My credit card company thought I was dead

DownTownRoyBrown

A couple of weeks ago I noticed my online account of my credit card was not working, and a number was given to ring. When I had gone through security, the woman on the phone informed me that they had closed my account as they believed I was deceased. I informed her I was not. She apologised and re-opened the account for me, but could not explain how it could have happened. The following week I received a phone call from my elderly father, who had just opened a letter from the company addressed to the executor of my estate. Luckily he managed to contact me before I went on holiday for a week, and was very relieved.

This is obviously very unsettling, and the company have yet to ascertain how such a thing could have happened. They have sent my father £200 in compensation, which seems an extremely meager amount considering the stress caused. I have yet to lodge an official complaint, but what should I ask of them and expect?

[Deleted User]

I would wait to see what they uncover as to why it happened.

DownTownRoyBrown

Barclaycard failed to uncover anything as to how this happened. Today however, I received confirmation that they would be sending £1000 (£500 each to myself and my father), which is what I asked of them in the end in my letter of complaint. Who knows whether they would have gone higher (most information on the web suggested £250 was a good deal). This took two letters to the customer relations department over two months, specifying what I wanted and when, along with threats to go to the Financial Ombudsman if they failed to deal with it to my satisfaction. I thought they were completely ignoring me as this is the first time they responded, but obviously persistence pays off!

chattychappy

Frankly I don't think money is the solution. I would have accepted a token £50. I don't think you were justified in demanding so much, but from Barclaycard's point of view it was probably worth paying out rather than it dragging on through the FOS.

Anyway well done for getting what you wanted!

CRISPIANNE3

chattychappy wrote: »

Frankly I don't think money is the solution. I would have accepted a token £50. I don't think you were justified in demanding so much, but from Barclaycard's point of view it was probably worth paying out rather than it dragging on through the FOS.

Anyway well done for getting what you wanted!

We live in a compensation culture.

cos_2

Is your surname Hopkirk?