Debit card blocked repeatedly with Barclays

sebtomato

Hi,

I have been having some issues with Barclays for the last year and a half, and would be interested to know if other people had similar issues.

When I make payments with my visa debit card (typically online), it seems to trigger they over-sensitive fraud system, which blocks my card (not just the payment, but the card completely). They don't always notify me that the card has been blocked (or they leave a message on my home line), and in the last incident, the call centre claimed the card wasn't blocked when it was.

It has happened to me 4 or 5 times recently, and none of the transactions were related to fraud (I actually never had fraudulent activity on my bank account for the 9 years I have been with Barclays, and the account is never overdrawn).

The last incident was triggered by a purchase on Tesco direct (I think a reputable retailer!). I placed an order online, payment was rejected by Barclays on the ground of "possible" fraudulent activity and the card blocked. Items then went out of stock, so I can't buy what I wanted again, even with a different card.

Another time, I was making payment at my gym, and the sale assistant had to be on hold on the phone with Barclays for 5 minutes to confirm the payment, as the payment had been rejected.

I have sent several letters to Barclays several times, and their answers have always been that they reserve the right to block any payments any time. They have asked me to confirm:

• ADSL payment (taken each month from my account!)
• Purchase of cinema tickets online from Odeon (while they used the "verified by visa" scheme!)
• etc

I am interested to know if I am an isolated case, or if people had similar experiences. Needless to day, I have requested some compensation from them, and I am ready to move to another bank that can provide something as simple as a reliable Visa debit card. Clearly, they are protecting themselves as the expense of their client.

HopeAndDriftWood

I've got this too, and its a nightmare. It's really embarrassing knowing that I have money, and then it being declined.

I use the same train station three or four times a week, and it's blocked every single time. Sainsburys also seems to block it.

Barclays aren't at all interested, and say its in the interests of keeping my account safe. Although when I phoned yesterday, they claimed there had been fraudulent activity and told me to get to a branch asap with ID....when I got there, the woman said nothing had happened and my account was fine. Grrrrrr...

dancingdoll

Please save yourself the hassle and switch to another bank provider. Especially with the Verified from Visa system you should not be getting rejections.

When you switch you'll have the pleasure of writing to them explaining why you want your account closed.

I'm with A&L and never have any of those problems. I also got £50 when I switched from Barclays. I'm sure similar deals are around for A&L and other banks.

sebtomato

dancingdoll wrote: »

I also got £50 when I switched from Barclays. I'm sure similar deals are around for A&L and other banks.

I suspect they won't be able to resolve the issue, as they couldn't stop it from happening previously, so I am going to have to switch, since my minimum requirement for a bank is to provide access to my money through reliable means of payment (quite basic, really!).

However, I am planning to get compensations first for the trouble created so far, and the trouble to change to another bank, and I will go to the regulator if they don't agree, since what they have been doing is blocking access to my money without justification many times. The last purchase I missed because of them blocking the payment already means a loss of £150 (as it was a discounted item, now out of stock)...

jamespir

ive had the same problem on several occasions im all for anti fraud measures bu this si ridiculous

Eydon

I have to say, I've been with Barclays for over 20 years and in all that time I've never had a single transaction referred or declined.

Are your face-to-face transactions being referred as well, or is it just online transactions?

Also, you might want to consider using a credit card online instead of a debit card - you get the benefits of Section 75 protection which you don't get with a debit card.

sebtomato

Eydon wrote: »

Are your face-to-face transactions being referred as well, or is it just online transactions?

Also, you might want to consider using a credit card online instead of a debit card - you get the benefits of Section 75 protection which you don't get with a debit card.

Most transactions blocking the cards are done online, but then the card is permanently blocked, even if the PIN is used in a shop for instance, which does not make sense.

Barclays told me to get a Barclaycard Credit card for better protection, as there is not protection from a debit card, but this is incorrect: with a Baclays Connect Visa debit card, there is some protection from the Visa scheme. You can trigger the same chargebacks etc

JoseChungsDoomsday

interesting thread, I was about to move to barclays and now I'm having second thoughts

elfen

I had it blocked when doing a lot of shopping online; I spent about £200 on Xmas presents in about an hour. It got blocked, they phoned, told them I was Xmas shopping, they removed the block and not had a problem since (could name every single one of the seven transactions I made and approximate amounts)

sebtomato

elfen wrote: »

I had it blocked when doing a lot of shopping online; I spent about £200 on Xmas presents in about an hour. It got blocked, they phoned, told them I was Xmas shopping, they removed the block and not had a problem since (could name every single one of the seven transactions I made and approximate amounts)

In my case, sometimes I would spend £500 online without issues, and suddenly a payment of £10 to a reputable retailer would block the card, so no real logic to it. I have told them many times to at least call me on my mobile, or send me a text message when they block the card (and they do have the details), but they carry on leaving messages on my land line. Very convenient if you are away from home or abroad...

Last time, I left home for work at 08:00am. Suspected the card had been blocked, so called CS at 09:00am from work, being told there was no issues. Tried to buy items from shops and service station during the day, all declined. Came back home in the evening, to find an automated message on my answering machine, left at 08:30am, telling me that I needed to call the fraud department (but absolutely no mention of the card being blocked)...

The first 7 years with Barclays were trouble-free. Then they introduced their PINsentry device for online banking. They didn't send me the device in advance (despite the fact that I am a regular user of online banking). I tried to make an online transfer to a different account on a Sunday, but couldn't since the device was required. Called telephone banking (which I never used), and was asked for my telephone banking code/PIN, which I didn't have. Was told I couldn't proceed with the transfer without the code, to be sent to me by letter within 3 days (or I would be sent the device within a week), so had to go to a branch on the Monday (providing the same security answers as the ones provided to the telephone banking team). Clearly, a well-thought process!

Another time, I had a cheque for £17 debited from my saving account. I told them I didn't make the payment and it was an error, but they kept asking about whether I knew the person paid to. After 2 months arguing, went to my branch and asked for the branch manager. He asked me again whether I knew the person. I asked him to check on his system how many cheque books I had against my saving account. He said: "none, of course, it's a saving account! ...Oh, I see.". I thought: if it is that hard to fix an error I couldn't technically have made in the first place, lets hope I never get something like that on my current account.

LeeSouthEast

Another vote in the "it's never happened to me" corner. Been with Barclays since I was a kid, and 10 years with a proper current account.. not once been declined (even when hideously overdrawn!). Did have someone try to take £350 out in Dubai once. That got stopped.