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On Black Friday, thousands of HSBC customers in the UK reported difficulties accessing mobile banking services, causing disruptions for those seeking to make purchases amidst retailer discounts. Downdetector, a website tracking service, recorded over 4,100 complaints regarding the malfunctioning banking app.
HSBC UK acknowledged the issue on social media, stating they were "investigating this as a matter of urgency." Customers of First Direct, a division of HSBC UK, have also reported being affected, although some claim to still have app access.
While HSBC has around 14.8 million customers in the UK, the exact number impacted by the mobile banking outage remains unclear. Users took to social media, expressing frustration about their inability to verify payments for Black Friday purchases or settle bills on payday.
HSBC UK previously announced plans to close 114 branches in 2023, citing the increasing trend of customers using online banking. As of now, the bank has not provided an official update on its service status page, leaving users in the dark about the availability of digital services.
Reports of the outage began surfacing at 07:00 GMT on Friday, and by 08:00, thousands of complaints had been registered on Downdetector. Users noted difficulties not only with mobile banking but also with accessing online banking, as the code required for authentication is displayed on the app, which is not functioning. The lack of communication and updates from HSBC has further fueled frustration among affected customers.
[Source: BBC]
