Consumer complaint received 2023-05-21
Product: Credit card or prepaid card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Fees or interest — Problem with fees
Company: BARCLAYS BANK DELAWARE (PA)

Barclaycard falsely claims I owe interest and penalties on credit card account. I paid for my purchases as soon as I received notice of them I dispute any remaining balance on the account, which I have closed. Here is my story. 

I have had a Gap credit card since XXXX. Unbeknownst to me, the financial institution that issued the card sold the account to Barclaycard sometime during summer XXXX. Also unbeknownst to me, without request to or permission from me, or paper notice to me, Barclaycard switched me from paper statements to paperless statements. 

The first I learned of this was a form letter received XXXX XXXX claiming my account was XXXX months overdue ( copy attached ). I called on or about XX/XX/XXXX and spoke to a rep who unfortunately had limited XXXX proficiency. This is when I learned that I had been switched to paperless statements. I searched my email, but had received no emails from Barclaycard. The rep told me to check the spam folder. All the emails from Barclaycard had gone to spam, which I do not read. Opening one of the spam emails, I learned that paperless statements is actually a misnomer, since the emails they sent out are not statements, but merely notices that ones statement is available in ones online account, along with an overall balance. 

Of course, I did not have an online account since I believed I was still getting paper statements. I requested the rep to switch me back to paper statements, and send me paper copies of all prior statements since they bought the account. 

The rep converted me to paper statements, but sent me the most recent statement only. 

Shortly thereafter, I received a letter dated XX/XX/XXXX saying my account was now three months past due, along with the current statement. 

I called again and spoke to XXXX, employee # XXXX, who agreed to send me all back statements and make a note in the file that I had not received any bills since Barclaycard bought the account. 

I received the back statements on XX/XX/XXXX, and immediately set up an electronic payment for {$430.00}, which was the full value of all purchases made, less returns. The next statement, dated XX/XX/XXXX showed a balance of {$190.00}, which is all fees and interest. 

I called again to have Barclaycard waive the fees and interest since the switch to paperless statements was not my error. The rep was not authorized to do that. I asked for someone with more authority, but that manager refused to credit the amounts, claiming that it wasnt Barclaycards error ; the previous institution had informed Barclaycard we were getting paperless statements.

Regardless of which bank made the error, I am not responsible for that error and do not rightfully or legally owe the {$190.00} in fees and interest.

Also of note, all email systems have a read receipt capability. Barclaycard had the ability, had they chosen to use it, to KNOW I had never opened any emails from them. Also Barclaycard knew or should have known that I never set up an online account, so could never have viewed any statements.