Consumer complaint received 2023-04-24
Company: BARCLAYS BANK DELAWARE
State: PR
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Other features, terms, or problems
Sub-issue: Other problem

Complaint:
After sustained economic hardship stemming from the 2 hurricanes ( Irma and Mara ) that hit XXXX XXXX in XX/XX/XXXX and the COVID lockdown, I have made every attempt to get back on my feet. During the past 2 years I have made steady progress, paying off almost all the debt incurred during these past years. Once I felt I had payed off enough of my credit card debt with two different companies and could work something out, I reached settlement agreements with both of these. 

The first agreement was a 4 payment plan that would pay off around 55 % of the debt at the moment, I held up my end of the deal and after the last payment I received a letter from them confirming that " We received your final payment, and you have completed the terms of your settlement agreement. ". 

Nonetheless, I never received any such communication from the second credit card company. After complying with a 3 payment plan ending in XX/XX/XXXX, I proceded to call them and ask why. I was then told that I hadn't complied with the agreement, which I completely disagreed on. After many, many phone calls and many, many hours devoted to solving the mystery ; I was told that the 2nd payment was made for {$300.00} instead of {$350.00} and therefore, I had failed to complete the settlement. They said that they would open an investigation and get back to me with the results in 24-48 hours. They never got back to me. 

I proceded to call again and -after the mandatory 2 hours and 4-5 handoffs from one agent to another and from one department to another- I was told that they had listened to the recording of our initial phone call and that the agent had said the amount agreed for the last payment was in fact a {$350.00} final payment. They added that I had only payed {$300.00} and was in default. Since I never made any payment myself because it was automatic deductions from my bank account, I let them know I was in complete disagreement and would call back at another time as I'd already spent hours that day on the phone in an attempt to clarify the situation. 

I called again and again and finally on the XXXX of XXXX, XXXX, after I spoke to more than 6 agents I was handed off to a Supervisor who, once he learned that I wasn't making payments at all rather undergoing automatic deductions in my bank account ; said he would find a resolution to this case. He said he would try and do so before that Friday because he would be out on paternal leave after the end of that week. He continued to say that otherwise I would receive an answer before the XXXX of XXXX, XXXX. I never got an answer that time either. 

To my great surprise, I received a letter from said company billing me for the account 's balance ( the same amount that would be condoned after making the agreed 3 payments ). I called again today Monday XX/XX/XXXX. I spoke to 4 different agents, I spent approximately 4 hours on the phone. I was told the would reopen an investigations they felt that my case had been mishandled. I went ahead and asked they stop their collection attempts and any reporting to credit agencies until the investigation was clarified. I was told that they wouldn't do that. I asked when I would have an answer to the investigation, since I have increased my credit score by approximately XXXX points in the past months and would not want to put that at risk. I was again told, they couldn't give me a date. 

I asked for the name and phone number of an agency or organization that I could contact in order to file a complaint, I was denied that information and told to go get it on my own by the rude, disrespectful, impatient collection department supervisor. 

Here are the facts : 1 ) I had a credit card with the company.

2 ) I had a debt with said company.

3 ) I reached a Settlement Agreement with them.

4 ) I received a letter from them stating the following : " Hi. We are confirming your authorization to deduct funds from your bank account to pay your XXXX Rewards Mastercard  Account. 

Here are the details of those payments. Please keep this letter for your records. 
XXXX {$600.00} XXXX {$300.00} XXXX {$310.00} '' 5 ) I kept my end of the deal and kept sufficient funds in the bank account I offered for the automatic deductions agreed upon in our Settlement Agreement. 
6 ) The 3 payments were deducted from my bank account. 
{$600.00} on XXXX XXXX, XXXX reference # XXXX {$300.00} on XXXX XXXX, XXXX reference # XXXX {$310.00} on XXXX XXXX, XXXX reference # XXXX XXXX ) After not receiving a statement from them confirming full payment as per our agreement, I called them. They stated I was in default for not complying with the right amount in the 2nd payment. I explained our agreement was made so that automatic deductions were made, they took the money from my bank account. I didn't make a mistake in payment, they made a mistake in deduction. told them I even had a letter from them saying the 2nd payment was for {$300.00}. 
8 ) They have told me that they agree with my interpretation but they can only ask to reopen the case. Case was reopened today.

9 ) I asked they stopped collection attempts and especially reporting to credit agencies, as the case was being investigated. They denied my petition.

10 ) Any negative remark to credit agencies will most definitely interfere with my credit score progress and on-time payment history. 
11 ) I ask you listen to my complaint and provide assistance, an adversative procedure within the Credit Card company 's bureaucracy is a one-sided process with next to nothing in terms of recourse or options for a consumer.

12 ) This establishes a very dangerous precedent for consumers when confronted with Credit Card companies where they -even when charged with the responsibility of making the proper deductions- can purposefully deduct any smaller amount with the aim of putting your Settlement Agreement in default. This would cause the following : baiting consumers into agreements that involve making payments totaling approximately half the debt in just 3 months with the false promise of erasing full debt. Going after those same clients and asking for the remaining balance based on a false premise of breach of contract. 
13 ) In my case the deduction was a mere {$50.00} less than what they say it should've been. Nobody in his right mind would pay 50 dollars less on a {$1200.00} balance and risk paying more than twice as much later.

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