HSBC Retail Services - BE WARY and CAN YOU HELP

United States
November 29, 2008 2:13pm CST
I am interested in hearing reponses from people who have had dealings with HSBC Retail Services. I am, sadly, paying this finance company for a motorcycle and have come to the conclusion that this company is underhanded and scheming. To put you in the picture, I mailed a payment to them 2 weeks before the bill due date. However, on my next bill I was shocked to see that they listed my check received on October 11 and a $35 late fee added. My due date was October 11! In order to prevent this from happening again, I paid my bill via their phone payment service on November 8th - for a bill due on November 11th. Stating on the phone that this payment could be processed immediately, I took my confirmation number and rest assured that I would not see another late fee.... WRONG!!! My last bill came in for Decembers payment with a notice that my payment had been received on November 8th, with a $15 processing fee for the pay-by-phone feature AND a $39 late fee assessment, IN ADDITION to a $40 fee (obviously for the original $35 late fee that I refused to pay!!). Now, to add insult to injury, the minimum requested was $211, yet, upon adding the charges together, the balance should have been $168!! This company makes up the rules as they go along.... I have researched HSBC Retail Services online and was not shocked to discover that there are ample complaints about them online, for practices such as late payment processing, incorrect billing, over charging etc etc., The list goes on. I personally have contacted the BBB about this charleton company and would like people with similar experiences to do the same. Sadly, my insufficient credit history forced me to have a co-signer on the financing and since assisting me in my purchase HSBC has forced her credit rating to lower EVEN though I have paid the amount due EVERY month since purchasing the bike. In this credit crunch that we as a nation are faced with, it has become near impossible for me to find a company to refinance through and I believe that HSBC are using this to their gain. In addition, if anyone knows of a reoputable refinancing company that may be able to get me out of this back-breaking situation, I would be ever so thankful if you would post the info..... FYI - out of a $129/mo payment - $109 goes toward financing fees - figure that one out!!!! I truly need help here!!!
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