Consumer complaint received 2026-06-25 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Problem with a purchase shown on your statement — Credit card company isn't resolving a dispute about a purchase on your statement
Company: BARCLAYS BANK DELAWARE
State: AE

Complaint narrative:
My original complaint was XXXX SUBMITTED ON XX/XX/XXXX. Thank you for your email. However, I must respectfully disagree with your assessment of this case. There are multiple issues surrounding this transaction, and my primary reason for disputing the charge was the misleading presentation of the hotel price and the addition of service fees that were not clearly disclosed before the booking was processed. I work for the Department of Defense and have traveled to four locations throughout XXXX four to five times per year since XXXX. I am very familiar with the hotels I regularly stay in and their typical pricing. I would never have knowingly reserved a hotel room at a property where I have stayed multiple times over the past four years for {$810.00} for two nights when the normal cost is typically no more than {$350.00} USD equivalent. Additionally, having worked in the financial industry, I understand that fees which are not properly disclosed can be considered deceptive practices, failure to disclose material information, or hidden fee fraud. Such conduct may constitute a violation of consumer protection standards. Under XXXX XXXX consumer protection laws, businesses are generally required to disclose the total final price, including all mandatory fees, taxes, and charges, before a purchase is completed. That did not occur in this case. The final amount was not clearly presented until after the reservation was processed. As soon as I saw the final charge, I immediately attempted to cancel the reservation but was unable to do so. This raised further concerns. For the past three years, I have consistently selected refundable hotel reservations due to the nature of my work and travel requirements. However, I was later informed by a representative that the reservation was non-refundable because I had not purchased insurance, despite my understanding that I had selected a refundable booking option. After receiving no meaningful assistance from customer service representatives and being offered only a 10 % discountwhich was never appliedI requested to speak with a supervisor on two separate occasions. Neither request resulted in a callback or discussion with management. I then contacted the hotel directly because I suspected that an incorrect room type may have been booked. The hotel informed me that the reservation was for three guests and that no other rooms were available for that occupancy. I explained that I was traveling alone and that my reservation confirmation stated one adult. The hotel also informed me that they could not cancel the reservation because it had been made through a third-party booking service and that I would need to contact XXXX directly. When I contacted XXXX, I was told they could not locate the reservation without a booking confirmation number. I spent a considerable amount of time attempting to resolve and cancel this reservation, only to be passed between various parties without a resolution. I also encountered issues with the handling of my dispute through your credit card company. The dispute was initially processed under the wrong amount and for the wrong reason. During my first call, I informed the representative that I use an Italian phone number and that the phone number on file was no longer valid. I also clearly stated that I would not be staying at the hotel and had already made an alternative reservation for the same dates at a nearby property approximately 15 minutes away. That reservation, made through XXXX, was priced appropriately at less than {$350.00} USD equivalent which I can provide a receipt for. Your response states that services were rendered. That statement is incorrect. I did not stay at the hotel associated with the disputed charge, and both the hotel and your credit card company were informed of this fact. I also possess multiple receipts from previous stays at the same hotel demonstrating the typical room rates. Had the total price of XXXX ( {$810.00} ) been clearly disclosed before booking, I would never have completed the reservation. Furthermore, the services in question were never rendered, as I did not stay at the hotel and promptly notified both the hotel and the relevant parties that I would not be using the reservation. Holding me responsible for an undisclosed and disputed charge for services that were never received would be both unreasonable and inconsistent with basic consumer protection principles. Given these circumstances, I believe the dispute involves misleading pricing, inadequate fee disclosure, and significant barriers to cancellation and resolution. If Barclays considers these billing practices acceptable, it raises serious concerns regarding my ability to rely on the company to protect cardholders from deceptive business practices and billing disputes. I respectfully request that this matter be reviewed again, taking into account the facts outlined above and the documentation previously provided. I believe the charge should be reversed and that I should not be held responsible for payment of this amount. Sincerely, 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