I had to go through that rigmarole with HSBC. To be honest, I appreciate the automated recognition - at least you dont have to tell all those numbers to the call centre staff, and only have them understand half of it. When they answer, its "Good afternoon Crafty1289" etc.
I wanted a copy of a cheque, because a company had cashed it without noting who it was from - and needed proof that I had paid them. I was tempted to tell them to sort it - its their problem - but it was a debt recovery agency (because before they cocked up, so did O2, causing the debt from the end of my contract to be passed to the debt company). The debt company said I hadnt written the ref on the back of the cheque.
Anyway, I got the cheque, and it was tiny. AND IT HAD THE REFERENCE NUMBER ON THE BACK, written by one of their staff!
I sent the chq copy, with compliment slip from bank, with big black biro writing "MY CHQ, DATED ##/##/## WITH REFERENCE NUMBER WRITTEN ON BEFORE IT WAS BANKED. GET FACTS STRAIGHT."
Not heard from them since, despite being promised a confirmation slip from them.
I have since been advised to dump HSBC as a current account, because it doesn't contribute to my positive credit rating - when you maintain a current account in credit etc, it goes on the credit rating, but HSBC never pops up on any credit searches.
