Consumer complaint received 2023-05-30
Company: BARCLAYS BANK DELAWARE
State: OH
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:
On XX/XX/XXXXXXXX  I used my Barclays Bank Aviator Red card to purchase airline tickets for two people ( total {$4200.00} ) from a phone number I believed to represent XXXX XXXX XXXX. The person on the line presented themselves as such and took my credit card information, name and that of the other passenger, address, phone number, email, passport numbers, and copy of my drivers license. I received a " XXXX XXXX Booking Confirmation '' with the salutation " Greetings from Flight Support, '' giving the flight details. It appeared to me to be a receipt and an itinerary from the official airline. I have a copy. 

I did not know until XXXX upon checking my Barclays statement online that there was no sum posted from XXXX XXXX. There were, however, four charges pertaining to travel that I did not recognize. These were : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX for {$100.00}, XXXX XXXX for {$1100.00}, another for XXXX XXXX for {$1100.00}, all posted XX/XX/XXXX, and the last for XXXX XXXX for {$1700.00}, posted XX/XX/XXXX. I called the number given by Barclays for what I understand now to be for disputes and was told to call the merchants despite being very clear I had never heard of any of them. Additionally, I informed multiple of the XXXX Barclays representatives with whom I interacted that I had called XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX informed me that a booking had been made in my name on XX/XX/XXXX but cancelled a few days later ( XX/XX/XXXX, I think ) because the money had not been received. 

I called all of the entities as Barclays required me. XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX assured me there was no problem but could not find any of my information given in their system, spoke in circles about possible trip taxes and could give me no other information. XXXX XXXX had no record of my name or any purchase. The agent from XXXX XXXX, XXXX " XXXX XXXX '' ( phone : XXXX ( XXXX ) XXXX ) assured me there was no problem, and that he could rebook me. ( He sent me a copy of the photo of the drivers license I had sent to what I thought was the XXXX XXXX site, so I assumed he was involved with the earlier issue. ) A subsequent check with XXXX XXXX indicated a second reservation was made ( by a third party, not myself ) but then dropped for lack of payment. 

I called Barclays back and explained what happened, emphasized my belief that I was a victim of fraud. I spoke with at least 5 representatives in succession, became increasingly confused and of the opinion my concerns were not taken seriously. I am XXXX, and feeling extremely vulnerable at this point. 

I was told that for a couple of billing cycles I would not be held responsible for the charges as they would be investigated. Since then I have received two identical letters from Barclays regarding the {$100.00} charge to XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX describing it as a dispute and saying it is being investigated. There is nothing about the other charges. I consider them all to be fraudulent. I was obviously deceived into thinking I was working with XXXX XXXX when I first attempted to book, and I personally learned from XXXX that XXXX never received a cent for the attempted bookings, which was why they were dropped. 

As I noted, I am XXXX, and in a vulnerable group for such fraud. Looking back, I think it is pretty obvious given the four unrecognized travel related charges came at the same time and nothing was paid to XXXX despite claims to have done so by the one " XXXX XXXX '' of XXXX XXXX. 

The various Barclays representatives seemed oblivious to my dilemma, were extremely lacking in common empathy or interest, difficult to hear over the telephone due to back ground voices and foreign accents. The fact that one charge is regarded as a dispute, and I haver received nothing in regard to the status of the others is most disconcerting. 

Meanwhile I did use my Barclays card with a new ID number to book the same XXXX flights as before with the real XXXX ticket agent for significantly less, and the charges appeared on my statement very quickly. I have also filed a police report in order to change my drivers license number. 

last 4 digits of old card : XXXX new card : XXXX Thank you, XXXX XXXX

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