Prosper and HSBC
Complaint
Joy Christian
Country: United States
We contracted with Prosper to provide education services; our application process included extensive discussions regarding our situation, experience and very specific expectations of their educational services - which they promised they could meet.
After only a few weeks, it was very clear that the “coach” whom was assigned to us either did have this type of experience with which to assist us, or possibly the promises made by their salesperson had not been communicated to the coach.The strategies that the coach laid out for us had nothing to do with what we had contracted for.
We attempted to have discussions with Prosper personnel – whom, by the way, are very difficult to reach, and on at least two occasions when we did speak with them, the phone call was “accidentally disconnected” on their end. One young woman admitted that she could see on our “paperwork” that the salesman had indeed promised certain items, and she also admitted that it was clear from the coach’s notes that that topic had not been addressed.
In the course of our communications with HSBC regarding this charge, several persons told us that they felt our complaints against Prosper were legitimate, and that HSBC would assist us in the dispute. Early in the process, an HSBC representative told us that if I made one payment, it would signify my acknowledgement of the validity of the debt; when I asked him what he would do, he said, “I wouldn’t pay it”. On another occasion, a gentleman from HSBC went so far as to state that “we have had meetings about this company (Prosper) because of so many problems”.
Sometime last fall, I was told by HSBC that they were no longer willing to acknowledge there was any validity to my dispute and were going to attempt to collect the charge; that individual actually started off by telling me that it was because I had not disputed the charge in the required time period, and later recanted her position when I produced documentation that I had in fact begun disputing the charge within the required parameters.
During the last year, I have been able to locate information regarding Prosper, primarily from the Internet, that many, many people have had unsatisfactory experiences with the company. One of their tactics appears to be that they design a program specifically for each potential student; coincidentally, the cost of the program happens to be exactly equal to the combined cash on hand and amount of charge card credit available.
It appears to me that HSBC has taken numerous hits because of their association with Prosper – I’m sorry for that, but it is not my responsibility. One reason for using a credit card to purchase goods or services is the protection from dissatisfaction that is provided by the credit card company.
It is also clear to me that economic conditions and business changes are part of the likely reasons that HSBC recanted their position regarding this account, in my case, at least twice.
Incidentally, a portion of our purchase of services from Prosper was done using another charge card; we went through the same dispute process , and that company made the decision to cancel the debt.
After only a few weeks, it was very clear that the “coach” whom was assigned to us either did have this type of experience with which to assist us, or possibly the promises made by their salesperson had not been communicated to the coach.The strategies that the coach laid out for us had nothing to do with what we had contracted for.
We attempted to have discussions with Prosper personnel – whom, by the way, are very difficult to reach, and on at least two occasions when we did speak with them, the phone call was “accidentally disconnected” on their end. One young woman admitted that she could see on our “paperwork” that the salesman had indeed promised certain items, and she also admitted that it was clear from the coach’s notes that that topic had not been addressed.
In the course of our communications with HSBC regarding this charge, several persons told us that they felt our complaints against Prosper were legitimate, and that HSBC would assist us in the dispute. Early in the process, an HSBC representative told us that if I made one payment, it would signify my acknowledgement of the validity of the debt; when I asked him what he would do, he said, “I wouldn’t pay it”. On another occasion, a gentleman from HSBC went so far as to state that “we have had meetings about this company (Prosper) because of so many problems”.
Sometime last fall, I was told by HSBC that they were no longer willing to acknowledge there was any validity to my dispute and were going to attempt to collect the charge; that individual actually started off by telling me that it was because I had not disputed the charge in the required time period, and later recanted her position when I produced documentation that I had in fact begun disputing the charge within the required parameters.
During the last year, I have been able to locate information regarding Prosper, primarily from the Internet, that many, many people have had unsatisfactory experiences with the company. One of their tactics appears to be that they design a program specifically for each potential student; coincidentally, the cost of the program happens to be exactly equal to the combined cash on hand and amount of charge card credit available.
It appears to me that HSBC has taken numerous hits because of their association with Prosper – I’m sorry for that, but it is not my responsibility. One reason for using a credit card to purchase goods or services is the protection from dissatisfaction that is provided by the credit card company.
It is also clear to me that economic conditions and business changes are part of the likely reasons that HSBC recanted their position regarding this account, in my case, at least twice.
Incidentally, a portion of our purchase of services from Prosper was done using another charge card; we went through the same dispute process , and that company made the decision to cancel the debt.
Comments
Is HSBC co-marketing with Prosper, selling them their customer lists to be used to market Prosper's products to HSBC customers?
Or is HSBC simply the credit card company you used to pay Prosper?