News

It's an ATM headache a week for HSBC

May 21, 2012

HSBC ATMs went dark throughout the UK last Sunday as the result of an IT failure at the bank.

According to a report by the BBC, UK customers of HSBC were unable to use ATMs, make card payments or conduct online transactions with HSBC cards.

"For a short period of time this evening, an IT hardware failure which supported some ATM and debit card transactions meant that a small minority of HSBC customers were unable to withdraw cash or pay for goods," a spokesman said.

The bank told the BBC that the IT failure meant "a small minority" of customers could not withdraw cash or pay for goods.

The Sunday failure follows an incident a week earlier, reported by AOL money, in which a newly installed HSBC ATM at Milford-on-Sea in Hampshire dispensed double the money the user requested.

News about the malfunction spread until a long line of users formed at the machine. Many in the crowd withdrew the maximum allowed on multiple cards before the error came to the attention of HSBC, who then dispatched police to bring a halt to transactions at the machine. The bank said it would not attempt to recover its lost money.

For more on this topic, visit the bank automation research center.