Consumer complaint received 2021-03-25
Company: BARCLAYS BANK DELAWARE
State: MA
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Credit card debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed
Sub-issue: Debt was paid

Complaint:
I received a phone call on XX/XX/XXXX from someone named Miss XXXX. She said she was calling from XXXXXX/XX/XXXXXXXX with regards to an urgent financial issue. She said that I had an unpaid debt with Barclays Bank and that they were filing a civil suit against me to claim the total amount owned ( {$11000.00} XXXX. She asked me to confirm my date of birth and last four of my social security number. She also asked me to confirm my name, but she only had my maiden name, and my address, which was my parents address not my current XXXX. 

I explained to her that this was already settled and paid through a debt consolidation company back in XXXX and wondered why a 10+ year old debt was coming up when I have heard nothing from the company I worked with, Barclays or the former collection agency. She responded saying its explained in the letter XXXX which it wasnt ). 

She said she had the letter with more information. She asked me for my email so she could send it to me. When I asked why this was not sent via mail she said for the past year they havent sent anything via mail due to COVID. I gave her my email address and she sent me the letter. 

After hanging up, I received the letter and researched the company XXXX XXXX XX/XX/XXXXXXXX XXXX. On the first page of the site the company looks legit but it isnt. The blog page doesnt have any content and the website maker is a make your own website and has a copyright of XXXX XXXX XXXXXX/XX/XXXX( which seems weird ). I also looked at the email with the letter and the email address was XXXX ( which I believe is an international website ). The letter also had some mistypes and the logo of the firm didnt match anything on the site XXXX which if it was a real firm then their corporate logo and stationary would match XXXX. 

I also tried to call the number on their letter ( XXXX ) and it goes to a general voicemail box with no mention of the company name. When Miss XXXX called, she used a different number ( XXXX ). She left a voicemail saying I could call this number back and could use extension XXXX, but when I called back it went directly to her, which again is odd. I dont believe she would pick up without an extension. When I XX/XX/XXXX the first number online I saw that others have listed this as a scam, saying that they were told similar things ( I.e. a civil suit was being filed ) and that they were calling themselves XXXX XXXX. It appears these calls were happening between XX/XX/XXXX and now. 

I called Barclays Bank to confirm if they were aware of this and they said my account was in collections back on XXXX ( hence why I was working with a debt company XXXX so they dont have any details on this. They also werent very helpful and didnt consider this might be a scam. 

I havent heard back from them since Monday XXXX XX/XX/XXXX XXXX, but I am concerned they got the information they needed from me and potentially will be able to hack into different sites using my information. Im monitoring everything.

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