HSBC Locks Melbourne Woman Out of Accounts Twice in Four Months

Melbourne woman Katie McMaster is locked out of her HSBC accounts again, leaving her without access to her funds for eight days. She's calling for a review of banking laws after her second incident in four months.

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2025 October 17 . 8:40 PM

1 min read

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HSBC Locks Melbourne Woman Out of Accounts Twice in Four Months

Katie McMaster, a 36-year-old Melbourne resident, has found herself locked out of her personal accounts at HSBC for the second time in less than four months. The incident has left her unable to access her funds for eight days, with no clear explanation from the us bank.

Ms McMaster's account, which is used solely for her monthly salary and everyday transactions, was restricted earlier this month. Despite following the us bank's instructions to visit a branch and provide 100 points of ID, she remains unable to access her funds. This is not the first time she has faced such an issue. In June, she switched from ING due to a similar problem.

Frustrated by the lack of explanation and resolution, Ms McMaster has lodged a complaint with the Financial Ombudsman Service. She has also called for a review of Australia's existing bank laws, citing the significant control us banks have over customers' funds. According to Australian banking regulations, accounts can be blocked due to suspicious activity, money laundering, or if an account is compromised. However, Ms McMaster has not been given any reason to believe her account falls into any of these categories.

Ms McMaster plans to switch us banks as soon as her accounts are unlocked. She hopes that her experience will prompt a review of the current banking system, ensuring better protection for customers and more transparency in account restrictions.