B-argggggghhhhh-clycard Fraud help !!

london-x

Can someone offer some advice please.

I've been hit by CC fraud on my Barclaycard. The barstewards bought air con units; hair straighteners; designer baby clothes; flights (with Insurance !?!?) etc etc.

The police took all the information but tell me its a crime against the credit card company not me.

The Credit card company blocked access to my online account, cancelled my card and are sending out dispute forms.

Helpfully 3 days since I discovered the fraudsters had maxed out my card, I have a new card - (which I obviously can't use) The dispute forms have 'apparently' been posted, they want me to pay £3 per statement for me to look through them and identify any fraudulent transactions because they have blocked my online access I cannot do it online.

Everytime I try to call Barclaycard I get caught by the first call handler asking me to provide my bank account details because they aren't showing up on the system. I keep explaining they already have them and the reason they aren't showing is because they have blocked the online account.

I'm getting stressed, angry and am going around in circles.

To top it all off I remember seeing (before the online access was taken away) a £2 charge from T-mobile followed by a -£2 credit from T-mobile which has me concerned those thieving barstewards have either opened a mobile phone account using my card details as payment or more worrying they are using my IDENTITY.

I have to add that it hasnt helped that all communication goes out of the country. Dealing with Barclaycard personnel has been as difficult as trying to get Posh Spice to eat solid food. When I first found out my card was maxed out I was out. Bit embaressed and worried I called Barclaycard via my mobile phone:

• I was hung up on by one woman who was unable to tell the difference between £1280.76 and £128.76 after I'd asked her to list the all large transactions. When I made her repeat the numbers I realised it was one thousand not one hundred as she'd described. However when I said I needed to speak to her manager she told me one wasn't available and hung up.
• Another woman was very helpful but refused to tell me what transactions had made me reach my limit because they hadn’t been cleared. When I told her they might be fraud she said it was even more important that I not be told and wait 3 days for them to process.
• A third woman was helpful, told me what these transactions were but refused to put me through to the Fraud department until I’d seen my statement online.

Its been a farcical nightmare and it's not even over yet.

To add to my woes I'm off on holiday in 2 weeks and now cannot use my credit card as its unlikely the disputed amounts will be credited back in time and for obvious reasons I'm now REALLY reluctant to use my Debit card outside of my banks internal cash machine (bit difficult from France !!)

I feel like I'm being treated badly, I thought credit card companies have detailed help and advice. Not leaving you chasing customer service for advice and being told "Its on the form please wait for it to arrive"

Whatever happened to innocent till proven guilty ????

Zapp_from_Planet_Zogg

You have my condolences - this happend to me a fortnight ago.

I had a £4000 balance transfer wolloped into my account!

I can sympathise with how irritating it is trying to speak to these people - the Indian call centre folk just don't have a clue. (TBH the UK fraud team don't have much of an idea either!)

Call them up and straight away ask to be connected with the UK Fraud team. I did have a direct number to them, but I can't find it right now.

You will then need to tell them about it (after answering mindless questions about which petrol station you visited in May..etc..). DEMAND that they 'ringfence' the dodgy transactions immediately.

To be fair to them, I sent back the disclaimer forms last Friday and the balance transfer was removed from my account on Tuesday. If you sort it now, you should be back to normal by the time you go on holiday.

There is no way you should be made to pay £3 per statement copy - mention this to the fraud team. They will refund any charges to you. (This is another example of how useless and poorly trained the 'account managers' in the Indian call centre are!) I got statements for the last year the next morning after I requested them (2 days before my replacement card!)

Don't forget to check if your pin has changed before you go on holiday! Mine hadn't but then again, it wasn't my card that had been used, it was a balance transfer. You can check by shoving your card into a cash machine. If your old pin lets you in to 'withdraw cash' or 'change pin' then you are ok. I would advise you to change your pin number though.

gomer

Just for your information you can request to be transfered directly to a UK call centre when you call them - you don't have to keep going over and over it to an offshore call centre.

london-x

Zap/ Gomer,
Thanks for your responces.

I have asked to be put through to a UK call centre but was told there aren't any. Incredulously I asked them "what none at all in either England,Scotland or Wales?" they said no none. I know they aren't being truthful but when I asked to be put through to the complaints department guess what.... It too is in Mumbai.

I have spoken to the financial ombudsman who have given me a 0800 number for Barclays complaints. They've told me although Barclays consider Barclaycard a seperate company the people on this number will try to resolve/assist me.

Zapp_from_Planet_Zogg

Thats odd - I have never had any problem in them putting me through to a UK call centre. I just ask to be put through as soon as they answer the phone.

I think they have their managers in Mumbai and the first tier complaints team. The second line of customer care seems to be in the UK.

DestroyingAngel_2

I've said it before, and I'll continue saying it, and I'm sure some Forummers will be only too happy to pounce on me for saying it again ... you wouldn't have this much stress and hassle if you'd taken out Identity Protection. Let some other person do all the running around on your behalf to clear your name and credit report. But will anyone listen ... errr... NO?!!

HamiltonL

london-x wrote: »

Another woman was very helpful but refused to tell me what transactions had made me reach my limit because they hadn’t been cleared. When I told her they might be fraud she said it was even more important that I not be told and wait 3 days for them to process.

While I can't comment on Barclaycard's systems, that sounds like a ridiculous excuse. The agent must surely be able to check the Witholdings or Authorisations parts of the database for your account. That would tell her the full details of the transactions. Although I assume she was looking at witholdings, which would only tell the agent the amounts, not the transaction info. As I say that should be accessable though. I know we can see it at our organisation.

Llyllyll

I had a problem just last week with LoveFilm helping themselves to money from my account.

I phoned the Barclaycard Fraud line on 01604 254050 and they were extremely helpful. Might be worth a go...

london-x

I actually think I hate them... They're making me so mad.

I recieved a replacement card (which is worthless since the fraudsters maxed out my limit). Tried to register it online last night. When I did I found that the fraudulent transactions had been split by Barclaycard between the old card and the new. Delightfully when I notified them of the fraud on Sunday they decided my bill should be split right between when the fraud first occured on the 18th July and the 21st of July.

Well at least I can see the later stuff online now. I see that the fraudsters bought £200 worth of flowers over and above my limit.

Incidentally I do have fraud protection but because the situation is being "handled" at snails pace by barclaycard they claim there's nothing they can do for the moment. They are sending me a CIFAS form for me to complete. I believe they can't do anything more. I have to believe someone. Right now I feel totally defeated and abandoned.

On a side note I called barclaycard again last night and was told I cannot be put through to the UK. 90% of calls are routed to India and that I should retry calling the same number until I was one of the 10%.

HamiltonL

london-x wrote: »

I found that the fraudulent transactions had been split by Barclaycard between the old card and the new. Delightfully when I notified them of the fraud on Sunday they decided my bill should be split right between when the fraud first occured on the 18th July and the 21st of July.

Did the reissued card have the same card number or something?

london-x

HamiltonL wrote: »

Did the reissued card have the same card number or something?

No. Different number but Barclaycard being helpful have split the fraud across 2 cards.

I might add its day 5 since I discovered the fraud.

Still have not received the dispute forms. But I have recieved the statements I requested 2 days ago. And a replacement card which is at its limit thanks to the fraudsters.

Looks like I'll be using cash only on holiday which I know is risky but given this incident with my credit card I'm not willing to use my debit card abroad.

I honestly thought Credit Card fraud was easier on the victim i.e refund then ask questions....NOT with Barclaycard obviously having been with them for over 8 years never over my limit and on time with my payments means I'm fair game for them to abuse.