Consumer complaint received 2018-07-31
Company: BARCLAYS BANK DELAWARE
State: FL
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Problem with a purchase shown on your statement
Sub-issue: Card was charged for something you did not purchase with the card

Complaint:
Received a phone call on XX/XX/2018 at XXXXXXXX about suspicious charges made at XXXX XXXX ( FL ) XXXX XXXX in the amounts of {$2000.00} and {$2000.00}. I was unable to answer at the time, so I called back on XX/XX/2018 at XXXX and spoke with a representative from the credit card company. They first asked me if I recognized / authorized the charges, and I immediately said " no. '' I was then asked if I had the credit card in my possession, and I said " yes '' ( incorrectly ; at the time I was so consumed with the idea that someone had stolen my card that I spoke without thinking or actually checking my wallet to see if I did have the card ). I was then told that an investigation would be opened, the card that was used would be closed, and a new one would be mailed to me. I was given a timeframe in which to expect a call-back regarding the decision the credit card company makes on my claim. I do not remember how long this window of time was. 

I called back sometime within that window ( do not know the date ) to ask for an update, and I was told that the window of time hadn't elapsed yet so I should wait, as they were unable to provide an answer at the time. I believe it was during this phone call that I first informed the credit card company that I did not actually have the credit card in my possession as previously said. 

I waited past the window of time I was given by the credit card company ( I believe the date was sometime around XX/XX/2018 ) and called back again asking for an update, and the representative I spoke to told me that they didn't understand why nobody called me yet - because we were now past the window of time they were supposed to take to make a decision - and that the case was now closed, in my favor, and I will see the money credited back to my account. I checked my online statement, and saw that the money was indeed credited to me. 

Sometime later ( I believe the date was XX/XX/2018 ) I noticed the original fraudulent charges were re-charged onto my credit card account, so I called the credit card company to inquire about this. I was informed that the original decision was a mistake, and that the case had been closed - but not in my favor - and that the letter I was to receive in the mail which would state it was closed in my favor should be disregarded because it is incorrect. I was told by a supervisor ( operator # XXXX ) that because I originally said I had the card in my possession during the first conversation, they had made their decision immediately, based on that one piece of information, because if I had the card in my possession, then " ( I ) must have been the one to use it, because the card has a chip and a chip can not be duplicated. '' I explained to the supervisor that my mind was erratic at the time of that first phone call because I was overwhelmed and consumed by the fact that somebody had used my credit card to make over {$4000.00} worth of purchases, and that I spoke incorrectly by stating the card was in my possession ; however, I also brought it to his attention that I had immediately answered " no '' to their first question asking about whether or not I recognized or authorized the charges, but he informed me that it did not matter. This supervisor suggested that I file a police report, and said that doing so will result in them re-opening the case to investigate it further, as they would then be able to work with the police department. 

On that same day - XX/XX/2018 - I filed a police report with the XXXX XXXX Police Department, case # XXXX. When I filed this report I was under the impression that the numbers listed on my credit card statement next to the transaction amounts were transaction IDs from the store ( XXXX and XXXX ). I believe this is what I was told when I first received the phone call about the suspicious activity on XX/XX/2018, but I do not remember for sure. Immediately after filing this police report, I contacted the credit card company to let them know, and provided them with a case number. I was asked to fax a copy of the police report to them at ( XXXX ) XXXX with " ATTN : Investigations '' on the cover sheet as soon as the police report was ready. I also noticed that the charges were dropped from my online account statement. I obtained the police report and faxed it to the credit card company on XX/XX/2018, as requested. 

Sometime on or before XX/XX/2018, I noticed that the charges were once again re-applied onto my account statement. I called the credit card company on or before this date to ask why, and was once again told that the case was closed - not in my favor - and that I was responsible for all the charges. I spoke with a representative ( operator # XXXX ) on XX/XX/2018 and was informed that the fax of the police report was never received, and that the case was closed not in my favor. I was informed that the cover sheet of the fax must also include " Reference credit card number : XXXX '' which is something that I was not informed of originally, and was told that since the credit card number was not on the cover sheet that it may be a reason why they didnt accept the fax. I sent a second fax of the police report on XX/XX/2018, with the cover sheet labeled as requested. 

Sometime on or around XX/XX/2018 I went to the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX - the location where I was lead to believe both fraudulent charges were made at - to ask for a copy of the purchase receipts and/or video footage in an effort to have the credit card company re-open the case and then close it in my favor, since at this time I was again being told I'm responsible for the charges and that they were no longer investigating it at all, even though I had a police report filed. XXXX XXXX provided me with copies of the receipts, and also cleared up the incorrect information about the transaction numbers - that they were actually store numbers, and not transaction IDs. They informed me that one purchase was made at the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX store, and that the other was made at the XXXX XXXX XXXX store, and provided the transaction receipts for both stores. They also informed me that they are only able to provide video surveillance footage to police offers, but that they did indeed have it available. 

Upon receiving this new information, I went to the XXXX Police Department on XX/XX/2018 and filed a police report with them, as well ( case # XXXX ). 

On XX/XX/2018 I went back to the XXXX XXXX police station to ask for assistance obtaining the video footage from the XXXX XXXX XXXX  XXXX, and they helped me get an officer to meet me at the store and do so. Both a photograph and two video clips were obtained from the XXXX XXXX showing that it was not me in the video. The officer did not allow me to see the video, but told me he can " definitely tell it's not you. '' The officer then told me he would add the video and photo to my police report, as well as a copy of the purchase receipt from that store. He then also gave me a copy of the video, which I have since reviewed. I do not recognize the person who used my credit card. 

Later on XX/XX/2018 I contacted the credit card company again, this time in an attempt to provide the new information and get them to re-open my case and investigate it. I was told that it was still closed, and that I was responsible for the charges. I asked to speak with a supervisor and was transferred to XXXX, operator # XXXX. I gave him all the information I had, and he told me would personally oversee my case from that point on. He said he would contact both police departments that I had filed reports with, and told me he promises a callback on XX/XX/2018 with an update. 

I was never contacted on XX/XX/2018 as promised. I waited an extra week thinking he got busy or was getting around to it, but I still never heard from him. On XX/XX/2018 I called the credit card company and spoke with XXXX again. He informed me that he " attempted to contact both police departments but nobody answered and neither has called me back, and that's why I never called you. '' I expressed my dissatisfaction with this, explaining that I'd rather him just tell me that information on XX/XX/2018 as originally promised, as opposed to leaving me in the dark. '' I called back again on XX/XX/2018 to ask for the current status of my case, and to find out exactly how many attempts XXXX actually made to contact the police. I was told by a representative named XXXX that the current status was that my case was closed, and I was responsible for all charges. There was a supervisor named XXXX present with the representative as well, and they told me that they showed there was one single attempt made by XXXX to contact the police departments on XX/XX/2018, but it " was not verified '' because XXXX wasn't available at the time for them to ask him directly. I informed them that I wanted to know exactly how many attempts XXXX made to contact the police regarding my case, and that if they were unable to provide that information and if XXXX couldn't speak to me at the time then I wanted a callback with the information. 

On XX/XX/2018, after speaking with the credit card company the second time, I contacted the XXXX XXXX Police Department to explain what was going on, and to ask the status of their investigation and whether or not they spoke with the credit card company. I was told that it was " out of their hands '' and that I would have to speak with the detective 's office, since it had been passed on to them. The detective 's office was closed at this time, so I was unable to talk to them on that day. 

Sometime on or around XX/XX/2018, I spoke with Detective XXXX XXXX of the XXXX Police Department regarding my case. He informed me that they never received a phone call nor message from my credit card company. 

By XX/XX/2018 I still hadn't received the callback from my credit card company with the answer to my question about how many attempts they made to contact the police. Also on this day I was able to get in contact with Sgt. XXXX of the XXXX XXXX Police Department, and she too informed me that neither a call nor message was ever received from my credit card company. She asked for the phone number of my credit card company and said she would try to contact them for me. I gave her XXXX 's name and his extension ( XXXX, which I was given on XX/XX/2018 ). 

On XX/XX/2018 I called my credit card company to inform them of what both detectives that I spoke to had said. I spoke with a supervisor named XXXX and I also informed him that I will not be making any payments towards my account, and I told them I want them to contact the police departments again. I provided the names, phone numbers, and respective case numbers of both the officers I spoke with. I also informed him that I would be filing this complaint with the CFPB. 

*A copy of the surveillance video is available, but your system will not allow me to upload it below because it is too large.

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 monetary relief