I have received an email from HSBC in the UK to phone their Fraud Prevention line urgently. It would seem that use of my credit and debit cards has been suspended.

They say: "Please dial ++441226260049. Please note, charges can be reversed through the International Operator."

I do not have a Skype (or equivalent) account. I shall have to use my Thai mobile with DTAC SIM card.

I am not sure, though, what number I should dial to contact the International Operator from Thailand. I have used Google, but the information seems either to relate to contacting the International Operator from the UK, or the posts are 7 or 8 years old and so is probably out of date. Naturally, I thought of asking you guys on Thaivisa for the up-to-date procedure.?

My question is therefore: Using a mobile phone (DTAC), how do I contact the International (aka Overseas) Operator to make a 'reverse charge call' ( aka 'collect call') to the UK please?

Many thanks for your help.

BTW, Happy Easter.

A quick Google search does not that show that number to be a HSBC number...

Be very wary that this could be an email phishing scam to get your credit card details.

Are you 100% sure the email is from HSBC?

There are some appz on App Store you have to register first , with any number you want and then you can make normal calls or call back

But I think is a scam my bank never forced my to call any number when have kk problems!

Hi Guys,

Thanks for your concern. I can forward the email to my financial adviser for verification as he used to work for HSBC.

In the meantime, any advice concerning my question above would be much appreciated.

It seems you have a computer, and based on this post, you have a credit card.

I would setup Skype and put a few pounds on Skype and just use Skype...you can then use that to phone home at a few cents per minute at other times.

It will take you 15 minutes to set it all up, and quite easy to do.

...but do get advice on the integrity of that mail from "HSBC".

Hi DLock

Thanks for your reply. Yes I do have a credit card and also a debit card. Both of these are with HSBC and so I cannot use either to set up a Skype (or equivalent) account at the present time.

My only option is to use my Thai mobile with DTAC SIM card.

Once again, any advice in relation to the question in my OP will be appreciated.

So, both your HSBC cards are not working?

Maybe they have been compromised, or using in Thailand has triggered a security concern and HSBC has blocked them.

I still don't like that the phone number on a Google search does not come up under HSBC.

What was the email address that the email came from?

If you want to call the UK from Thailand you have to dial 00144. Then the number.

BTW Found this on the HSBC fraud website.....

For HSBC customers
If you suspect a fraudulent transaction involving an HSBC account, you should immediately call the phone number on your monthly account statement or on the back of your credit/debit card.

To help us help you, please have your account information available, including specific details concerning the suspected fraud.

If you want to call the UK from Thailand you have to dial 00144. Then the number.

BTW Found this on the HSBC fraud website.....

For HSBC customers

If you suspect a fraudulent transaction involving an HSBC account, you should immediately call the phone number on your monthly account statement or on the back of your credit/debit card.

To help us help you, please have your account information available, including specific details concerning the suspected fraud.

If the number in the OP is sus call the numbers on their website or your branch.

HTH

So, both your HSBC cards are not working?

Maybe they have been compromised, or using in Thailand has triggered a security concern and HSBC has blocked them.

I still don't like that the phone number on a Google search does not come up under HSBC.

What was the email address that the email came from?

Hi DLock

Thank you for your comments.

The background to all this is that two days ago, I was booking some airline tickets on the Internet. My debit card was rejected, although no reason was given, but my credit card was accepted. Both are HSBC cards.

I do not intend to use either card again, until I have clearance from HSBC. As I have said already, I can forward a copy of the email to my financial adviser, who used to work for HSBC, for verification.

Below is a photograph of the email, minus my personal details at the top.

The email sender line says:

From: <[email protected]> On Behalf Of [email protected]

If you want to call the UK from Thailand you have to dial 00144. Then the number.

BTW Found this on the HSBC fraud website.....

For HSBC customers

If you suspect a fraudulent transaction involving an HSBC account, you should immediately call the phone number on your monthly account statement or on the back of your credit/debit card.

To help us help you, please have your account information available, including specific details concerning the suspected fraud.

If the number in the OP is sus call the numbers on their website or your branch.

HTH

Hi evadgib,

I trust the photo in my previous post deals with your point, and thank you for your concern.

Hi berybert,

Thank you for the number. So you are advising that I dial as follows: 00144 ++441226260049 ? I assume that I still include the ++ in the number.

Do you know whether it is an automated system/ robot or do I get to talk to a 'live' person?

Thank you.

No instead of dialing ++44 you have to dial ++144. No idea who you will talk too. Normally its a robot to start with then after a few minutes you get to talk to a person.

Why have a headache about reverse call.

Use a cheap prefix number and call this fixed line number.

Be careful not to give details that should be known to the bank.

And NEVER NEVER give the CCV (security code/pin) from the back of the credit card.

So dial from your Thai mobile:

009 44 1 226 260 049

costs 5 Baht/minute.

Maybe there are cheaper prefixes.

Many threads in the forum about this.

I also tried to verify this number as an HSBC number to no avail.

So some caution is necessary,

Wrong forum,

MOVED to telecoms

The UK internal number (03456 031832) seems to be genuine from what you find in the internet.

A hint I found sounds reasonable:

This was HSBC. But just to be safe, only call the customer service number printed on the back of your bank card. After going through the security questions, ask for the fraud prevention department.

So if you have a customer service number on the back of your card (fixed line UK number), call this first.

Just seen that this "hint" from my previous post is exactly in the email

So I have little doubt that the email is genuine.

BTW: do they have your Thai mobile number?

As I read they would (also) call customers in such a case.

The hell with the number in the message, call HSBC using the number printed on your credit card. After the usual verification of your name, account number etc ask "so, how's my account looking these days?" Let them tell you about it.

If you have computer create a Skype account, international calls are cheap.

The hell with the number in the message, call HSBC using the number printed on your credit card. After the usual verification of your name, account number etc ask "so, how's my account looking these days?" Let them tell you about it.

If you have computer create a Skype account, international calls are cheap.

Hi be demo,

Thanks for your comments. I cannot, however, create a Skype (or alternative) account, because, presumably, I will need a credit or debit card to activate the account. Both my cards are with HSBC, which is why my only option is to use my mobile with DTAC SIM card.

Just seen that this "hint" from my previous post is exactly in the email

So I have little doubt that the email is genuine.

BTW: do they have your Thai mobile number?

As I read they would (also) call customers in such a case.

Hello KhunBENQ,

I agree with you: I think the email is genuine too.

They have my UK mobile number, but not my Thai number.

Thanks for your help.

Easy way to check if a scam is to call the number on the back of the card NOT the number in the email.

Thank you for the number. So you are advising that I dial as follows: 00144 ++441226260049 ? I assume that I still include the ++ in the number.

the number is then: 001 44 1226260049 or just ++441226260049

Thank you for the number. So you are advising that I dial as follows: 00144 ++441226260049 ? I assume that I still include the ++ in the number.

the number is then: 001 44 1226260049 or just ++441226260049

Are you winding us up?

Screw trying to reverse the charges. It doesn't cost much to dial direct if you use the 009 prefix as suggested by Khun BENQ. I recently called a US bank direct and talked for 45 minutes. The charge was 200 baht. And do call the number on the back of the card, not the one in the email. You will get everything straightened out quickly and cheaply.

A side note: When I try to call "collect" to a bank, the International Operator will usually tell me "that number does not accept collect calls". So I dial it direct, and the first thing I hear is a recording that says. "Yes operator, we do accept collect calls". Does anybody know why they play that game?

P.S. You don't need a credit card to set up a Skype account, and if you dial toll free numbers, you don't need any money in your account. At least that's how it works for USA 800 numbers.

Screw trying to reverse the charges. It doesn't cost much to dial direct if you use the 009 prefix as suggested by Khun BENQ. I recently called a US bank direct and talked for 45 minutes. The charge was 200 baht. And do call the number on the back of the card, not the one in the email. You will get everything straightened out quickly and cheaply.

A side note: When I try to call "collect" to a bank, the International Operator will usually tell me "that number does not accept collect calls". So I dial it direct, and the first thing I hear is a recording that says. "Yes operator, we do accept collect calls". Does anybody know why they play that game?

P.S. You don't need a credit card to set up a Skype account, and if you dial toll free numbers, you don't need any money in your account. At least that's how it works for USA 800 numbers.

If you can't even set up a Skype account, maybe you can use somebody's existing account to make this call?

Now it's not about rocket science.

Easy way to check if a scam is to call the number on the back of the card NOT the number in the email.

I was getting also to the point of nearly screaming !!

OP just ring the number on the back of Debit/Credit Card via a standard Sim use a True Sim 1 baht a minute if monies tight !!

Skype my backside !!

Easy way to check if a scam is to call the number on the back of the card NOT the number in the email.

I was getting also to the point of nearly screaming !!

OP just ring the number on the back of Debit/Credit Card via a standard Sim use a True Sim 1 baht a minute if monies tight !!

Skype my backside !!

Well, skipping your backside might be in the OP's best interest, but who knows?

But you're certainly right, that it's time to start screaming over such a problem that doesn't even exist.

God gave us this planet, but..............