UK bankcard not working in the US

I opened a student passport account at HSBC. I have a visa debit card with the account. It will not work at all in the US for some reason. I've been on the phone with bank, screwing up the security questions and getting my account flagged - not on purpose, I just suck at remembering where I've written that stuff down. I finally got someone to tell me that it was okay, it should work now.

But it doesn't. They know I'm in the US. I won't be back in the UK until May. I really really need access to my money!

Is there something I'm missing? Is it impossible for the card to work in the US?

A visa debit card should work anywhere that accepts visa, regardless of the country.  If it doesn't, then the problem is with the card issuer.  You may need to spend a bit more time on the phone.  Do you have internet banking, by chance?  I used to have an HSBC account, and I found that the internet was the only way to get sense out of them--I'd just look up the answers to my questions myself. 

Did you notify the bank in the UK that you would be traveling to the US before you went?

If not, they usually freeze your account. (I found that out the hard way!)

A visa debit card should work anywhere that accepts visa, regardless of the country.  If it doesn't, then the problem is with the card issuer.  You may need to spend a bit more time on the phone.  Do you have internet banking, by chance?  I used to have an HSBC account, and I found that the internet was the only way to get sense out of them--I'd just look up the answers to my questions myself. 

That's what I thought, that it should work.  I'm sensing more time on the phone. I do have internet banking, which is what kind of started this. I had to pick a new telephone banking number because the internet didn't like the one I picked at the bank.

I hadn't told them I was leaving the to the US because the address I gave them was in the US and they mailed the card to the US and truthfully they never asked!

They don't ask! I traveled from the US -> England -> Paris. I had told my bank I was going to England, but not to Paris. So After I used my card once in Paris, they froze it. (assume it's stolen)

Which meant I couldn't buy a metro pass or anything until I was able to get to my cousin's house and call the bank and let them know what was going on.

Did you notify the bank in the UK that you would be traveling to the US before you went?

If not, they usually freeze your account. (I found that out the hard way!)

And sometimes they freeze it even when you've previously told them - as happened to me last year! Half hour on the phone to sort it.

FWIW, I used my HSBC debit card throughout the US and all over the world without contacting them first, and they never questioned it.  I really think you're going to need to call them again to get to the bottom of this. 

We bank with Lloyd's and they just froze our card twice for booking my daughter's flight out here on an american airline site...called and had them fix it and then tried again to book the flight and they froze it again.  Bummer!  Had to call the airline to book the flight as the internet site kept freezing the card.

We have the same problem anytime we travel back to the states no matter if we tell them ahead of time.  Always can expect the fraud call.

A friend of mine had his crad frozen after it was used in three random Eastern European countries in the space of 24 hours.  It left him stuck in the Ukraine with no way of getting money!

Vicky

A friend of mine had his crad frozen...

Sounds painful! 

I told the UK card I was going to Hong Kong and they suspended the card before I got to use it and it stayed that way until after the trip.

I didn't tell my US one and I used it the whole time, but I did get an email to confirm it was me using the card.

Sounds painful! 

Sounds painful! 

Tee Hee!  It was!  A frozen crad in the Ukraine!


Vicky

This is making me feel a whole lot better. I screamed at the customer service guy today. First time EVER in my life. Ever. But he just kept repeating the same sentence. It was like dealing with a robot.

Then they told me to go to a local branch.  My nearest branch is in New York. I'm in Colorado.

So they are mailing me something. And my money's trapped in the UK.  I actually cried this morning. And I haven't cried in years.  I'm just unbelievably frustrated. And cashless! I had to borrow money from the 8 year old!

I know this won't make you feel any better, Amy, but HSBC is IMO one of the worst banks for regular people.  Their "customer service" is a nightmare, I always came away with the impression that since I'm not a millionaire with a business account, that they really had no interest in keeping me as a customer.  The only bank that was worse was Wells Fargo--they invalidated my mom's check card for no reason and with no warning.  Apparently that is "within their discretion."  She closed her account the next day.  I much prefer local banks or credit unions, they're a lot friendlier and actually listen and try to help you.  Good luck, I hope you get this sorted out soon!