Consumer complaint received 2026-03-04 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Fees or interest — Problem with fees
Company: BARCLAYS BANK DELAWARE
State: OR

Complaint narrative:
Formal Regulatory Complaint : Barclays Bank Delaware To : Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ( CFPB )/ Office of the Comptroller of the Currency ( OCC ) Date : XX/XX/year> Subject : Systemic UDAAP and FCRA Violations : Deceptive Advertising, Detrimental Reliance, Phantom Debt Reporting, and Predatory " Dark Patterns '' Targeting XXXX Consumers I am filing this formal regulatory complaint against Barclays Bank Delaware for systemic Unfair, Deceptive, or Abusive Acts or Practices ( UDAAP ) and blatant violations of the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ). The bank is utilizing deceptive " Obscurity by Design '' to intentionally confuse account terms, failing to honor binding verbal contracts, reporting known inaccurate data to credit bureaus, and actively weaponizing customer service scripts to harass and obstruct consumers with XXXX and mental health challenges. 1. Deceptive Advertising & " Obscurity by Design '' Barclays utilizes deceptive marketing tactics by prominently advertising a 0 % APR in high-visibility, " huge letters '' while intentionally obscuring the material limitations and real terms in microscopic or non-existent fine print. This lack of transparency is a deliberate attempt to mislead consumers. Under CFPB and FTC standards, disclosures must be " Clear and Conspicuous. '' Barclays " Obscurity by Design '' creates a non-linear and confusing digital environment where the consumer-facing interface directly contradicts verbal agreements made by the bank 's own agents, effectively impeding consumer choice and accountability. 2. Breach of Verbal Agreement, Detrimental Reliance & Financial Entrapment On multiple occasions, most recently on XX/XX/year>, Barclays representatives explicitly confirmed on recorded lines that my account is subject to a 0 % APR for 12 billing cycles. I explicitly asked this question to verify the terms, and the answer was an unambiguous " Yes. '' Based on this material misrepresentation, I engaged in Detrimental Reliance. I adjusted my entire household budget around this promise. I chose to use this specific card for purchases and deferred aggressive payments under the explicit belief that no interest would accrue. Had the bank provided accurate disclosures or told me " No, '' I would have proactively paid off the balance and avoided putting further charges on this card. Because Barclays failed to honor this verbal contract, my entire budget has been disrupted, and I am now facing unexpected debt and interest charges. Barclays deception has effectively " trapped '' me into a high-interest debt cycle I did not consent to. 3. Admission of Error through Conduct ( Interest Rate Reversals ) Barclays ' own internal accounting proves the validity of my claim and their breach of contract. The bank has repeatedly issued " Interest Rate Reversals '' in the exact amounts of the interest incorrectly charged ( e.g., a reversal of {$23.00} ). These are formal accounting corrections, not " Courtesy Credits. '' By reversing the exact amount of interest charged, Barclays is formally acknowledging a systemic billing error. If the interest were validly charged, a reversal would not be justified. However, they refuse to correct the root cause, forcing me into a predatory " refund-then-recharge '' cycle every month. XXXX. Credit Damage & `` Phantom Debt '' Reporting ( FCRA Violation ) Barclays has been unlawfully reporting " phantom debt '' specifically the interest charges that they have already admitted are incorrect via the aforementioned reversalsto the major credit bureaus. This inaccurate reporting has artificially inflated my balance-to-limit ratio ( credit utilization ), directly damaged my credit profile, and artificially lowered my total spending power. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ), reporting known inaccurate data is a severe violation of the requirement to utilize " reasonable procedures to assure maximum possible accuracy. '' 5. Weaponized Scripting & " Exhaustion by Design '' ( Abusive Practices ) To resolve these admitted errors, I have been subjected to a predatory tactic I define as Weaponized Scripting. Barclays representatives maintain a facade of extreme politeness while refusing to engage with the actual facts of the dispute, instead reading the exact same irrelevant scripts over and over again. This is a calculated " Dark Pattern '' intended to wear the consumer down and induce " exhaustion-based compliance. '' To be heard, I am forced to repeatedly interrupt representatives who are trained to ignore specific questions in favor of their script. For any consumer, this is infuriating ; for a consumer with mental health challenges or XXXX, this is a profoundly abusive practice. It creates a hostile environment specifically designed to make the individual " snap '' from cognitive fatigue or abandon their rights entirely. XXXX. Disregard for Accessibility Boundaries & Harassment Barclays ' complete disregard for consumer welfare is further evidenced by their direct violation of my explicit, documented communication boundaries. I provided a formal notice to Barclays that I was not to be contacted via telephone on Monday, XX/XX/year>. Barclays knowingly ignored this boundary and placed a call to me on that date regardless. This refusal to respect a " no-call '' request is a violation of my privacy, constitutes harassment, and demonstrates an abusive disregard for the accessibility needs and mental welfare of XXXX consumers. Formal Demand for Final Resolution & Restitution On XX/XX/year>, I negotiated specific resolution terms with a representative, which the bank has failed to fully implement. I demand immediate corrective action as follows : * Contractual Alignment & Rate Override : Immediately implement the permane nt, portfolio-level 0 % APR override for the agreed-upon 12-month cycle, updating all digital and physical disclosures to reflect this accurately. * Credit Correction ( FCRA ) : Immediately update all credit bureaus to remove the " ph antom debt, '' correcting my utilization ratio to reflect the accurate balance based on a true 0 % APR. * Financial Restitution : A full reversal of the XXXX ( {$24.00} ) and XXXX ( {$26.00} ) interest charges, totaling {$51.00} ( in addition to the previously reversed {$23.00} ). * Service Recovery & Goodwill : Immediate implementation of the negotiated {$250.00} Service Recovery Credit, plus an additional {$250.00} Goodwill Credit ( totaling {$500.00} in requested restitution ) to compensate for the significant administrative burden, credit damage, mental distress, and " pain and suffering '' caused by their systemic deception and Weaponized Scripting. * Cease and Desist / Accessibility Compliance : Permanently mark my account for " Written Communication Only, '' provide a formal written apology for the XX/XX/XXXX contact violation, and end the cycle of manual, scripted obstruction.

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