Banking..who not to use!
Whatever you do, don't use HSBC!!
I'm sure everyone has a nightmare story to tell about UAE banks, but here's mine...
After banking with HSBC for many years, and putting up with their shocking customer service, I finally realised I was losing about 4% of my money every time I transferred a large part of my salary home. Due to their massive commission, which I wasn't aware of, I was losing about 800dhs a month.
I switched to Lloyds bank after finding their commission to be about .7%..a huge saving.
Now to try to close my HSBC accounts. First attempt..my fault, I didn't cancel an overseas monthly payment so my visa card wasn't closed properly. After sorting that, with many, many phone calls, I finally got a "final final final"" credit card bill faxed to me by a "senior" supervisor, which I paid immediately online.(we're now three months into the saga).
Two months later I start getting more visa bills from HSBC for my "closed account"...now penalty payments for non-payment of nothing..think it's now up to 700 or 800dhs!!
I've ignored it..now I get up to four phone calls a day from the HSBC..when I answer..sometimes they just click off, sometimes it's elevator music, sometimes the caller just listens for my answer and doesn't say anything!! The most astonishingly childish corporate bullying I've ever experienced!!
Once I answered but didn't say anything...it must have surprised the Indian lady on the other end..as she finally said "hello?, hello?"..I caught her out and said "ahh.there is someone there!!..and she hung up.
Unbef@#k'nbeleivable.
Moral of the story...don't bank with HSBC.
PS...fantastic service from Lloyds since I joined them (disclaimer..no incentives were offered by Lloyds for this plug!)