We MUST Start To Fight Big Business

[JFN1]

Big corporations feel like they own us. This is not hyperbole - this is based on their own actions.

Let me give you an example:

HSBC Auto Finance loaned my disabled little sister money for a new car. Her payment due date is the 8th of every month, unless the due date falls on a weekend or holiday - then the due date moves to the next business day.

I take care of these types of things for my little Sis - I make sure her bills are paid, deal with the outside world, etc.

So HSBC has a policy to call their customers REPEATEDLY within seconds of not receiving their payment on the due date.

In October, my sister sent her payment off (I mailed it) on the 3rd, when she got her SSDI. HSBC cashed her check on November 12th, well within the "10 day grace period" given in the contract before a late charge is assessed.

Yet that weekend (the 13th and 14th), their machine called my sister 19 times, asking her where her payment was.

19 TIMES!!!!!!! 9 of those calls were made on Sunday, when their freaking office is closed!!

So I contacted the company and asked them why they thought it was necessary to do this. The only answer I got was, "It is HSBC policy."

So I told them not to call her again.

Last month, she sent her check off on the 3rd again, and HSBC cashed it on the 9th. On the 10th, she received 7 calls from HSBC's machine, and on the 11th, she received 8 calls from the HSBC machine.

My sister and HSBC are both located in Illinois. And in Illinois, if you tell someone - anyone - not to harass you via the telephone - and they do - it is a Class D Felony (telephonic harassment), if it is "egrigious."

So I called HSBC again, told them they had committed a felony by calling my sister, and advised them we intended to file a criminal complaint (which we have not, as yet).

So this month, my Sis sent out her payment on the 3rd, HSBC received it and cashed it on the 7th.

This morning, my sister called me, freaking out.

She had received a letter from HSBC, in a glossy, fancy, expensive envelope that said simply "Personal-Confidential" on the outside, and no return name for the company - just a return PO Box listed on the back side of the envelope. The paper was made to look as if it was a check.

The envelope contained a letter, dated DECEMBER 10th.

The letter says:

PRIORITY NOTIFICATION!! ACTION REQUIRED!!

Dear Account Holder,

We've been trying to reach you regarding your account. However, the telephone number we have on file appears to be incorrect.

WE HAVE IMPORTANT ACCOUNT INFORMATION FOR YOU!!

And so on.

The thing is - by the terms of her contract, the payment wasn't even DUE until the 10th - and they cashed her check on the 7th!! So why was HSBC trying to call her BEFORE THE PAYMENT WAS EVEN DUE?

So I am going to raise some serious hell now. I'm going to the Attorney General, to the papers, to you guys, and anyone else I can think of.

We have to start fighting back against these big companies who feel they can do whatever they want to us, and can violate any law they feel like violating!!

One final note - HSBC also ACH (automated clearing house, electronic processing of a check, meaning you don't get the check back for your records) processed my sister's last two payments, despite a note in the latter payment telling them they were not authorized to ACH her check, and this month's check I had her write it in the memo and on the back of the check, then scan the check in and make a copy of it for proof.

And you guessed it - in violation of Federal law which states a company may NOT ACH a check on you if you tell them not to - they ACH her check that had written on it: NO ACH - YOU ARE NOT AUTHORIZED TO PERFORM ANY ELECTRONIC PROCESSING OF THIS CHECK.

Big business feels like they can do ANYTHING...

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. Go to the Attorney General with this

this is abuse, clear and simple. Good luck to you and your sister.

[Brother_1969]

2. I agree but I would also go further

Personally, I think that many of the functions of corporations could be nationalized. This would include Health Care, Broadcasting/Telecommunications, Transportation, Food Production/Distribution/Sales, General Mercantile, Construction, etc. We would cut out the profiteering "investors" and extravagant executive salaries while simultaneously having these corporations subject to the will of the people.

The nationalization of many industries, along with the dismantling of corporate greed, should be one of the priorities of the new Democratic administration.

[SweetThingy]

3. I"d like to recomend on line bill pay

Ever since I started using it, I have not had any missed or early payments or any kind of fees.

[JFN1]

4. It would be nice

But HSBC requires you to give up paper statements if you do online payments.

I'm rather old school - I like to have paper statements I can attach my canceled checks to. My sister feels the same way.

So HSBC does not give her the flexibility she needs to do online payments - she won't do without monthly statements from them, received on their letterhead, with the clear amount due (which is another form of proof of payment for the last month).

Printed statements on a home computer do not have the "weight" that statements on company letter head do, for obvious reasons.