Consumer complaint received 2025-06-07 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Trouble using your card — Can't use card to make purchases
Company: BARCLAYS BANK DELAWARE
State: CT

Complaint narrative:
I am submitting this complaint regarding Barclays Bank and their continued failure to properly manage my account, respond truthfully to regulatory inquiries, and provide access to a product I am paying for. 

In a previous complaint submitted to the CFPB, Barclays falsely represented that they had resolved all issues. However, their response to the CFPB included inaccurate information and failed to address critical points I raised : 1. Misrepresentation of Transaction Type : Barclays claimed that the disputed transaction in question was an in-store purchase. I provided clear evidence that it was an online transaction, which they eventually acknowledged. However, despite correcting this on their internal end, they never updated or amended their original response to the CFPB, meaning the information provided to regulators remains inaccurate and misleading. 
2. Failure to Address Fair Credit Reporting Act Concerns : I also raised issues under the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ), particularly regarding their obligations during the dispute process. Barclays failed to respond to this part of the complaint entirely. They did not offer a mechanism for me to submit supporting documentation nor provide me an alternative for my dispute, and they closed the dispute prematurely without resolutionstating it can not be reopened, in direct conflict with FCRA protections that allow consumers to submit relevant information for reinvestigation. 

In addition to these unresolved issues, Barclays conduct has since worsened : 3. Ongoing Denial of Card Usage Despite Available Credit : I currently have more than enough available credit on my account, yet I am still being prevented from using my card. I am paying an annual fee to have this card, and despite fulfilling my end of the agreement, Barclays is failing to honor theirs by repeatedly blocking my transactions. 
4. Fraud Alerts Misused to Deny Access : The reason given for the blocked transactions is that they are being flagged as fraud. However, I previously submitted extensive verification documents to Barclaysincluding a copy of my Social Security card, state ID, and financial recordsjust to verify that I was the one adding my card to XXXX XXXX. After these documents were received and reviewed, the card was added to XXXX XXXX. 
Yet even now, transactions using the card via XXXX XXXX are still flagged as fraudulent. During one recent incident, I was being required to call Barclays directly, and a representative verified my identity through placing an outbound phone call, and additionally a text message code, and claimed to have cleared the fraud warning. Despite this, the warning reappeared within minutes as I attempted the transaction in the same store. The representative stated that it was already cleared and refused to acknowledge that it had reappeared. When I called back, the next representative confirmed a new fraud warning had been placedcontradicting the first representatives insistence that no such warning existed. 
5. Confirmation from XXXX : Bank is Ultimately Responsible I also contacted XXXX regarding the repeated transaction declines when using my Barclays card through XXXX XXXX XXXX confirmed that it is ultimately the issuing bankBarclaysthat determines whether a transaction is approved or declined. In addition, my Barclays account has an active travel notification in place, so location-based restrictions should not be interfering with transactions. Despite verifying my identity, setting up XXXX XXXX with extensive documentation, confirming the travel alert, and being told by Barclays that fraud flags were removed, my card continues to be declined. This reinforces that the issue lies solely with Barclays internal systems and policiesnot with XXXX or my usage. 
6. Conflicting Information Regarding Phone Code Verification : Barclays had previously set up a four-digit phone verification code on my account for security purposes. However, when I called customer service and attempted to use this code, a representative told me it was incorrect while on a separate occasion, minutes apart from each other, another representative confirmed that the same code was valid and correct. These calls are recorded, and Barclays can not deny this inconsistencythe recordings will clearly show that the code I was given was both used and verified by their own staff. This inconsistency not only added to the delays and denials on my account, but further illustrates their lack of internal coordination and their failure to provide a reliable means of verifying my identity, even after requiring extensive documentation. 
7. Inadequate Justification for Charging an Annual Fee While Restricting Use : Given that I am being denied access to the card, Barclays ongoing imposition of an annual fee is unacceptable. I am essentially paying for a product that I am not allowed to use. I am requesting either : Full access to the product I am paying for, or A pro-rated refund or waiver of the annual fee due to their failure to provide uninterrupted service. Since I had to use an alternative payment method. 

Finally, I want to highlight that Barclays Bank ends each of their written responses with a phone number for their corporate office, instructing customers to call for further assistance. I have called this number multiple times and left detailed voicemail messages, yet no one has ever returned my calls. On the occasions when I speak with regular customer service and request a manager callback, the experience is equally disappointing. The few responses Ive received are so disengaged and generic that they resemble the scripted replies of an automated systemoffering no real help, no ownership of the issue, and no effort to escalate the matter further. Managers often fail to call back at all, and when they do, their responses lack substance, accountability, or any initiative to actually resolve the problems on my account. The level of support is not just inadequateit feels deliberately dismissive. At this point, filing this complaint with the CFPB is the only avenue I have left, as Barclays has failed to provide meaningful assistance or resolution through the very channels they claim to offer.

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