After 5 years with HSBC Expat, I genuinely believed I was dealing with a professional and reliable institution—until the day they abruptly asked me to close my account due to “new country restrictions,” without ever providing a clear or written explanation.What followed was unacceptable. My accounts, activities, and investments were fully blocked, leaving me unable to access my own funds. Transferring my money to another bank took over 4 weeks, during which I was forced to spend hundreds of dollars on international phone calls just to get basic updates.To make matters worse, my assigned relationship manager completely stopped responding to my calls and emails. After the account closure, HSBC Expat refused to communicate with me via email altogether, insisting that all discussions happen only by phone.Even more concerning, I was asked to provide my destination bank details verbally over the phone, including a long IBAN, instead of through a secure written or documented channel. This approach effectively left no written trace of critical instructions, which is deeply troubling for a financial institution handling client funds.What is even more alarming is that I personally know dozens of other HSBC Expat clients who faced the exact same situation at the same time—accounts frozen, forced closures, no explanations, and weeks of uncertainty. This clearly points to a systemic issue, not an isolated case.Throughout this entire process, I recorded all phone calls and retained all account statements and correspondence, purely to protect myself and maintain an accurate record of events. Sadly, this was necessary due to the lack of transparency and accountability shown.This experience made me feel powerless—as if my money was locked away with no accountability. The service was impolite, unprofessional, and handled without any empathy.I can confidently say this has been my worst banking experience ever, and I will never engage with any HSBC-branded institution again. Thankfully, I’m out now.If you currently hold an account with HSBC Expat, I strongly urge you to consider closing it and moving your funds to a more transparent and trustworthy institution—before you are forced into the same situation.
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