Consumer complaint received 2022-06-28
Company: BARCLAYS BANK DELAWARE
State: SC
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 or about XX/XX/XXXX, I looked at my Barclay 's UPromise Mastercard bill online and saw a charge for {$2200.00} from XX/XX/XXXX, from a XXXX XXXX XXXX in XXXXXXXX XXXX. I have never made a charge exceeding {$100.00} at a convenience store, so I knew the charge was fraudulent. I called Barclay 's immediately to cancel my credit card and dispute the charge. Barclay 's credited my account with the full {$2200.00} initially. However, the {$2200.00} charge reappeared on my credit card statement in XXXX. I called Barclay 's again to ask why this charge reappeared on my statement. The representative said they would need a written letter from me disputing the charge. On or about XX/XX/XXXX, I mailed a letter to Barclay 's again disputing the fraudulent charge. I explained that we had been in XXXXXXXX XXXX  and to the convenience mart in question on the weekend before XX/XX/XXXX. We purchased only a small amount of gas at the store because our car gas thank was almost on empty, and the gas price at the store was more expensive than other stores. The purchase was for no more than {$20.00}. The gas pump worked slowly, and the store clerk came out to check on us. I believe we had to go inside to pay for the gas because the pump would not take the card, but I am uncertain. In any event, we paid for the gas and left the station. We certainly never purchased {$2200.00} worth of merchandise. In fact, the store was so small and run down, I think a {$2200.00} purchase would have bought all the merchandise in the store. ( I have attached a photo of the convenience store, so you may see its size and general condition, which supports my statement that there was not much in the store to purchase. ) I received a letter from Barclay 's on or about XX/XX/XXXX, stating that our charge of fraud had been denied due to a " pattern of purchase, '' which was unbelievable given the amount of the alleged purchase made in a very small convenience store. I reviewed our credit card statements for the XXXX period preceding the XX/XX/XXXX, charge, and I found that we had not made a purchase from a gas station or convenience store for more than {$80.00}, and those purchases were for gas. 

I am submitting a copy of my account analysis from the past XXXX months for the " everyday spending '' category, which is the category in which purchases at convenience stores and gas places appear. Note that all of my purchases are much lower than the {$2200.00} purchase. In fact, most months, my charges on this credit card are under {$1000.00}. 

I wrote Barclay 's a second letter, dated XX/XX/XXXX, requesting copies of any and all evidence they used to support their denial of my claim of fraud along with copies of receipts evidencing the purchase and copies of any signed receipts for the purchase. I also requested copies of any statements made by the store owner and/or store clerk regarding the charge. Barclay 's has failed to acknowledge its receipt of my letter, and it has failed to provide any evidence supporting their faulty conclusion that the XX/XX/XXXX purchase in the amount of {$2200.00} was not a fraudulent purchase. I am currently accruing interest charges on this {$2200.00} purchase I did not make. I believe Barclay 's made this decision to deny my fraud claim without merit or evidence to support its decision.

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