I had an HSBC card, which was stolen from me at 9:05 pm on 31-Jul-07 and I tried to call up the Customer Care in Bangalore on 080-25589696. That's when I realised to my horrifying experience that HSBC Call centre never gets through.

I kept trying to reach them using 3 different lines (including, from my mobile). It took about 35 minutes to get to speak to the Customer Care and block my card. By then it was 9-59 pm.

At this point they tell me that my card was used 3 times in the last 35 minutes. One at 9-26 pm, next at 9-41 pm and then again at 9-54 pm and they pled their helplessness. To hell with them they don't even have a hotline for LOST CARD in their telephone menu. Most banks have this.

Now I am burdened with the purchases done by some thief.

I suggest you can try reaching the Customer care on +91-80-2558-9696 (HSBC). If it reaches you are lucky. Since this incident I went to their Bank branch, where they say they do not handle Credit Card issues and to my utter surprise they suggested I should go to Chennai where they have the credit card division and meet someone by name 'Karthik'.

Further more they didn't disclose the name of the merchant where my card was swiped, they say you can check your statement until then I have to wait.

I have lodged a police complaint. After checking my online statement, I went to the Merchants (3 different places) and got the photocopy of the signed Charge Slip and now filed a DISPUTE FORM claiming it's not my signatures on the charge slip. God knows what happens next.

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