one is refusing payment, and that their company should be more civil to their clients and not so threatening. He then went on to say that they have every right to be rude because we signed an agreement w/their bank at the time of filing. Before I hung up on him, he just started repeating that we are in negative standing w/them because we refuse to make payment to them. After he refused to give me his name, only gave me a phone #, I then hung up on him, and turned to this site. This bank has harrassed us since February 10th, despite the information I was willing to send them, showing this error was not our fault, and that payment would immediately be issued as soon as the money was returned to us. Their clientel that works in collections w/this company should not even be allowed to make phone calls. Out of the 50 or more calls, one woman, was kind enough to make note of our situation, and was very polite. She explained their policies, and did not push on getting any bank account information from us. Everyone else have been extremely rude, and threatening towards our credit status. We have NEVER been treated this way w/any company that has ever called seeking debt.

Also, we still have not received anything showing we owe them a dime, even though we have requested it several times. Anyone attempting to pull a loan w/this bank needs to think twice, and carefully read any paperwork that is affiliated w/this company before signing. They'll eat ya alive and spit you out in the dirt.

P

Bakersfield, California
U.S.A.