Consumer complaint received 2025-12-03 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — I do not know
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed — Debt is not yours
Company: BARCLAYS BANK DELAWARE
State: MO

Complaint narrative:
I am filing this complaint because Barclays Bank Delaware is reporting a derogatory account on my credit file that I do not recognize, do not own, and did not authorize in any way. This account is fraudulent and was created without my knowledge or consent. Because of this, I have already filed an FTC Identity Theft Report stating that this Barclays Bank Delaware account is the result of identity theft. I did not open this account, I did not authorize anyone else to open it, and I am not responsible for any charges, balances, or negative reporting connected to it. 

This Barclays Bank Delaware account appears on my credit report as a charge-off with past-due balances and severe derogatory marks. These negative entries are damaging my credit profile and misrepresenting my financial history. I have never opened a Barclays credit card, loan product, or any other financial account tied to Barclays Bank Delaware. I have never filled out an application with them, never signed a contract, never activated an account, and never carried any form of Barclays credit. The presence of this account on my credit file is the result of fraudulent activity conducted without my permission. 

When I first discovered this fraudulent Barclays Bank Delaware account on my credit report, I immediately disputed it with the credit bureaus. In each dispute, I clearly stated that I do not own the account and that it is the product of identity theft. I specifically requested a complete reinvestigation under the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ), including verification of how the account was opened and documentation showing my connection to the account. I asked the bureaus to provide any original applications, signed agreements, identification documents, or proof that I opened this Barclays account. None of the credit bureaus provided any such documentation. 

Instead of producing real validation or documentation, the credit bureaus responded with automated statements that the account had been verified, without showing me how it was verified or providing any evidence that the account is mine. Under FCRA 611 ( a ), I have the right to a reasonable reinvestigation, and the bureaus must provide a Method of Verification ( MOV ) explaining how the account was confirmed. They did not do this. They simply accepted Barclays Bank Delawares automated response without proof.

Because this Barclays Bank Delaware account is fraudulent and the bureaus failed to properly investigate it, I took further action and filed an FTC Identity Theft Report. This report formally documents that the account is unauthorized, fraudulent, and not connected to me. Once an FTC Identity Theft Report is filed, the credit bureaus are obligated under FCRA 605B to block fraudulent information unless the furnisher ( Barclays Bank Delaware ) provides certified documentation showing the account is legitimate. Barclays has not provided any such documentation. No original credit application, no signed contract, no identity verification record, no proof of account opening, and no microfiche or archived documents linking me to the account. Nothing exists because I did not open the account.

Despite my filing of the FTC Identity Theft Report, the fraudulent Barclays account continues to appear on my credit file. This has caused significant harm to my credit score and has impeded my ability to obtain credit or financial services. The derogatory charge-off remark and past-due balance falsely portray me as someone who defaulted on a major financial obligation, which is completely untrue. The continued reporting of this fraudulent Barclays account is both inaccurate and harmful.

I have made every effort required of me under the law. I disputed the account with all three major credit bureaus. I requested verification. I asked for documentation. I filed the FTC Identity Theft Report. I notified the bureaus that the account was fraudulent. I provided the bureaus with all required information supporting my identity theft claim. Barclays Bank Delaware, however, has not provided any documents proving the account belongs to me, and the credit bureaus have not removed the account despite the lack of evidence and the identity theft filing. 

Barclays Bank Delaware has not demonstrated that they followed proper identity verification procedures when the account was opened. They have not shown any application data, identity matching checks, address verification, phone verification, or fraud-prevention safeguards that were used to verify the applicants identity. Because this account is fraudulent, it is clear that Barclays failed to properly verify the identity of whoever applied for the account. The company can not produce documentation that does not exist, and therefore they can not prove the account belongs to me.

Under FCRA 602A and 607 ( b ), furnishers must ensure maximum possible accuracy in reporting consumer data. Reporting a fraudulent account especially one that has been associated with an FTC Identity Theft Report is a violation of this federal requirement. Additionally, under FCRA 623 ( a ) ( 3 ), Barclays Bank Delaware was required to report the account as disputed by the consumer once notified. If the furnisher or bureaus failed to apply this dispute notation, that constitutes an additional violation.

The ongoing reporting of this fraudulent Barclays account also violates FCRA 605B, which gives me the right as an identity theft victim to have fraudulent accounts blocked from my file. When I filed the FTC Identity Theft Report, the account should have been blocked unless Barclays provided proof. Barclays has not provided any proof, yet the account is still being reported. This is not compliant with federal law.

Barclays Bank Delawares failure to provide documentation, combined with the bureaus failure to remove the account, has forced me to continue disputing an account that I do not own. This process has required significant time, effort, and emotional energy. I should not be forced to continually dispute a fraudulent account that has already been reported as identity theft. The harmful impact of this fraudulent Barclays account affects multiple areas of my financial life, including loan applications, credit opportunities, and interest rates.

Because this account is fraudulent and unverifiable, the only fair and lawful resolution is its full removal. Barclays can not provide proof of ownership because I am not the owner of the account. Therefore, I am asking the CFPB to require Barclays Bank Delaware and the credit bureaus to : Remove and permanently delete the fraudulent Barclays Bank Delaware account from my credit file.

Remove all negative reporting associated with the fraudulent account, including late payments, past-due balances, charge-off status, and any derogatory notations.

Remove any hard inquiries made by Barclays or affiliates connected to the fraudulent application.

Block and suppress the account under FCRA 605B as required after filing an FTC Identity Theft Report.

Ensure the account is not reinserted into my credit file unless Barclays provides original, certified documentation proving ownership which they can not do.

Confirm that all collection activity connected to this fraudulent account is permanently stopped.

Provide written confirmation from both Barclays and the credit bureaus that the account has been removed and suppressed.

Correct internal verification procedures, ensuring identity theft victims are not harmed due to inaccurate reporting or improper verification practices.

Barclays must also ensure that this fraudulent account is not sold, transferred, or assigned to any debt buyer or collection agency in the future. Fraudulent accounts should not be circulated to third parties as collectible debts. Such actions would cause further harm and perpetuate the problem.

Because this Barclays Bank Delaware account does not belong to me and because no documentation exists proving ownership, it should never have been reported on my credit file. Now that I have filed an FTC Identity Theft Report, the responsibility for proving account legitimacy falls entirely on Barclays. Their inability to produce evidence means the account must be deleted.

Everything I have written in this statement is truthful and accurate. I am a victim of identity theft. I do not own the Barclays Bank Delaware account. I never opened it, never authorized it, and never used it. I am requesting full assistance from the CFPB to ensure the fraudulent account is removed permanently and that my credit report reflects accurate information that belongs to me not fraudulent accounts created by someone else.

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