Barclaycard Platinum Travel Card

beefturnmail

I applied at this link: https://www.barclaycard.co.uk/personal/credit-cards?ref=home-mainnav and did not use any pre-eligiblility tool - there isn't one for the Barclaycard (as at today) on the MSE site and I did not use Barclaycard's.

I had been considering both this and the Halifax Clarity card for a couple of weeks, and was declined for the Halifax card (which I'm also miffed about!), so applied for the Barclaycard one without going back to MSE.

I remember noting at the time I made the app, that it was a bit confusing with all the different platinum cards and was careful to select the travel one - to select the wrong one is not the sort of mistake I usually make, but I could just about accept that I might have clicked on the one above\below in error, but (I think) I have been given the 26 month balance transfer one which is about the fifth down which you have to scroll down to. (OP - which one did you get?)

Plus when you go into the app for this card (I just tried again) there is a lot of talk of balance transfers etc, which I would have double checked as I'm not making a balance transfer. (I also made the app at 3pm on a desktop PC and had not been drinking....)

I will be writing to head office to complain as well (I'm awaiting a call-back from supposedly the 'highest complaint level' but I'm dubious as I was told that the last time I asked for my complaint to be escalated and just got the same goon (or his mate) in India the next day.

Added to my complaint will be that they haven't actually confirmed the interest rate\fees etc to me (aren't they supposed to in writing when they send you the card?). I can't see in their online banking either - it just says 'check your latest statement' which I obviously don't have. I'm only guessing that I have the 'no fee 26 month BT card', by going into 'my offers' in the account - and this is what is listed (i.e. 0% on BT for 26 months, and 'you don't have any purchase offers').

Luckily I checked this all out before actually using the card and getting stung.

Percyqted

Mine offered free interest on foreign transactions but NOT free foreign Exchange Charges (I was being charge 2.99% on all foreign spending) You only find this out after you use it as until you get a statement you cannot see your charges and interest rates.

beefturnmail

An update - a call back from Barclaycard again today, this time from someone in the UK. They were still not able to resolve, but the agent was a bit more helpful by asking when I was next travelling and offering to waive any foreign spending fees for this period (but someway short of fee free until 2022 like the card I applied for!). I pressed for further escalation and it has now been transferred to (their words) 'a department which looks into it then issues a final response within 56 days after which I can go to the ombudsman' - so I think it has at least gone to the highest complaints department, and no need for me to write in

beefturnmail

Another update. Another call-back again on Saturday from an agent who basically said the same as the agent on Friday (despite the agent on Friday assuring me that it would be escalated). I asked for it to be escalated again. Then yesterday I received a letter that this had been done and I would receive a response by 2 April. Too late for my first trip abroad, so my wife has successfully applied for the Halifax Clarity Card. Going to persist with the complaint to Barclaycard though

OceanSound

Percyqted wrote: »

Mine offered free interest on foreign transactions but NOT free foreign Exchange Charges (I was being charge 2.99% on all foreign spending) You only find this out after you use it as until you get a statement you cannot see your charges and interest rates]

Maybe Barclaycard has changed this. Now you can login to website, then on the 'summary' page under 'recent transactions', click 'view more transactions' (yes!, even if your transaction is new), this takes you to a different interface. On there you can see the transaction fee and the transaction amount (both in Foreign currency and Pounds). But no exchange rate. To calculate that we have to subtract transaction fee from transaction amount (shown in pounds). Then divide transaction amount (in pounds) from transaction amount (foreign currency)...Phew!! (that was a mouthful)

I believe CapitalOne don't display the transaction fee in recent transactions. Customer only becomes aware when a statement is produced.