Your information matters. To you - and to HSBC.
Privacy notices contain really important details that are often too long to read. This is why we've highlighted key points that are essential for you to understand.
We're committed to:
- Keeping your personal information secure
- Using it appropriately
- Never selling it to third parties for marketing purposes
- Respecting your privacy wishes
Your privacy: Four things you need to know
1. We ask for information to confirm who you are.
We collect details such as your name and address so that we can confirm who you are. It also helps us comply with the law.
2. We use your information to help us understand what you do and don't like.
We use data to manage our relationship with you - including offering you our products, personalizing your experience, and improving the products and services we offer you.
3. We keep track of our interactions with you.
By keeping track of our conversations with you by phone, in person, by email (or any kind of communication), we are able to carry out your instructions and serve you better.
4. You have choices when it comes to your information with us.
For example, you have the right to:
- View the information we hold about you
- Opt out of receiving advertising or marketing offers
- Update or correct your information
- Limit some - but not all - sharing of your information
Read our Privacy Notice for full details. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.
Respecting your information
How we protect your privacy
It is our privilege to earn your business and our responsibility to treat your personal information carefully.
We believe an important part of building a strong relationship with you is by respecting your privacy and the information we collect about you. You may have questions about how we do this. That's why we created this Privacy Notice. Our goal is to be upfront and clear about:
- How we collect and use your information
- Who we might share it with
- What steps we take to make sure it stays private and safe
This notice applies to any account, product or service you have with us - from the time you start dealing with us and throughout our relationship. We have strived to make this document easy to read, understand and use. The bottom line is, when it comes to your information we are committed to transparency - not surprises.
Key points - We're committed to:
- Keeping your personal information secure
- Using it appropriately
- NEVER selling it to third parties for marketing purposes
- Respecting your privacy wishes
First things first: Getting your permission
We don't ask for your personal information unless we need it to provide or improve our products and services for you.
As part of doing business with us, we collect some details about you. Before we do, first we ask for your permission. We want to be sure we have your consent to collect, use and, where necessary, share your information with our partners and suppliers that help us serve you. Whenever we introduce new services and technologies, we'll ensure you understand and agree to any new ways in which your information is handled.
There are a limited number of situations - for example, if we receive a subpoena or other legal request - where we may disclose certain personal information without your consent. These exceptions are discussed further in this notice.
Where we get your information
We collect information about you in the following ways:
- Directly from you
- From your use of any HSBC products, services, apps and websites
- From other organizations that assist with helping us to serve you better
- From other people who oversee or share products and services with you
- From publicly available sources (e.g. land registers, news, the Internet, including social media sites)
What information we collect and why
We collect information about you to help us serve you as our customer, to understand and meet your financial needs, and to improve our products and services. In addition, we collect certain details required by governments and regulators in Canada, including information that helps protect HSBC, the financial system and our customers from financial crime.
There is basic information we gather from every customer. Then depending on your relationship with us, we may collect other details. For example:
- To set up your banking account, we need personal details to know who you are
- If you want a credit card or loan from us, we need to get a credit report so we understand your experience with managing debt
- If you're an investor, we want to know your investment objectives and knowledge
Key Points - We collect personal information to:
- Know and serve you
- Comply with laws
- Meet government information requests
- Protect you and our business from financial crime
Will other people be connected to your products or services?
When our customers have financial connections or important relationships with other people, we need to know about these connections and people to help us understand how, for whom and by whom our products and services are being used and funded. Some common examples are a guarantor, trustee, executor or joint owner of an account or credit card. We are required to collect information from these people too.
The information we collect (or generate) and use falls into four broad categories.
Select from the menu below to learn more.
Identification and contact details
| Types of information we collect | How we use it |
|---|---|
| Your name, previous name, gender, home address, phone numbers, email, identification numbers (i.e. driver’s license number or passport number) |
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| Date of birth |
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| Biometric information, including physical or behavioral characteristics, e.g. fingerprints, hand or facial geometry or patterns, voice characteristics and signatures |
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| Citizenship and place of birth |
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| Social insurance number (SIN) |
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| Tax residency and tax identification number (if applicable) |
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| Occupation, employer name and address |
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Your communication preferences, including:
|
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| Types of information we collect |
Your name, previous name, gender, home address, phone numbers, email, identification numbers (i.e. driver’s license number or passport number) |
|---|---|
| How we use it |
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| Types of information we collect | Date of birth |
| How we use it |
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| Types of information we collect |
Biometric information, including physical or behavioral characteristics, e.g. fingerprints, hand or facial geometry or patterns, voice characteristics and signatures |
| How we use it |
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| Types of information we collect |
Citizenship and place of birth |
| How we use it |
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| Types of information we collect |
Social insurance number (SIN) |
| How we use it |
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| Types of information we collect |
Tax residency and tax identification number (if applicable) |
| How we use it |
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| Types of information we collect |
Occupation, employer name and address |
| How we use it |
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| Types of information we collect |
Your communication preferences, including:
|
| How we use it |
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Financial data
| Types of information we collect |
How we use it |
|---|---|
Account and transaction data:
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Account and transaction data:
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| Citizenship and place of birth |
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| Social insurance number (SIN) |
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| Tax residency and tax identification number (if applicable) |
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| Occupation, employer name and address |
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Your communication preferences, including:
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| Types of information we collect |
Account and transaction data:
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|---|---|
| How we use it |
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| Types of information we collect |
Account and transaction data:
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| How we use it |
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| Types of information we collect |
Citizenship and place of birth |
| How we use it |
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| Types of information we collect |
Social insurance number (SIN) |
| How we use it |
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| Types of information we collect |
Tax residency and tax identification number (if applicable) |
| How we use it |
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| Types of information we collect |
Occupation, employer name and address |
| How we use it |
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| Types of information we collect |
Your communication preferences, including:
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| How we use it |
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Managing our risks and interests
| Types of information we collect | How we use it |
|---|---|
Credit information:
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Information to monitor financial crime:
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There are certain things the law says we have to do to help detect, prevent and investigate financial crime - such as money laundering, terrorist financing, bribery, corruption and tax evasion. We may be required to use your information to do this, even if you have asked us to stop using your information. That could include (among other things):
|
Video surveillance
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Product/service data:
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| Types of information we collect |
Credit information:
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|---|---|
| How we use it |
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| Types of information we collect |
Information to monitor financial crime:
|
| How we use it |
There are certain things the law says we have to do to help detect, prevent and investigate financial crime - such as money laundering, terrorist financing, bribery, corruption and tax evasion. We may be required to use your information to do this, even if you have asked us to stop using your information. That could include (among other things):
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| Types of information we collect |
Video surveillance
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| How we use it |
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| Types of information we collect |
Product/service data:
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| How we use it |
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Your interactions with us
| Types of information we collect | How we use it |
|---|---|
Through branch, phone and email:
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Through digital interactions: (such as our websites, apps, chat services and SMS and social media sites)
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| Types of information we collect |
Through branch, phone and email:
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|---|---|
| How we use it |
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| Types of information we collect |
Through digital interactions: (such as our websites, apps, chat services and SMS and social media sites)
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| How we use it |
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* A cookie is a small file that is passed from our website to the device you use to access our services. The cookie is used to save information about the interaction between you and our website or online banking platform, such as login credentials, preferences and any work in progress. To learn more, read our frequently asked questions about cookies.
Who we might share it with
To create the best customer experience for you, we share some information across HSBC and with our suppliers. This may include your information being transferred to and stored in locations outside of Canada. When we do this, we’ll ensure it has an appropriate level of protection and that the transfer is lawful. We never sell customer data for marketing purposes.
We may share information with:
- Other areas within our organization
- Our partners and suppliers with whom we work to serve you
- Government and law enforcement agencies
- Debt collection agencies (if we have to collect a debt).
Within HSBC
As a global organization, we may share your information among different HSBC departments, subsidiaries and companies. This helps us:
- Provide you with services
- Review and offer products that may be of interest to you
- Manage our credit and business risks
- Process and store our data in other countries we operate, for cost efficiencies
- Comply with legal or regulatory requirements
Our partners and suppliers
Certain activities we engage in involve sharing some of your personal information with companies that work on our behalf. These include:
- Cheque printers
- Cloud computing companies (for storage)
- Web hosting companies
- App developers
- Advertisers
- Research firms that conduct customer surveys
- Computer data-processing companies
All service providers with access to your information must follow HSBC's strict confidentiality standards as part of their contractual obligations. And they must have the same level of protection as we do on that information. We don't give them customer information unless we have a valid business purpose for doing so, and we have your consent or have previously informed you.
Government and law enforcement agencies
Sometimes it may be necessary for HSBC to disclose customer information to meet our compliance, regulatory and financial crime risk management obligations. In such cases, we may not need your consent and will only disclose it under proper authority. For example:
- If we receive a subpoena, search warrant, court or government order, we release the information and limit it only to what's legally required.
- When required, we release some customer information to government authorities and investigative bodies for law enforcement purposes - for example, to combat financial crime and to investigate violations of the law.
Other third parties
We may exchange information about your credit history with other lenders or credit reporting agencies in Canada. Credit information sharing is something that all financial institutions do because it helps evaluate your eligibility to receive credit.
The law also allows us to disclose personal information without your consent when collecting a debt owed to us. In this situation we will work directly with a collection agency and give them the information they need to resolve the amounts due.
In the event of a merger, sale or reorganization, we may transfer some or all customer information to the relevant third party.
If we have your permission, we may use your information to market HSBC products and services to you, and also products and services from relevant third parties. We may send you marketing messages and materials by mail, email, telephone, text, secure messages, or through digital or social media. When we advertise our products and services on the internet (including social media), we may share your information with our advertisers and/or social media providers. For example, when we use social media for marketing purposes, your information may be shared with the social media platforms so that they can check if you hold an account with them. If you do, we may ask the social media provider or social media network:
- to use your information to send our advertisements to you, e.g. because we think that you might be interested in a new or existing service that we offer;
- to exclude you from receiving our advertisements, e.g. because we feel it might not be relevant to you or the advertisement is for a service that you already use; or
- to advertise to people who have similar profile to you, e.g. if we determine that certain of our products or services may be useful to people with similar interests to the ones on your social media profile, we may ask our advertising provider or the social media network to send our advertisements for those products and/or services to those people sharing similar online interests.
You may at any time refuse or withdraw your consent to our marketing by visiting one of our branches or contacting us at 1-888-310-HSBC (4722), see also our “Your Choices” tab on this webpage. Social media platforms also allow you to indicate your preferences to them about the advertising you receive on their platforms. Please contact your social media platforms for more information.
How we protect your information
You've entrusted us with your information. It's our job to keep it private - and safe.
Our security measures
We are accountable for protecting your privacy. It's a responsibility we take very seriously, so we strive to treat all of your information with great care. We have powerful safeguards in place to keep your information safe and confidential. These include:
Physical security
- Secure access areas that require passcards
- Branch and head office security guards
- Dual-key security deposit boxes
- Video surveillance
Electronic security
- Strong authentication (e.g., PINs)
- Data encryption techniques
- Network security (e.g., firewalls)
- Digital monitoring systems
Procedural measures
- Mandatory employee training on the importance of privacy and protecting customer data
- Strict policies to prevent unauthorized access to customer information by anyone, including HSBC staff
- Employee Code of Conduct that defines our expectations for employee behaviour around protecting customer privacy
How long we'll keep it
We only keep your information for as long as we need it to serve you and to meet legal requirements. When we no longer need the information, it is either destroyed or made anonymous.
About this Privacy Notice
Effective date: January 1, 2019
This Privacy Notice highlights how we collect, use and share information. More information is available in our general Terms and Conditions and Customer Information Consent documents, which are provided to you when you purchase products and services from HSBC Bank Canada and during your ongoing relationship with us.
Updates to this notice
We may modify this notice from time to time, and will post the most current version online. If we revise it, updates will take effect 30 days later.
Who this notice applies to?
In this notice, HSBC means HSBC Bank Canada and all HSBC Canadian companies you may deal with now or later1. Our privacy commitments on this website apply to:
- HSBC customers and possible customers (prospects)
- Individuals connected to HSBC's commercial business
- Individuals connected to our customers
Wherever we've said ‘you' or ‘your', that includes your organization and your people - including the other people on your account, anyone who handles your financial affairs or deals with us for you, and other people in your organization (including partners, directors, officers, members, shareholders and trustees.
Who this notice doesn't apply to?
Job candidates - information on personal information management for these individuals is housed in our job application system.
We want to help you understand your privacy rights and options so you can make informed decisions when using our products, services, websites and apps. We are required by law to collect certain information in order to serve you. Some additional information is needed for normal business purposes. Finally, some information is optional - you can choose not to provide it from the start, or can withdraw your permission at any time.
| Item | Description | What you can do |
|---|---|---|
| Accessing your information |
You can review and update your account details (address, billing information, account settings, password, etc.). We aim to keep customer information accurate and complete, so if your circumstances change, please update your information with us promptly. | Log on to your account or call us at 1-888-310-4722 to make changes. |
| Request access to your information | You can request access to personal information we hold about you. There may be a small charge for doing so. You may correct the information if there are any mistakes. | Request access to your information. Once we receive and have validated your request, you'll receive the information within 30 calendar days. |
| Making an inquiry or complaint |
If you have a problem or concern with how we handle your information, we want to know. |
Follow our complaint resolution process OR reach out through on of the ways listed in the ‘Contact us’ section below. |
| Receiving advertising and participating in customer research |
Online advertising and cookies
To learn more, read our frequently asked questions about cookies.
From time to time we promote our products and services through other methods, such as email, phone calls and statement inserts. If you prefer, you may choose not to receive promotional offers in these ways
|
To opt-out of cookies by HSBC:
Network Advertising Initiative Digital Advertising Alliance of Canada
Call us at 1-888-310-4722 |
| Using SIN for identification |
For certain products we ask for your Social Insurance Number (SIN) as a form of additional identification. In such cases it is not required by law, so you may prefer not to provide it. |
To opt-out of providing your SIN for identification:
Call us at 1-888-310-4722 |
| Item |
Accessing your information |
|---|---|
| Description | You can review and update your account details (address, billing information, account settings, password, etc.). We aim to keep customer information accurate and complete, so if your circumstances change, please update your information with us promptly. |
| What you can do |
Log on to your account or call us at 1-888-310-4722 to make changes. |
| Item | Request access to your information |
| Description | You can request access to personal information we hold about you. There may be a small charge for doing so. You may correct the information if there are any mistakes. |
| What you can do |
Request access to your information. Once we receive and have validated your request, you'll receive the information within 30 calendar days. |
| Item |
Making an inquiry or complaint |
| Description |
If you have a problem or concern with how we handle your information, we want to know. |
| What you can do |
Follow our complaint resolution process OR reach out through on of the ways listed in the ‘Contact us’ section below. |
| Item |
Receiving advertising and participating in customer research |
| Description |
Online advertising and cookies
To learn more, read our frequently asked questions about cookies.
From time to time we promote our products and services through other methods, such as email, phone calls and statement inserts. If you prefer, you may choose not to receive promotional offers in these ways
|
| What you can do |
To opt-out of cookies by HSBC:
Network Advertising Initiative Digital Advertising Alliance of Canada
Call us at 1-888-310-4722 |
| Item |
Using SIN for identification |
| Description |
For certain products we ask for your Social Insurance Number (SIN) as a form of additional identification. In such cases it is not required by law, so you may prefer not to provide it. |
| What you can do |
To opt-out of providing your SIN for identification:
Call us at 1-888-310-4722 |
What is a cookie?
Cookies are commonly used in today's digital world. When you visit a website, a cookie is a small file that is placed on the browser or device you are using. We use cookies for different purposes including personalizing your online experience, tracking your interaction with our websites (including our online banking platform) and remembering information about your visit (e.g., logon credentials, preferences and any work in progress).
What kind of cookies does HSBC use and why?
HSBC Bank Canada and its subsidiaries have webpages and online platforms that use the following types of cookies:
Type of cookie : What it's for & how to opt-out
- Session cookies - These are temporary cookies that disappear once you leave our website or close your browser. Services such as our online banking platform and Live Chat feature use these cookies to identify if a secured session has been established. To use these types of services, you need to enable your session cookies. To change your cookie settings, follow your browser's directions on how to do this.
- Persistent cookies - These cookies are stored on your computer and collect information about how you use our websites, such as which pages you visit most. The information gathered is used to help us optimize and improve our websites to meet your needs. To change your cookie settings, follow your browser's directions on how to do this.
- Tailored content cookies - These are a type of persistent cookie our website and online banking platform uses to provide you with tailored content and product offers through a variety of channels. Our website uses Celebrus Dynamic Collection (“Celebrus”) technology to gather information about your use of our website and online banking. This includes which pages you visit on our website, how you journey through it, and how you interact with the content.
If you leave tailored content cookies enabled when you log on to online banking, we may reach out to you at some future point (e.g., through a sales call from an HSBC representative) with information and advertisements based on your use of our site (e.g., looking at mortgage pages).
You can opt-out of these tailored content cookies through this website. Opting out involves setting a
cookie to your browser that indicates your choice. This will not affect the functionality of our website or online banking platform.
Please note:
1. Opting out must be performed on each different browser and device you use.
2. If you delete your cookies, you will need to go through the opt-out process again.
3. Your browser must be set to allow first-party cookies for our website for the opt-out process to work.
- Third-party cookies - We use third-party cookies to deliver marketing communications and other tailored content we believe may be of interest to you, on this or other websites. For example, if you are visiting an HSBC website, a cookie may be passed from an advertising company (a third party) to your computer. This third-party cookie may be used to track how you navigate HSBC sites, or other sites that use the same advertising company. To disable / enable third-party cookies, follow your browser's directions.
Are cookies safe?
The cookies we use are safe. They are not viruses or malware, and can't see what is on your device or get data from your hard drive. Many cookies are used purely to provide important security features and to help protect your data and your accounts.
If I use a public computer, will someone be able to get my details from the cookies stored on that computer?
Our cookies cannot be read by anyone else who has access to the computer to find out anything about you, other than the fact that someone using the computer may have visited our website. The cookies from our site do not in any way compromise the security of online banking.
What does advertising include?
Advertising may include delivering tailored content and product offers to you through a variety of channels, including online, telephone and email.
What is online behavioural advertising?
Information about your online activities (e.g. pages viewed on this or other websites) may be used by HSBC and third-parties (such as ad networks) to select ads or web content to display on this or other websites for a product, service or offer that matches your interests. This advertising practice is called online behavioural advertising (OBA) or interest-based advertising.
You can opt-out of receiving this type of advertising by going to these sites: Network Advertising Initiative or Digital Advertising Alliance. Opting out means you will still receive online advertising but it won't be based on your online behaviour or usage. You can also change your cookie settings by following your browser's directions on how to do this.
Have questions or concerns about how we handle your personal information? Feel free to contact your nearest HSBC office or reach out to us in the following ways:
Call us toll-free
Personal: 1-888-310-4722
HSBC Premier: 1-866-233-3838
Business: 1-866-808-4722
Email us
Visit a branch
Visit an HSBC office. Use our branch locator to find a nearby location.
APP PRIVACY NOTICE
HSBC Bank Canada and its subsidiaries (‘HSBC’) collects, uses and discloses information about you so that it can provide you with a bank account and related products and services. This App Privacy Notice explains how HSBC collects, uses and discloses your information when you use HSBC’s Mobile Banking App (“HSBC App”) , including information about the device that the HSBC App is installed on, e.g. your mobile phone or tablet. You can find full information in our main privacy notice.
The HSBC App is provided by HSBC Global Services (UK) Limited for and on behalf of HSBC, and all products and services accessed via the HSBC App are provided by HSBC.
You can contact us in regards to your privacy rights and options at https://www.hsbc.ca/privacy/#choices. Alternatively, you can contact us via the HSBC App where you can chat to us 24/7, via telephone banking or in branch.
We use a range of measures to keep your information safe and secure which may include encryption and other forms of security. We require our staff and any third parties who carry out any work on our behalf to comply with appropriate compliance standards, including obligations to protect any information and applying appropriate measures for the use and transfer of information.
We’ll keep your information in line with our data retention policy. For example, we’ll normally keep your main banking information for a period of seven years from when our relationship with you ends. This allows us to comply with legal and regulatory requirements or use it where we need to for our legal or business purposes such as managing your account and dealing with any disputes or concerns that may arise. We may need to keep your information for longer where we need the information to comply with regulatory or legal requirements, help detect or prevent fraud and financial crime, answer requests from regulators, etc. If we don’t need to keep information for this length of time, we may securely destroy, delete or anonymize it sooner.
This section explains what information HSBC collects from your device, how it uses it, and whether it shares it. In some cases, e.g. when accessing the contacts stored on your device, or photos that you take with your device, HSBC will first ask your permission. HSBC may share your information with other HSBC group companies and any sub-contractors, agents or service providers who work for us or other HSBC group companies (including their employees, sub-contractors, service providers, directors and officers) to provide you with products or services that you ask for (such as bank accounts and payments) and as explained in our main privacy notice - this type of data sharing is not included here.
Permissions for devices:
Location: Your approximate location can be used to prevent fraud when you’re using the HSBC app.
Device information and internet access: This allows us check if you have a working internet connection.
Biometric information: This allows you to use biometrics authentication (like fingerprints or facial recognition) to logon to our app. If you do so, we rely on your device’s technology to authenticate you and we do not collect or store your underlying biometric data.
Device camera and photo library: This allows you to take a photo or video and immediately share it with us or access the content from the photo library in order to allow us to provide you with a bank account or related services.
Non-exhaustive examples of when we may ask you to do this include to scan a QR code to make a payment, to pay with a cheque by taking a photo of it.
Push messages: This allows you to receive instant notifications from our app about activity on your account or to inform that you’ve received a chat message from HSBC.
Permission specific to iOS devices:
App tracking transparency: This allows you to grant us the permission to track your activities across other companies’ apps and websites (versions iOS 14.0 and above only).
Permission specific to Android devices:
External storage device (for example memory card): This allows the app save files onto your device's external storage. This allows you to store and send documents, for example loan agreements, e-statements.
Application permission: This allows Google Play Store to record where you downloaded the HSBC app from.
Tools:
Our app includes tools that collect information about your device and the way you use it online to:
allow you to log on to our app,
provide our app's core services and features, and measure their performance,
protect the security of our app, for example, to make sure the app is only accessed by genuine users,
help us to identify suspicious behaviour on our app so we can protect both you and us from fraud,
ensure our app's optional features and services work, which may include both allowing us to customize what you see on our app and where based on what we know about you, and also helping to prevent fraud and maintain security on other apps, websites or services that you haven't asked to use when you're on our app,
enable us to understand how you use our app, so that we can improve how our app works, e.g. by using analytics providers to identify and count uses of our app and to see which pages people go to and what they do there, and
understand what you're interested in on our app and on social media, and potentially identify what directed you to our app, so that so we or our partners can personalize our marketing to you.
Some of these tools are provided to us by external service providers and third parties.
Privacy Essentials
Your information matters. To you - and to HSBC.
Privacy notices contain really important details that are often too long to read. This is why we've highlighted key points that are essential for you to understand.
We're committed to:
- Keeping your personal information secure
- Using it appropriately
- Never selling it to third parties for marketing purposes
- Respecting your privacy wishes
Your privacy: Four things you need to know
1. We ask for information to confirm who you are.
We collect details such as your name and address so that we can confirm who you are. It also helps us comply with the law.
2. We use your information to help us understand what you do and don't like.
We use data to manage our relationship with you - including offering you our products, personalizing your experience, and improving the products and services we offer you.
3. We keep track of our interactions with you.
By keeping track of our conversations with you by phone, in person, by email (or any kind of communication), we are able to carry out your instructions and serve you better.
4. You have choices when it comes to your information with us.
For example, you have the right to:
- View the information we hold about you
- Opt out of receiving advertising or marketing offers
- Update or correct your information
- Limit some - but not all - sharing of your information
Read our Privacy Notice for full details. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.
Read our Privacy Notice
Respecting your information
How we protect your privacy
It is our privilege to earn your business and our responsibility to treat your personal information carefully.
We believe an important part of building a strong relationship with you is by respecting your privacy and the information we collect about you. You may have questions about how we do this. That's why we created this Privacy Notice. Our goal is to be upfront and clear about:
- How we collect and use your information
- Who we might share it with
- What steps we take to make sure it stays private and safe
This notice applies to any account, product or service you have with us - from the time you start dealing with us and throughout our relationship. We have strived to make this document easy to read, understand and use. The bottom line is, when it comes to your information we are committed to transparency - not surprises.
Key points - We're committed to:
- Keeping your personal information secure
- Using it appropriately
- NEVER selling it to third parties for marketing purposes
- Respecting your privacy wishes
First things first: Getting your permission
We don't ask for your personal information unless we need it to provide or improve our products and services for you.
As part of doing business with us, we collect some details about you. Before we do, first we ask for your permission. We want to be sure we have your consent to collect, use and, where necessary, share your information with our partners and suppliers that help us serve you. Whenever we introduce new services and technologies, we'll ensure you understand and agree to any new ways in which your information is handled.
There are a limited number of situations - for example, if we receive a subpoena or other legal request - where we may disclose certain personal information without your consent. These exceptions are discussed further in this notice.
Where we get your information
We collect information about you in the following ways:
- Directly from you
- From your use of any HSBC products, services, apps and websites
- From other organizations that assist with helping us to serve you better
- From other people who oversee or share products and services with you
- From publicly available sources (e.g. land registers, news, the Internet, including social media sites)
What information we collect and why
We collect information about you to help us serve you as our customer, to understand and meet your financial needs, and to improve our products and services. In addition, we collect certain details required by governments and regulators in Canada, including information that helps protect HSBC, the financial system and our customers from financial crime.
There is basic information we gather from every customer. Then depending on your relationship with us, we may collect other details. For example:
- To set up your banking account, we need personal details to know who you are
- If you want a credit card or loan from us, we need to get a credit report so we understand your experience with managing debt
- If you're an investor, we want to know your investment objectives and knowledge
Key Points - We collect personal information to:
- Know and serve you
- Comply with laws
- Meet government information requests
- Protect you and our business from financial crime
Will other people be connected to your products or services?
When our customers have financial connections or important relationships with other people, we need to know about these connections and people to help us understand how, for whom and by whom our products and services are being used and funded. Some common examples are a guarantor, trustee, executor or joint owner of an account or credit card. We are required to collect information from these people too.
The information we collect (or generate) and use falls into four broad categories.
Select from the menu below to learn more.
Identification and contact details
| Types of information we collect | How we use it |
|---|---|
| Your name, previous name, gender, home address, phone numbers, email, identification numbers (i.e. driver’s license number or passport number) |
|
| Date of birth |
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| Biometric information, including physical or behavioral characteristics, e.g. fingerprints, hand or facial geometry or patterns, voice characteristics and signatures |
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| Citizenship and place of birth |
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| Social insurance number (SIN) |
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| Tax residency and tax identification number (if applicable) |
|
| Occupation, employer name and address |
|
Your communication preferences, including:
|
|
| Types of information we collect |
Your name, previous name, gender, home address, phone numbers, email, identification numbers (i.e. driver’s license number or passport number) |
|---|---|
| How we use it |
|
| Types of information we collect | Date of birth |
| How we use it |
|
| Types of information we collect |
Biometric information, including physical or behavioral characteristics, e.g. fingerprints, hand or facial geometry or patterns, voice characteristics and signatures |
| How we use it |
|
| Types of information we collect |
Citizenship and place of birth |
| How we use it |
|
| Types of information we collect |
Social insurance number (SIN) |
| How we use it |
|
| Types of information we collect |
Tax residency and tax identification number (if applicable) |
| How we use it |
|
| Types of information we collect |
Occupation, employer name and address |
| How we use it |
|
| Types of information we collect |
Your communication preferences, including:
|
| How we use it |
|
Financial data
| Types of information we collect |
How we use it |
|---|---|
Account and transaction data:
|
|
Account and transaction data:
|
|
| Citizenship and place of birth |
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| Social insurance number (SIN) |
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| Tax residency and tax identification number (if applicable) |
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| Occupation, employer name and address |
|
Your communication preferences, including:
|
|
| Types of information we collect |
Account and transaction data:
|
|---|---|
| How we use it |
|
| Types of information we collect |
Account and transaction data:
|
| How we use it |
|
| Types of information we collect |
Citizenship and place of birth |
| How we use it |
|
| Types of information we collect |
Social insurance number (SIN) |
| How we use it |
|
| Types of information we collect |
Tax residency and tax identification number (if applicable) |
| How we use it |
|
| Types of information we collect |
Occupation, employer name and address |
| How we use it |
|
| Types of information we collect |
Your communication preferences, including:
|
| How we use it |
|
Managing our risks and interests
| Types of information we collect | How we use it |
|---|---|
Credit information:
|
|
Information to monitor financial crime:
|
There are certain things the law says we have to do to help detect, prevent and investigate financial crime - such as money laundering, terrorist financing, bribery, corruption and tax evasion. We may be required to use your information to do this, even if you have asked us to stop using your information. That could include (among other things):
|
Video surveillance
|
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Product/service data:
|
|
| Types of information we collect |
Credit information:
|
|---|---|
| How we use it |
|
| Types of information we collect |
Information to monitor financial crime:
|
| How we use it |
There are certain things the law says we have to do to help detect, prevent and investigate financial crime - such as money laundering, terrorist financing, bribery, corruption and tax evasion. We may be required to use your information to do this, even if you have asked us to stop using your information. That could include (among other things):
|
| Types of information we collect |
Video surveillance
|
| How we use it |
|
| Types of information we collect |
Product/service data:
|
| How we use it |
|
Your interactions with us
| Types of information we collect | How we use it |
|---|---|
Through branch, phone and email:
|
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Through digital interactions: (such as our websites, apps, chat services and SMS and social media sites)
|
|
| Types of information we collect |
Through branch, phone and email:
|
|---|---|
| How we use it |
|
| Types of information we collect |
Through digital interactions: (such as our websites, apps, chat services and SMS and social media sites)
|
| How we use it |
|
* A cookie is a small file that is passed from our website to the device you use to access our services. The cookie is used to save information about the interaction between you and our website or online banking platform, such as login credentials, preferences and any work in progress. To learn more, read our frequently asked questions about cookies.
Who we might share it with
To create the best customer experience for you, we share some information across HSBC and with our suppliers. This may include your information being transferred to and stored in locations outside of Canada. When we do this, we’ll ensure it has an appropriate level of protection and that the transfer is lawful. We never sell customer data for marketing purposes.
We may share information with:
- Other areas within our organization
- Our partners and suppliers with whom we work to serve you
- Government and law enforcement agencies
- Debt collection agencies (if we have to collect a debt).
Within HSBC
As a global organization, we may share your information among different HSBC departments, subsidiaries and companies. This helps us:
- Provide you with services
- Review and offer products that may be of interest to you
- Manage our credit and business risks
- Process and store our data in other countries we operate, for cost efficiencies
- Comply with legal or regulatory requirements
Our partners and suppliers
Certain activities we engage in involve sharing some of your personal information with companies that work on our behalf. These include:
- Cheque printers
- Cloud computing companies (for storage)
- Web hosting companies
- App developers
- Advertisers
- Research firms that conduct customer surveys
- Computer data-processing companies
All service providers with access to your information must follow HSBC's strict confidentiality standards as part of their contractual obligations. And they must have the same level of protection as we do on that information. We don't give them customer information unless we have a valid business purpose for doing so, and we have your consent or have previously informed you.
Government and law enforcement agencies
Sometimes it may be necessary for HSBC to disclose customer information to meet our compliance, regulatory and financial crime risk management obligations. In such cases, we may not need your consent and will only disclose it under proper authority. For example:
- If we receive a subpoena, search warrant, court or government order, we release the information and limit it only to what's legally required.
- When required, we release some customer information to government authorities and investigative bodies for law enforcement purposes - for example, to combat financial crime and to investigate violations of the law.
Other third parties
We may exchange information about your credit history with other lenders or credit reporting agencies in Canada. Credit information sharing is something that all financial institutions do because it helps evaluate your eligibility to receive credit.
The law also allows us to disclose personal information without your consent when collecting a debt owed to us. In this situation we will work directly with a collection agency and give them the information they need to resolve the amounts due.
In the event of a merger, sale or reorganization, we may transfer some or all customer information to the relevant third party.
If we have your permission, we may use your information to market HSBC products and services to you, and also products and services from relevant third parties. We may send you marketing messages and materials by mail, email, telephone, text, secure messages, or through digital or social media. When we advertise our products and services on the internet (including social media), we may share your information with our advertisers and/or social media providers. For example, when we use social media for marketing purposes, your information may be shared with the social media platforms so that they can check if you hold an account with them. If you do, we may ask the social media provider or social media network:
- to use your information to send our advertisements to you, e.g. because we think that you might be interested in a new or existing service that we offer;
- to exclude you from receiving our advertisements, e.g. because we feel it might not be relevant to you or the advertisement is for a service that you already use; or
- to advertise to people who have similar profile to you, e.g. if we determine that certain of our products or services may be useful to people with similar interests to the ones on your social media profile, we may ask our advertising provider or the social media network to send our advertisements for those products and/or services to those people sharing similar online interests.
You may at any time refuse or withdraw your consent to our marketing by visiting one of our branches or contacting us at 1-888-310-HSBC (4722), see also our “Your Choices” tab on this webpage. Social media platforms also allow you to indicate your preferences to them about the advertising you receive on their platforms. Please contact your social media platforms for more information.
How we protect your information
You've entrusted us with your information. It's our job to keep it private - and safe.
Our security measures
We are accountable for protecting your privacy. It's a responsibility we take very seriously, so we strive to treat all of your information with great care. We have powerful safeguards in place to keep your information safe and confidential. These include:
Physical security
- Secure access areas that require passcards
- Branch and head office security guards
- Dual-key security deposit boxes
- Video surveillance
Electronic security
- Strong authentication (e.g., PINs)
- Data encryption techniques
- Network security (e.g., firewalls)
- Digital monitoring systems
Procedural measures
- Mandatory employee training on the importance of privacy and protecting customer data
- Strict policies to prevent unauthorized access to customer information by anyone, including HSBC staff
- Employee Code of Conduct that defines our expectations for employee behaviour around protecting customer privacy
How long we'll keep it
We only keep your information for as long as we need it to serve you and to meet legal requirements. When we no longer need the information, it is either destroyed or made anonymous.
About this Privacy Notice
Effective date: January 1, 2019
This Privacy Notice highlights how we collect, use and share information. More information is available in our general Terms and Conditions and Customer Information Consent documents, which are provided to you when you purchase products and services from HSBC Bank Canada and during your ongoing relationship with us.
Updates to this notice
We may modify this notice from time to time, and will post the most current version online. If we revise it, updates will take effect 30 days later.
Who this notice applies to?
In this notice, HSBC means HSBC Bank Canada and all HSBC Canadian companies you may deal with now or later1. Our privacy commitments on this website apply to:
- HSBC customers and possible customers (prospects)
- Individuals connected to HSBC's commercial business
- Individuals connected to our customers
Wherever we've said ‘you' or ‘your', that includes your organization and your people - including the other people on your account, anyone who handles your financial affairs or deals with us for you, and other people in your organization (including partners, directors, officers, members, shareholders and trustees.
Who this notice doesn't apply to?
Job candidates - information on personal information management for these individuals is housed in our job application system.
Your choices
We want to help you understand your privacy rights and options so you can make informed decisions when using our products, services, websites and apps. We are required by law to collect certain information in order to serve you. Some additional information is needed for normal business purposes. Finally, some information is optional - you can choose not to provide it from the start, or can withdraw your permission at any time.
| Item | Description | What you can do |
|---|---|---|
| Accessing your information |
You can review and update your account details (address, billing information, account settings, password, etc.). We aim to keep customer information accurate and complete, so if your circumstances change, please update your information with us promptly. | Log on to your account or call us at 1-888-310-4722 to make changes. |
| Request access to your information | You can request access to personal information we hold about you. There may be a small charge for doing so. You may correct the information if there are any mistakes. | Request access to your information. Once we receive and have validated your request, you'll receive the information within 30 calendar days. |
| Making an inquiry or complaint |
If you have a problem or concern with how we handle your information, we want to know. |
Follow our complaint resolution process OR reach out through on of the ways listed in the ‘Contact us’ section below. |
| Receiving advertising and participating in customer research |
Online advertising and cookies
To learn more, read our frequently asked questions about cookies.
From time to time we promote our products and services through other methods, such as email, phone calls and statement inserts. If you prefer, you may choose not to receive promotional offers in these ways
|
To opt-out of cookies by HSBC:
Network Advertising Initiative Digital Advertising Alliance of Canada
Call us at 1-888-310-4722 |
| Using SIN for identification |
For certain products we ask for your Social Insurance Number (SIN) as a form of additional identification. In such cases it is not required by law, so you may prefer not to provide it. |
To opt-out of providing your SIN for identification:
Call us at 1-888-310-4722 |
| Item |
Accessing your information |
|---|---|
| Description | You can review and update your account details (address, billing information, account settings, password, etc.). We aim to keep customer information accurate and complete, so if your circumstances change, please update your information with us promptly. |
| What you can do |
Log on to your account or call us at 1-888-310-4722 to make changes. |
| Item | Request access to your information |
| Description | You can request access to personal information we hold about you. There may be a small charge for doing so. You may correct the information if there are any mistakes. |
| What you can do |
Request access to your information. Once we receive and have validated your request, you'll receive the information within 30 calendar days. |
| Item |
Making an inquiry or complaint |
| Description |
If you have a problem or concern with how we handle your information, we want to know. |
| What you can do |
Follow our complaint resolution process OR reach out through on of the ways listed in the ‘Contact us’ section below. |
| Item |
Receiving advertising and participating in customer research |
| Description |
Online advertising and cookies
To learn more, read our frequently asked questions about cookies.
From time to time we promote our products and services through other methods, such as email, phone calls and statement inserts. If you prefer, you may choose not to receive promotional offers in these ways
|
| What you can do |
To opt-out of cookies by HSBC:
Network Advertising Initiative Digital Advertising Alliance of Canada
Call us at 1-888-310-4722 |
| Item |
Using SIN for identification |
| Description |
For certain products we ask for your Social Insurance Number (SIN) as a form of additional identification. In such cases it is not required by law, so you may prefer not to provide it. |
| What you can do |
To opt-out of providing your SIN for identification:
Call us at 1-888-310-4722 |
Cookie FAQs
What is a cookie?
Cookies are commonly used in today's digital world. When you visit a website, a cookie is a small file that is placed on the browser or device you are using. We use cookies for different purposes including personalizing your online experience, tracking your interaction with our websites (including our online banking platform) and remembering information about your visit (e.g., logon credentials, preferences and any work in progress).
What kind of cookies does HSBC use and why?
HSBC Bank Canada and its subsidiaries have webpages and online platforms that use the following types of cookies:
Type of cookie : What it's for & how to opt-out
- Session cookies - These are temporary cookies that disappear once you leave our website or close your browser. Services such as our online banking platform and Live Chat feature use these cookies to identify if a secured session has been established. To use these types of services, you need to enable your session cookies. To change your cookie settings, follow your browser's directions on how to do this.
- Persistent cookies - These cookies are stored on your computer and collect information about how you use our websites, such as which pages you visit most. The information gathered is used to help us optimize and improve our websites to meet your needs. To change your cookie settings, follow your browser's directions on how to do this.
- Tailored content cookies - These are a type of persistent cookie our website and online banking platform uses to provide you with tailored content and product offers through a variety of channels. Our website uses Celebrus Dynamic Collection (“Celebrus”) technology to gather information about your use of our website and online banking. This includes which pages you visit on our website, how you journey through it, and how you interact with the content.
If you leave tailored content cookies enabled when you log on to online banking, we may reach out to you at some future point (e.g., through a sales call from an HSBC representative) with information and advertisements based on your use of our site (e.g., looking at mortgage pages).
You can opt-out of these tailored content cookies through this website. Opting out involves setting a
cookie to your browser that indicates your choice. This will not affect the functionality of our website or online banking platform.
Please note:
1. Opting out must be performed on each different browser and device you use.
2. If you delete your cookies, you will need to go through the opt-out process again.
3. Your browser must be set to allow first-party cookies for our website for the opt-out process to work.
- Third-party cookies - We use third-party cookies to deliver marketing communications and other tailored content we believe may be of interest to you, on this or other websites. For example, if you are visiting an HSBC website, a cookie may be passed from an advertising company (a third party) to your computer. This third-party cookie may be used to track how you navigate HSBC sites, or other sites that use the same advertising company. To disable / enable third-party cookies, follow your browser's directions.
Are cookies safe?
The cookies we use are safe. They are not viruses or malware, and can't see what is on your device or get data from your hard drive. Many cookies are used purely to provide important security features and to help protect your data and your accounts.
If I use a public computer, will someone be able to get my details from the cookies stored on that computer?
Our cookies cannot be read by anyone else who has access to the computer to find out anything about you, other than the fact that someone using the computer may have visited our website. The cookies from our site do not in any way compromise the security of online banking.
What does advertising include?
Advertising may include delivering tailored content and product offers to you through a variety of channels, including online, telephone and email.
What is online behavioural advertising?
Information about your online activities (e.g. pages viewed on this or other websites) may be used by HSBC and third-parties (such as ad networks) to select ads or web content to display on this or other websites for a product, service or offer that matches your interests. This advertising practice is called online behavioural advertising (OBA) or interest-based advertising.
You can opt-out of receiving this type of advertising by going to these sites: Network Advertising Initiative or Digital Advertising Alliance. Opting out means you will still receive online advertising but it won't be based on your online behaviour or usage. You can also change your cookie settings by following your browser's directions on how to do this.
Contact us
Have questions or concerns about how we handle your personal information? Feel free to contact your nearest HSBC office or reach out to us in the following ways:
Call us toll-free
Personal: 1-888-310-4722
HSBC Premier: 1-866-233-3838
Business: 1-866-808-4722
Email us
Visit a branch
Visit an HSBC office. Use our branch locator to find a nearby location.
App privacy notice
APP PRIVACY NOTICE
HSBC Bank Canada and its subsidiaries (‘HSBC’) collects, uses and discloses information about you so that it can provide you with a bank account and related products and services. This App Privacy Notice explains how HSBC collects, uses and discloses your information when you use HSBC’s Mobile Banking App (“HSBC App”) , including information about the device that the HSBC App is installed on, e.g. your mobile phone or tablet. You can find full information in our main privacy notice.
The HSBC App is provided by HSBC Global Services (UK) Limited for and on behalf of HSBC, and all products and services accessed via the HSBC App are provided by HSBC.
You can contact us in regards to your privacy rights and options at https://www.hsbc.ca/privacy/#choices. Alternatively, you can contact us via the HSBC App where you can chat to us 24/7, via telephone banking or in branch.
We use a range of measures to keep your information safe and secure which may include encryption and other forms of security. We require our staff and any third parties who carry out any work on our behalf to comply with appropriate compliance standards, including obligations to protect any information and applying appropriate measures for the use and transfer of information.
We’ll keep your information in line with our data retention policy. For example, we’ll normally keep your main banking information for a period of seven years from when our relationship with you ends. This allows us to comply with legal and regulatory requirements or use it where we need to for our legal or business purposes such as managing your account and dealing with any disputes or concerns that may arise. We may need to keep your information for longer where we need the information to comply with regulatory or legal requirements, help detect or prevent fraud and financial crime, answer requests from regulators, etc. If we don’t need to keep information for this length of time, we may securely destroy, delete or anonymize it sooner.
This section explains what information HSBC collects from your device, how it uses it, and whether it shares it. In some cases, e.g. when accessing the contacts stored on your device, or photos that you take with your device, HSBC will first ask your permission. HSBC may share your information with other HSBC group companies and any sub-contractors, agents or service providers who work for us or other HSBC group companies (including their employees, sub-contractors, service providers, directors and officers) to provide you with products or services that you ask for (such as bank accounts and payments) and as explained in our main privacy notice - this type of data sharing is not included here.
Permissions for devices:
Location: Your approximate location can be used to prevent fraud when you’re using the HSBC app.
Device information and internet access: This allows us check if you have a working internet connection.
Biometric information: This allows you to use biometrics authentication (like fingerprints or facial recognition) to logon to our app. If you do so, we rely on your device’s technology to authenticate you and we do not collect or store your underlying biometric data.
Device camera and photo library: This allows you to take a photo or video and immediately share it with us or access the content from the photo library in order to allow us to provide you with a bank account or related services.
Non-exhaustive examples of when we may ask you to do this include to scan a QR code to make a payment, to pay with a cheque by taking a photo of it.
Push messages: This allows you to receive instant notifications from our app about activity on your account or to inform that you’ve received a chat message from HSBC.
Permission specific to iOS devices:
App tracking transparency: This allows you to grant us the permission to track your activities across other companies’ apps and websites (versions iOS 14.0 and above only).
Permission specific to Android devices:
External storage device (for example memory card): This allows the app save files onto your device's external storage. This allows you to store and send documents, for example loan agreements, e-statements.
Application permission: This allows Google Play Store to record where you downloaded the HSBC app from.
Tools:
Our app includes tools that collect information about your device and the way you use it online to:
allow you to log on to our app,
provide our app's core services and features, and measure their performance,
protect the security of our app, for example, to make sure the app is only accessed by genuine users,
help us to identify suspicious behaviour on our app so we can protect both you and us from fraud,
ensure our app's optional features and services work, which may include both allowing us to customize what you see on our app and where based on what we know about you, and also helping to prevent fraud and maintain security on other apps, websites or services that you haven't asked to use when you're on our app,
enable us to understand how you use our app, so that we can improve how our app works, e.g. by using analytics providers to identify and count uses of our app and to see which pages people go to and what they do there, and
understand what you're interested in on our app and on social media, and potentially identify what directed you to our app, so that so we or our partners can personalize our marketing to you.
Some of these tools are provided to us by external service providers and third parties.
* A cookie is a small file that is passed from our website to the device you use to access our services. The cookie is used to save information about the interaction between you and our website or online banking platform, such as login credentials, preferences and any work in progress. To learn more, read our frequently asked questions about cookies.
1 Our affiliates and subsidiaries in Canada include: HSBC Global Asset Management (Canada) Limited; HSBC Investment Funds (Canada) Inc.; HSBC Securities (Canada) Inc. (including HSBC InvestDirect); HSBC Trust Company (Canada); HSBC Loan Corporation (Canada); HSBC Mortgage Corporation (Canada); HSBC Loan Corporation (Canada); HSBC Insurance Agency (Canada) Inc.; HSBC Finance Mortgages Inc.; HSBC Retail Services Limited; HSBC Private Investment Counsel (Canada) Inc. ; and Household Trust Company.