HSBC debit cards not valid...

The following is posted on HSBC's website:

"Please note that the following service will be unavailable due to required system updates. Please review the following date and time to minimise your disruption.

- ATM : Friday 13 March 2009, from 11:00pm to Saturday 14 March 2009, 11:00am

We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause."

There's a notice saying the same next to their ATM at Landmark. If I've understood correctly, the notice also goes on to say that ATM cards won't work in shops either during this time.

Words fail me.

Yep, HSBC seems to be the only bank left in Doha still accepting international ATM cards. Tried about 5 other banks and they all came back as "Faulty Card"... HSBC gave me CASH! Good for them; hope it stays this way.

HSBC is a great bank and hopefully this is a smart move on their part, part of a larger picture. Only accepting ATM cards with a chip is an incredibly stupid move on Qatars part. By only allowing cards with a chip to be accepted they have blocked all international ATM cards. Tourists who show up expecting to be able to withdraw currency from their home banks cannot and will me met with the message, "faulty card". My wife and I both have our salaries deposited to an account in Canada and relied on our bank card to withdraw cash for living expenses... Today we were met with "faulty card" at all bank machines we tried. Now no money for food or petrol!!! Tomorrow we are heading to HSBC in hopes theirs still works!

Strange, I got money on Tuesday at 2:00 with my ATM card from HSBC at the non-HSBC ATM next to the Burgerking at Burgerking R/A... Had stopped there just to check after reading this thread.

yes....u r u 100% right

Imagine, I was waiting for my salary to come through and when an officemate called that it's ok...all ATM machines around the souq waqif area gave me "invalid card" message when i tried to withdraw some money.

It was already 9pm and with only got 20 riyals in my wallet, I have to go to their main branch in Grand Hamad to do the transaction....GRRRR

What an inconvenience indeed...GGGRRRRRRRRR!!!!!

or should i say its thr way of not letting us spend OUR money as a favor ....wowwww now that is a point that they should advertise.

just few more nails in thr coffin

HSBC not only have crap service now they dont have atm's available.

Just feel like withdrawing all my money of that silly bank.

Oh, yes, fishee, I got the same SMS at 12:38 IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT! Wonderful to be wakened by such good news from a bank. I am officially declaring them TOAST.

Mandi

almost everybody experience this last week ATM problem... i went to the bank to withdraw over the counter...unfortunately i did not get my money..signature problem.. so i have to change my signature...even though i have all the ID's i didnt get a single riyals.. i have to wait for the new ATM.. .grrrrrrrrrrrrr...

This just in ...

got an sms from HSBC

"Dear Customer, ATM cash withdrawals of HSBC customers in Qatar have been restricted to only HSBC ATMs temporarily. This will not impact any transactions at retailers or any overseas transactions. We will advice you once this facility is reinstalled. The locations of our ATMs in Qatar can be found on our website www.hsbc.com.qa. We thank you for ur understanding and apologize for any inconvenience."

INCONVENIENCE that is an understatement wont u say?? .... m surely withdrawing my account frm thr ...

I don’t have a HSBC ATM anywhere near! and am Penniless..:(

Just found out the email address to which one can send mails or inquiry or suggestions or even a complain

[email protected]

its not just HSBC its other banks as well, they are forced by QCB and not QNB to change all their credit/debit cards to smart cards, and most banks are in the process of changing them, and in that process they are slowly withdrawing their old atm cards by slowly decommissioning them, first step is stop it from working in other banks....second step is canceling them alltogather....

Maybe you can get some more answers from them as to when this whole stupid problem may be fixed. Cheers

deedee thanks for that info, I though for all these years that they did not have such debit cards here.. I off first thing tomorrow morning to see my Premier relationship manager..lol

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HE WHO DARES WINS

absolutely. I use my "ATM" card all the time through the pin and code machine at carrefour, megamart, q-tel, everywhere and have done so for 5 years now. I NEVER use my HSBC credit card. Too easy to forget to pay it off and thereby have to pay interest.

Weasel---read the original post. If true, then HSBC had a year to make the change to the more secure chip system, but put it off until it was too late.

It would be interesting to know if other ATM cards from other banks are working, meaning those banks were smart and actually got their customers the new cards in time.

Isn't there a regulatory body to stop this from happening? I don't see this as HSBC's fault at all. Their VISA PLUS / NAPS / GCCNET ATM cards should work on all machines that display these logos, worldwide. If the banks that manage /own these machines changed their systems overnight without prior warning, they should be taken to task.

Can you pay with you so called Debit Card at say Carrefour through their pin and code machine? If so then it is debit card otherwise it is atm card..

Debit card normally like the Credit Card will have visa maestro on it.

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HE WHO DARES WINS

I don't know why, but since last year, my HSBC ATM Card has not really been working with any HSBC ATM Machine, DOHA-WIDE, even at the branch where it was issued to me 3 years ago. I never bothered to complain because it was working in all other ATM Machines anyway except HSBC itself. Good thing, it worked with Doha Bank last night. If it will only be working with HSBC, then I really have to ask for an issuance of a new ATM card, which I am sure will cost me again. HSBC has been good to me as it was readily available during mg dire moments, when their agents would come to our office and/or call almost everyday to offer loans. I just hope that HSBC will be able to settle issues regarding services so that all of its clients will be happy - regardless of status and amount of salary. For an international bank, it is really frustrating.

oh good god, so now i know y the hell couldnt i pay from my atm card... that is such a crap banking.

Good Lord, this really is the last straw!

Mandi

If HSBC bothered to put PARKING near their banks I would be happy enough to go there. But since they never are in malls or accessible by walking less than a KM I HATE going there (particularly when that means taking the kids out of their car seats, walking them to the bank, then strapping them back in)...

Enough, we're switching banks if this is the case. I use my debit/cash (whatever you want to call it) everywhere! I hate credit cards, to easy to ring up a balance that you can't pay for. Easier to just spend what you have.

Bad enough that my husband got stuck in a foreign country once and when his card didn't work their response was "we suspended service for non-HSBC machines, just go to the local HSBC branch". When I asked where that was, we were only able to find one that required an AIRPLANE to get to. So much for "your local bank". Ugh... Extremely embarrassing when you have to ask co-workers for cash.

debit card. Maybe that's the reason why I also had a problem withdrawing yesterday at QNB and Islamic bank ATM Machines in Al Meera stores. But it was accepted by Masreq Bank ATM Machine this morning!

"dgoodrebel will always be the rebellious good one"

My card is for ATM to get cash AND a debit card. I buy almost everything with it. Don't know what you are talking about.

This morning after my first post I went to HSBC and asked. Yes, there is a problem. No, they would not give me a new card. "Your card still working in HSBC ATM" They said they are working on the problem since "Yesterday" and that it will "Take a while". When asked how long was a while, they only shook their heads and smiled. GRRR

By the way Virgo 825 this problem applies to ALL customers, as I am a privilege customer.

Tried my ATM also at Ahli Bank and Commercial Bank...they did not accept my HSBC ATM Card ...tried at Doha Bank and it worked. I learned from my officemates that they suffered the same fate of ATM Machine hopping, pressured and stressed as they need to withdraw and send money to their families back home. I think that if HSBC will not be straightening things up, the only clients/depositors that they will have in the long run are those that are settling loans and credit cards with them like me and those who are well-off, privileged clients whose monthly salaries are too high, which unfortunately, do not include me. :) And then, of course, when all those who have loans have already paid off and completely settled everything with them, the few elite will be the only ones left. How many could those elite clients in Qatar be when majority of the population comprise of average-salaried people who fall way below the salary bracket they have imposed to be able to open and maintain an account with them? However, if HSBC remains like this, DOHA BANK and the rest of the local banks will be benefitting from them. That will be a big boost to local banks! And, why not? :)

First of all it is not a Debit Card.. as you can not pay with it. It is just a cash card to or atm card to withdraw cash.

Yes I had the same problem yesterday but it worked only on HSBC machine.. Yes do complain.. and lets us know..

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HE WHO DARES WINS

YES! my card worked fine on Saturday, on Sunday rejected at both commerical bank and QNB. I plan to go to HSBC today and give them a piece of my mind. Very annoying. Can I charge them the 2% it costs me for having to use my US debit card instead? I wish

i've had this problem for over a year... but it was the opposite....

my card has had a chip everysince i joined IBQ (about 2 yrs ago) and alot of the ATM's couldn't read the card....