Introducing my new WTF section, first up HSBC

I’m going to start to write about things that boggle my mind. Not necessarily a vent. Rather I’ll classify these as WTFs.

My first WTF goes out to HSBC. Why? For sending the most cryptic mail correspondence you can imagine. It barely mentioned “HSBC” at all. It was something to the tune of “we’re moving your account to Virginia, so Virginia laws apply.” It was a little different, but not that much.

It also mentioned it’s in reference to a “card” that ends in xxxx (where x are numbers).

Ok, so.

1) We don’t have a card that ends in that number.
2) We don’t even have an account that ends in that number.
3) WTF are they writing about. Virginia? What?
4) Nothing in the letter explains anything in any detail.

That leaves a nervous nelly like me to all of a sudden worry that an account was open in his name somewhere some how.

So this means I have to call CS for them to explain it’s not a card (although the paper said so), but an old line of credit. Why did you mention “card ending in” again???

WTF HSBC. Be clear with your communications. Not too clear as to subject your customers to fraud, but clear enough to explain what a letter is all about if you need to send it. And how about putting a phone number on there in case you have questions. And how about making your brand name stick out some more so it doesn’t look like a cheap hoax.