800-853-4169

What is this number?

The person on the line did not state what company they were from. They asked for me but I am not sure what it is for.

It's a bank. HSBC.

Got the same call - They identified themselves as HSBC Bank to my wife saying they had to speak to me only but they did provide a call back number of 800 853 4169.  Wife said they were rather rude so this sounds more and more like someone making min wage in telesales, cold calling people for some kind of protection insurance on a CC.

I did try calling the number back.::: NOTE ::: When asked, do 1 of these options:
1) DO NOT enter anything when asked each of the 3 times or 2) you can speed up the process by pressing the # key 3 times, 1 second apart.  Either way, you get routed to a “customer care specialist”. 1 second clip of music, a few rings later and you get this….

"Thank you for calling customer service.  Currently our systems are updating and we are unable to assist you at this time.  We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and request you call back at a later time.  Thank you."

I found it odd for a call center to be updating their systems in the middle of a US workday.  Really?? At a time when you get your highest potential of callback opportunities their running updates on their system and this took all inbound calls offline??

Stretching here, but let’s say I’m in denial and believe I really need to talk with these people.  Perhaps I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt that it’s a network outage.  Either way, I’m sure a company ‘expecting’ you to contact them would complete their update quickly OR correct the issues ASAP to ensure calls keep coming in. Right???  Let’s see.

6/17/2009 / Called @:
12:45 PM / 1:00 PM / 1:30 PM / 2:00 PM / 3:15 PM / 3:22 PM / 3:27 PM / 3:42 PM / 4:00 PM / 4:15 PM

6/18/2009 / Called @:
9:21 AM

All getting the same message.

A lot of system updating is going on, and other posts on this site and others state the same thing on different days.  I used to hear an 800 # costs a company ~$1.00 per call.  So for a company who wants me to call them back at this number, did I just cost them $11 in call fees?  Perhaps not, but what if the thousands of people they call everyday did the same thing calling them 11 times?  I certainly don’t condone calling anyone who does not want your call (ironic, huh?), but these guys left me a number to call them back at this number.  I’m only simply trying to get in touch.  Perhaps you need to get in touch with them as well.  Perhaps you’ll get through quicker than I did.  Or perhaps you’ll run up charges on their 800 # service due to “systems … updating”?

Hope you find this post as helpful as it was fun to write.

HSBC... Calling about some protection offer... Condoms? lol hahhaha!