Got sick and lost my credit card

So I caught a cold because the weather keeps changing. During the day it gets to around 80, but then at night, it drops to about 60. I hate it. I went to the health clinic on campus and the doctor prescribed me three different meds to take at all random times. Though, she said the clinic didn't have them and I would have to go to a pharmacy. So as soon as I got back to the dorms, I went to a pharmacy and to my surprise, the guy understood her chicken-scratch English handwriting. He went to look for my meds in the various cabinets he had on his wall and opened some of the meds to see if any of the pills were missing. I thought it was odd, but I needed these so I didn't object. I paid for the pills and went back to my dorm. My roommate thought it was weird that I had to take all these meds, but what can I do? They don't have Robitussin or other U.S. brands. The Egyptian meds are supposedly "herbal". I guess that's true since I don't feel loopy with them.

The other morning (just like most mornings), I called my favorite local deli to deliver my breakfast. Once I say my name, the lady knows my order and asks if I want the usual. I love that. But this time when I called, the lady told me it was already on the way. I was so confused thinking they already have it on their schedule to deliver me the usual, even without me calling them? This is great, I thought. So as I was getting ready to go downstairs to pick it up, my roommate walks in with my food and tells me she picked it up for me from the lobby. I thought that was sweet of her, but then told me she called them and ordered it for me. I knew it was too good to be true. Then, my roommate said she went to a bunch of different pharmacies to look for Robitussin, but all the store clerks didn't know what she was talking about. They asked her if it was something Spanish or Italian. Instead, she got suckered into buying some migraine pills for my cold.

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I wanted to return the Aladdin pants I got from Zara because they just looked weird on me, so I gave it to a friend to take to the mall tonight. I gave her my HSBC credit card since I bought it on the card. I got a phone-call from her some hours later telling me to not get mad. And then she told me she left my bag and credit card and ID in the cab. I couldn't believe it. That's how I take my money out from ATM's here. The first thing to do is try to call the bank and cancel the card. Except, I couldn't call an international number through my phone so I had to use Skype. Problem: the internet sucks in the dorms. I really think the school is cheap to pay for some good internet. I don't understand why since they take a lot of money from us (and the U.S. gov't--yes, U.S. tax-dollars are going to fund this school out in the desert).

After a dozen dropped calls on Skype (with waiting for "the next available representative"), I finally got through. Though, once I told the HSBC person that my card was left in a cab, the call would drop. So, this happened a good couple of times. I would advise them before-hand that I was calling through Skype from Egypt and my internet was really bad. I even told one HSBC woman to take down my cell number to call me back. She said she would have to put me on hold and ask her Supervisor. Great, you need to ask about following-up with customers, especially when there's a lost card involved? Shouldn't they be worried about fraudulent charges? Anyway, the HSBC lady said it was ok. Then that moment, the call dropped. I didn't even think about waiting for my mobile to ring. Though she got permission from her supervisor, I knew she wasn't going to call. So I started Skyping again.

A couple of dropped calls later, I even got to answer security questions. The most annoying guy however really frustrated me with his security questions. "What type of account do you have?" When I told him, he repeated the same question a good five times before I told him that I didn't have any other account and I wouldn't be hiding some information like that, it's only this type of account and NOTHING ELSE! He then asked me what month I opened my account in. What month? How can you remember something specific like that? So I estimated and gave him two back-to-back months. He said he couldn't accept that answer because I was giving him "two answers". What?? Then he asked me when my last transaction took place, and so I told him on my campus. Yet, he wanted a specific address. I told him the name of my campus, yet he still wanted an address. I repeated the name of my campus yet again and became this close to telling him that it was in the middle of the desert. Then once I got passed these "security questions", he asked me where I wanted to get my replacement card delivered to. I told him my dorm address. He then asked me what country Cairo would be in. What?? He didn't know where Cairo was?? He could at least not asked me that and googled it or something. How is he working for this bank? (This is one of many results of outsourcing!) By the time I was getting to my zip code, the call got dropped. Just my luck.

Then I thought about calling the local HSBC branch (since its worldwide) from the landline since the internet was being useless like it always is here. I got through. He asked me for my passport number. Then asked me for my second name. Second name? What's this second name that I don't know about. I told him I didn't have one. Then he told me that my passport number was invalid. Invalid?? I repeated it again. Still, nothing. What's going on. Is this some Bourne Supremacy plot going on? I exist. Then he said he couldn't help me. I was so close. Then I started crying on the phone. He felt bad so he then told me to call the NYC office. I said I couldn't, I wasn't able to. So he took down my mobile number and said he would call me back, which he did! He had me transferred to some guy in NYC where I was able to give him the information and have my card replaced with the call not dropping. Moral of the story: the number on the back of your HSBC card sucks--don't call the number if its stolen because they'll put you on hold, and it won't go anywhere. Call the local HSBC branch and have them help you.

Inshallah, the card will get here.

Just remembered another question that other HSBC lady asked me: Will there be someone over the age of 18 to sign for the card. Umm, yes..me?! How do these people work for a bank like HSBC?