Consumer complaint received 2026-03-18 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Getting a credit card — Card opened without my consent or knowledge
Company: BARCLAYS BANK DELAWARE
State: TN

Complaint narrative:
My spouse and I are filing this complaint against XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX and Barclays Bank Delaware regarding the unauthorized opening of a revolving line of credit in connection with a timeshare purchase made on XX/XX/XXXX, at the XXXX XXXX sales location in XXXX. During the sales presentation, we were asked to provide our personal financial information, including our Social Security numbers, for what we were explicitly and unambiguously told was a credit inquiry to determine our eligibility for timeshare financing. We consented only to a credit inquiry. At no point during the presentation were we informed that our personal information would be used to open a new revolving line of credit in the form of a XXXX XXXX credit card through Barclays Bank Delaware. We did not provide verbal or written authorization for the opening of this specific financial product. Without our informed consent, a XXXX XXXX credit card was opened through Barclays Bank Delaware and immediately charged {$3600.00} as a down payment toward the timeshare purchase. We were in an exhausting four-to-six-hour high-pressure sales environment and were overwhelmed by the volume of documents presented to us for electronic signature on a tablet. The distinction between a credit inquiry and a credit card application was never clearly explained to us, and we were never given adequate opportunity to review the specific terms of the credit card application before it was processed. While we were still sitting with the sales team, I received an email notification indicating that a credit card had been opened. I immediately questioned the salesperson, asking, 'You just opened a credit card in my name? ' The salesperson denied having opened a card in my name. However, as we proceeded with the process, it was then disclosed that they had opened a card in my husbands name, and that they intended to use that card to pay the down payment.We immediately contacted Barclays to report the unauthorized nature of the application. Barclays conducted a thorough fraud investigation and issued a formal determination letter dated XX/XX/XXXX, explicitly stating : We have concluded that you are not responsible for the transaction ( s ) you identified as fraudulent. As a result, the provisional credit ( s ) previously issued, and any associated fees and finance charges, are now final. Barclays further instructed credit reporting agencies to remove all fraud-related information from our credit report. This constitutes a definitive, final determination by the issuing bank that the transaction was fraudulent and that we bear no financial responsibility for it. Despite this irrefutable, bank-verified finding of fraud, Travel + XXXX XXXX XXXX Consumer Affairs Manager, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX has repeatedly and knowingly misrepresented the status of this down payment in communications to the XXXX Attorney Generals Office, claiming that the down payment has been re-applied to our account and that the contract remains the same as originally agreed. This assertion is demonstrably false and constitutes a knowing misrepresentation of fact to a state regulatory agency. Furthermore, the unauthorized opening of this credit account has significant legal implications for the validity of the entire timeshare purchase agreement. Our Retail Installment Contract, Paragraph 17.A, explicitly requires the payment of a down payment in immediately available funds as a condition for the completion of the sale. Since the only purported down payment was deemed fraudulent by the issuing bank and was never legitimately received by XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX from an authorized source, this constitutes a complete failure of consideration, rendering the contract void ab initio ( void from the beginning ) or, at minimum, legally voidable at our election. The unauthorized credit application also appears to violate the following federal consumer protection laws and regulations : The Truth in Lending Act ( TILA ) requires clear and informed disclosure of credit terms before a consumer can be bound by a credit agreement. We were never clearly informed that we were applying for a credit card ; we were told we were submitting to a credit inquiry. This distinction is material and its absence constitutes a TILA violation. The Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ) strictly governs the permissible purposes for which a consumers credit information may be accessed and used. Using our personal financial information, provided for a credit inquiry, to open a new revolving line of credit without our explicit, informed consent constitutes an impermissible use of our credit information under the FCRA. The Equal Credit Opportunity Act ( ECOA ) and Regulation B require that creditors provide consumers with clear notice of credit actions taken. We were never provided with clear notice that a new credit account was being opened in our names as part of the timeshare purchase process. Additionally, the entire timeshare purchase was induced through material misrepresentations by sales representative XXXX XXXX, who repeatedly represented that we were purchasing a fractional real estate interest that would appreciate in value, could be sold for profit, and represented a sound financial investment. These representations directly contradict the written contract terms, which state the purchase is for personal use and enjoyment only. The combination of unauthorized credit application and fraudulent sales misrepresentations creates a pattern of deceptive practices that extends beyond our individual transactions. We have attempted to resolve this matter directly with XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX on multiple occasions, presenting the Barclays fraud determination letter as definitive proof. The company has consistently refused to acknowledge the finality of Barclays fraud finding and has continued to assert that we remain bound by the terms of a contract whose foundational financial transaction has been declared fraudulent by the issuing bank. We have also filed complaints with the Tennessee Attorney Generals Office ( File Number XXXX ) and the XXXX Attorney Generals Office, with XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX continuing to provide dismissive responses that fail to address the specific, verifiable evidence we have presented. We are requesting that the CFPB immediately investigate the following specific issues. First, the unauthorized opening of a Barclays credit card account in our names without our informed consent during a timeshare sales presentation. Second, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX 's systematic practice of using consumer personal financial information provided for credit inquiries to open new revolving lines of credit without explicit, informed consumer authorization. XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX 's continued attempts to enforce a contract whose foundational financial transaction has been confirmed as fraudulent by the issuing bank. Fourth, the broader pattern of deceptive sales practices employed by XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX at its Missouri sales locations and potentially across its nationwide operations. Our desired resolution is the immediate and unconditional cancellation of Contract Number XXXX and release from all future financial obligations, including loan payments, maintenance fees, and any other assessments associated with this purchase. We are not requesting a refund of amounts already paid. We are simply requesting release from a contract procured through unauthorized financial transactions, confirmed as fraudulent by an independent bank, and through material misrepresentations about the nature of the product being sold. Desired Resolution : Immediate cancellation of Contract Number XXXX and release from all associated financial obligations. Supporting Documentation : Barclays Investigations Department Letter dated XX/XX/XXXX. Complete correspondence with XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Consumer Affairs Manager, XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX Co XXXX XXXX Attorney Generals Office File Number XXXX correspondence. XXXX Attorney Generals Office correspondence.

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