Several HSBC Malta bank clients have been left financially stranded, unable to use their bank cards more than two days after a scheduled system upgrade was meant to have been completed.
People vented on social media, saying they were unable to pay for items in shops, withdraw cash from ATMs or make online banking money transfers to top up other payment services, such as Revolut.
The problems appear to be related to scheduled maintenance works that the bank underwent this past weekend. HSBC services were temporarily unavailable to all clients between late on Saturday and early on Monday morning, as the bank upgraded its cards systems to enable new services, including a long-awaited contactless card payment option.
While the upgrade was meant to be completed by early on Monday morning, bank customers were still reporting problems on Wednesday.
When Times of Malta attempted to use HSBC cards in shops on Wednesday, transactions using an HSBC Mastercard were accepted while those using an HSBC Visa debit card were marked ‘unauthorised’.
HSBC acknowledges issue
HSBC has acknowledged problems, writing on Facebook that “’while most of our card related services have now resumed, your card may still occasionally be declined.”
The bank said it was working to resolve the issue.
“We’re really sorry that we are not providing our best service right now and understand that this is frustrating. Thank you for your understanding.”
In a response issued later on Wednesday, the bank acknowledged that customers had experienced issues with the use of card.
"The Bank has successfully addressed a number of these issues, service is improving rapidly, and teams are working hard, in close liaison with the Bank’s card partners at VISA and MasterCard, to deliver the remaining services to customers as quickly as possible."
It said ATMs were working, customers could withdraw money and that online and point of sale transactions worked for VISA, debit and credit cards.
The bank said customers should use the most recent replacement cards issued by the bank and that only these cards will be accepted.
HSBC’s social media apology did little to placate bank customers who were left with few options by the interrupted services.
Many described having to leave groceries behind after they were unable to pay for them, with others saying they had to resort to borrowing money.
One woman wrote: "HSBC apologise for any inconvenience? Do you want me to send you my shopping list and all the things I need to pay which I cannot pay, so that maybe you can take care of that for me please?”
Frustration levels soar
Another woman described how she was locked at home in quarantine with no way to pay her online groceries: “It is most disgraceful. I am stuck in quarantine and cannot even order my groceries online because my cards are still getting declined. How is one supposed to get stuff. Should we perhaps start munching on the cards?”
One man said: “I am going on holiday tomorrow and I have no access to banking services. So I have no way of moving and exchanging my money. This is unacceptable.”
People’s impatience peaked when they tried to reach the bank over the phone, only to be left on hold with no agents available to take their call.
I don’t think anything has been solved... Oh but wait, funnily enough my home loan repayments went through!
“Not even your telephones work! If you have all these problems better you restart hiring people instead of machines! People need their money,” one man wrote.
Another noted, somewhat sarcastically, that while the bank seemed unable to give customers access to their funds, it had no problem withdrawing his home loan repayment.
“I hope we're not going to get charged interest for late credit card payments,” he added.