Consumer complaint received 2023-11-22
Company: BARCLAYS BANK DELAWARE
State: CA
Product: Credit card
Sub-product: Store credit card
Issue: Getting a credit card
Sub-issue: Card opened without my consent or knowledge

Complaint:
I am writing to formally submit a complaint to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau regarding a distressing situation involving Barclays Bank and their handling of an unauthorized Banana Republic Rewards Credit Card that was opened in my name. The details of the incident are as follows : On XX/XX/2023, I received an unexpected call from Barclays Bank concerning overdue payments on an existing Banana Republic Rewards Credit Card. To my shock, I had no prior knowledge of the existence of this credit card. It came to my attention that this credit card had been apparently opened in connection with an account at Barclays Bank shortly after I made a purchase at a Banana Republic store a few weeks earlier. 

I was deeply alarmed by this fraudulent situation, which involved the unauthorized use of my personal information. As an individual from another country, I am not familiar with the nuances of consumer credit information manipulation in the United States, particularly when it involves store employees collecting personal information under the guise of enrolling customers in rewards programs and subsequently using that information to surreptitiously open credit card accounts without explicit consent. 

Upon receiving the call from Barclays, I promptly informed their agent that I had not applied for any credit card, had never received XXXX, and had never applied for a bank account with Barclays. I requested that they immediately close any account associated with my name. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I visited XXXXXXXX XXXX with my husband to open a joint account and was astounded to discover that I had two late payments negatively impacting my credit score. These late payments were linked to the unauthorized Banana Republic Rewards Credit Card account at Barclays, which was having significant repercussions on my creditworthiness. 

I immediately contacted Barclays once again to report this situation and reiterated that I had not authorized the credit card, that I had already requested the closure of the account and expressed my concerns about the impact on my credit score. Barclays informed me that they would initiate an investigation into the matter and assured me that I would receive a written response within 30 days regarding the status of the investigation. 

Regrettably, as of the time of this complaint, I have not received any such letter or communication from Barclays regarding the investigation. Furthermore, the investigation remains unresolved, and despite my weekly follow-up calls, Barclays continues to inform me that it may take up to 90 days to receive a response. 

This ongoing situation has caused me considerable distress and uncertainty about my financial well-being. I am deeply worried about the potential long-term consequences of this unauthorized credit card account on my credit score and overall financial stability.

I kindly request the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau 's assistance in addressing this matter and ensuring that Barclays Bank takes immediate action to investigate and resolve this fraudulent activity. I am uncertain about the appropriate steps to take to safeguard my financial interests, and your intervention would be greatly appreciated. 

Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter. I look forward to your prompt response and resolution of this issue.

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation