Consumer complaint received 2023-03-01
Company: BARCLAYS BANK DELAWARE
State: CT
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Advertising and marketing, including promotional offers
Sub-issue: Confusing or misleading advertising about the credit card

Complaint:
AAdvantage XXXX ( Barclays XXXX ) advertises as follows on its website : " Use your card with confidence. Count on Barclays ' {$0.00} Fraud Liability protection. 
With our fraud liability coverage, you aren't responsible for unauthorized purchases made with your card that you report to us. It doesn't matter if your card is lost, stolen or breached - online or offline - you're protected. Call it " business as usual '' : 1. Shop with confidence Use your card to make purchases anywhere in the world.

2. Report unauthorized transactions immediately Keep an eye on your monthly statements and be sure to tell us right away if you spot any unusual account activity. Simply call the number on the back of your card.

3. Get resolution fast. If you let us know about an unauthorized transaction, we'll investigate it and correct the issue as quickly as possible. '' They violated this promise to me recently. My card was hacked, and I reported a fraudulent transaction from XXXX XXXX on card XXXX on XX/XX/2023 for about {$1000.00}. They agreed this was fraudulent and send me a new card. On XX/XX/2023, they put through a second fraudulent charge from XXXX XXXX on card XXXX for about {$4000.00}. ( While the " account number '' at that point had been updated because I was sent a new card after reporting the {$1000.00} fraud, the relevant information is that the {$4000.00} charge was made using the SAME COMPROMISED NUMBER of XXXX, which I had reported as fraudulent, and was from the SAME COMPROMISED VENDOR, XXXX XXXX, which I had reported as fraudulent. 

AAdvantage has now closed my investigation, and this is their finding : " We have completed our investigation and have determined the activity is valid because your bank account was used for payments against the charges. '' I have called them to ask what they mean by this ( if it's been paid, why am I being charged? ). I have spoken with 2 reps and a supervisor, and they can't tell me what it means ; they just repeat " the investigation found this was valid. '' They have refused to give me documentation in support of this incorrect conclusion.

( One of the reps told me they found it was valid because the person purchasing the service used a version of my name, " XXXX XXXX '', which is in the public record. 
( I'm like.. one, that's not even my full name, two, of course 100 % of fraudulent transactions used the hacked card holder 's name, three, if it's in the public record ( which of course my name is in the public record, on linkedin, and various other places ), how does this prove I made this charge? 

On the basis of this nonsense, they are charging me over {$4000.00} and will report me as delinquent on XX/XX/2023 when I don't pay this fraudulent balance. charge. I am a small business owner, woman-owned, and Latina-owned, and I am trying to buy a house this week. Literally. My current XXXX XXXX is XXXX and XXXX, partly because I have a 100 % on-time payment record. They will destroy that in 15 days if you don't take action. Please, I am begging you for assistance. 

I have reported this to my Congressman, whose office is calling them today. I have also been filing fraud reports with XXXX XXXX and with a local consumer reporter. Please, please help me. CFPB is a critical protection for consumers who have such little power against a company that can ruin my credit and charge me over {$4000.00} just because they say so. 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