Consumer complaint received 2021-07-08
Company: BARCLAYS BANK DELAWARE
State: MN
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:
Hello, In XXXX, I opened a Barclayscard through the XXXX store to make payments on an XXXX. I paid off the XXXX, brought my balance to {$0.00} and put the card in storage to avoid a credit bump. 

In XXXX of XXXX, I received an email stating that I had an outstanding balance on my dormant card. I checked my account online and noticed two charges from XX/XX/XXXX totaling {$250.00} ( One charge for {$250.00}, one for {$6.00} ). I immediately went online to submit a claim and waited to hear back. I did some research, and the charges appear to have originated in Texas. I live in Minnesota and have never been to Texas. 

After two months of late fees and no response, I called to check on the status of the fraud. I was on hold for two hours before the call was dropped. I sat on hold for hours countless times over the course of two weeks until I finally got through. I was informed that my fraud claim had never been received. I submitted another claim over the phone. 

By mid XXXX, I still hadn't heard back. I waited on hold once again before being transferred to the " investigations '' department. I did not get through on that call. 

I called the investigations department directly the next day ( the original customer service representative had given me the number ) and got through after an hour on hold. The rep informed me that the fraud claim on the {$6.00} charge had been approved, but there was no open claim on the larger of the two charges. They opened a claim for me and let me know they would call me within two weeks. 

6 weeks later, I called again as I had not heard back & the charge was still posted on my account. An hour of holding later, I was informed that the claim had been denied. I was transferred to the " fraud '' department to get an explanation, where I waited on hold for two hours before the call was dropped. 

I called again today and waited on hold for 40 minutes. I was able to get through and the fraud claim was approved after I asked for an explanation. I was informed that the initial claim was listed as a " dispute '' rather than fraud, which is why the claim was denied. 

In total, I was on hold with Barclays for ~20 hours between XXXX and XXXX. Without persistence, I would have been on the hook for almost {$300.00} in fraudulent charges. I was never informed by phone, email, or on my account page of the updates in my case. The only method of communication was by mail, and I never received half of the letters they claimed to send. 

I am submitting this complaint in regards to the emotional turmoil caused by the months of poor communication and incompetence relating to my claims. I was under the impression that credit card companies flagged potentially fraudulent charges due to geographical inconsistencies, but I was wrong. Barclays lacks the ability to serve their customer base, and I never intend to do business with them again. 

Thank you, 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 monetary relief