HSBC Internet banking ...

[under_exposed]

Originally Posted by bugged on the right

. I also can't believe that organisations like banks can't make their apps compatible with old phones. I appreciate there may be security concerns but it is all surely a matter of writing the code? For similar reasons, I will only buy music that I can hold in my hand. No downloads.

If there is a vulnerability in the OS it may well be impossible to protect it in application code.

[Killaroo]

Maybe you folk who use HSBC UK could answer a question for me - I’m having trouble getting the facts from them directly.
I’m a Premier customer with HSBC accounts in two Asian countries. I use the excellent Global Transfers system to send money between those two instantly and for free.
Last week I opened a HSBC UK account. My first ‘test transfer’ of 10 EUR into my UK account was expected to land in my Euro currency account - in Euro.
Instead I got £8 STG in the ‘main’ Premier account!
I’ve just spent the best part of an hour on their (human) chat system trying to get an explanation for this - or what did I do wrong/need to do to get it right. But no joy. The chatter person had no explanation.
Any of you know the trick?

[Killaroo]

If anyone is still interested, I found a solution to that HSBC Global Transfers prob.
After much digging on the HSBC UK website (and wasted time chatting online with a rep) I found that there are two alternative types of foreign currency accounts - the Primary account allows subsets of foreign currencies called 'Global Money', but foreign currency can't be transferred directly into them, it gets sent to the main GBP account first and auto converted. A complete nuisance.
The solution is to dig around and find out how to set up a 'HSBC Currency Account' where you can nominate favourite currencies, obtain a specific account number, and then transfer directly into it without any auto conversions.
I don't see the point of these different 'products' really, and even their own reps don't seem very au fait with them. Perhaps you can only set up the 'HSBC Currency Account' if you are a Premier customer, which you need to be to use their 'Global Banking' system.
Good luck.

[Sygyzy]

Killaroo.

Leave HSBC in any/all of its guises as quickly as you can. The bank doesn't know it's own products, can't help properly and continues to fudge.

There are (many) better banks out there.

S

[Killaroo]

I don't trust any of them very much. The only attraction for me with HSBC is the Global Banking Online system which (when you figure it out) allows free and instant transfers in any currency - between your own foreign accounts. For mobile workers that's a huge benefit. What other bank has that?

[artee]

Originally Posted by Killaroo

I don't trust any of them very much. The only attraction for me with HSBC is the Global Banking Online system which (when you figure it out) allows free and instant transfers in any currency - between your own foreign accounts. For mobile workers that's a huge benefit. What other bank has that?

Not a bank per se, but Wise is terrific for having and transferring money in different currencies, and you can set up virtual bank accounts in various countries which can be addressed as local entities by foreign banks. Low fees, good exchange rates...

[Killaroo]

I use Wise and really like it. But unfortunately the country I currently abide in places currency controls on it. You aren’t allowed to hold more than 5K USD (equiv) in your Wise account. That cripples it for me.
By the way, you also cannot open a Wise account in many countries - including Hong Kong!