Employer contacted when applying for Barclaycard?

SR1

does anyone know if when applying for a barclaycard they contact your employers to verify your details? I am hoping to balance transfer to one of their cards but work for my parents so would not want them to know

Tixy

No, they wouldn't. If they wanted to verify anything relating to your employment they would ask for copies of your payslips not contact your employer. (They are not that likely to ask for them mind, but it does happen occasionally).

SR1

thanks for the reply, can anyone else be sure?

surreysaver

Even if they did, they would require your consent first.

charlieboycat

I've had many CCs over the years but I don't recall that any of the application forms ever asked for the name of my employer. As Tixy says, if they want verificaton of your income they will ask for copies of your bank statements (although I've only seen that personally when requesting an increased credit limit).

Gromitt

If you run up a huge CC bill and refuse to pay it (or ignore it), they MAY then write to your employer. May.

Definitely not for the application part. If the address of your employer looks suspicious, they may ask for additional verification (such as payslips or P60).

But typically they don't bother even asking for the details, or make it optional. Opening a current account with the bank does usually ask for such details however.

Tixy

SR1 wrote: »

thanks for the reply, can anyone else be sure?

It would be a breach of the data protection act. Not something barclays would be messing around doing.

chattychappy

Not sure about all this consent/breach of DPA stuff (from the CC's point of view). It wouldn't be a breach if you agree to them contacting an employer/verifying data as part of the application process.

I can imagine many employers would refuse to entertain such enquiries without clear consent from staff.

About 10 years I was contacted by a CC in my capacity as an employer. Somebody phoned asking for the HR department and the call got transferred to me. They claimed to be Barclaycard (I think) and simply wanted to verify that a particular person was employed by me on a full time basis. I put them on hold and asked the staff member concerned. She said she had indeed just made an application and was happy for me to confirm her employment details. I answered the caller yes, and that was that.

I know this won't reassure the OP, but as I say, it was 10 years ago.

Debt-Free-Wannabee

No one has ever contacted my place of work when I have applied for any credit cards,even Barclaycard.
As another poster says they would ask you for wage slips,dont worry.

izools

I have had Barclaycard and RBS contact my employer in lieu of applications.

The Barclaycard application was for an Initial card over five years ago, they called the agency who found me the job (as that's the number I put on the app) after sending me the card - the agency told them I didn't work there so they blocked the card - I sent them my contract of employment - and they unblocked the card.

This scenario may go some way to explaining why there are frequent posters on here stating they were sent a Barclaycard and later had it rescinded - perhaps their employer declined to answer Barclaycard's question?

RBS just wanted to make sure they could reach me on the work number. The call was transferred to me and the lady at RBS advised I'd been approved.

So I guess it can happen...

chattychappy

izools wrote: »

So I guess it can happen...

I think that's the point. For a long time I put down my own Ltd company as my employer. They never called me and they wouldn't have known my connection with the company unless they did a search of the directors. (I didn't put "director" on the form.) But, as I said above, it did happen with respect of my staff.

I suppose it comes down to other data they have at hand and what is on your application.