One card with GE Money at Bhs became two cards with Barclaycard

T_Anne

I took out a British Home Stores Credit Card which was with GE Money. Bhs then changed to Barclaycard. How could they open another card without my knowledge. I was told no action needed to be taken when the changeover occurred as everything  would be transferred over. 

I have discovered that the card they sent me was not the same account but a new one. They only change was the last four digits. Now I have two accounts and one card, but two balances. What should I do? 

D3xt3r5L4b

Contact Barclaycard?

bradders1983

Are you disputing the balances?

T_Anne

No I’m not disputing the balance, just the fact I had two balances instead of one and two cards instead of one. The first card was replaced when the changeover took place. So I did have a balance, but that was 9 yrs ago.

D3xt3r5L4b

T_Anne said:

No I’m not disputing the balance, just the fact I had two balances instead of one and two cards instead of one. The first card was replaced when the changeover took place. So I did have a balance, but that was 9 yrs ago.

So you are disputing the balance then?

Can you break down step by step what happened exactly? A timeline of events might help. 

bradders1983

T_Anne said:

No I’m not disputing the balance, just the fact I had two balances instead of one and two cards instead of one. The first card was replaced when the changeover took place. So I did have a balance, but that was 9 yrs ago.

Ok, well just pay one off, cut that card up and use the other. 

cymruchris

You have a balance on an account still from 9 years ago?

Marchitiello

T_Anne said:

I took out a British Home Stores Credit Card which was with GE Money. Bhs then changed to Barclaycard. How could they open another card without my knowledge. I was told no action needed to be taken when the changeover occurred as everything  would be transferred over. 

I have discovered that the card they sent me was not the same account but a new one. They only change was the last four digits. Now I have two accounts and one card, but two balances. What should I do? 

I think you need to report properly the sequence of events. GE money used to run many store cards. It was then acquired by Santander that at some point lost the contract with many stores. I had a debenham account only opened to get discount in store on the one day and paid in full. Never used again. Not too long after this, Debenham changed store card provider and my account became a simple Santander card. So the card and name changed, the account itself and balance carried over. This should be the norm, because whilst the account may be branded “BHS”, “Debenhams” or whatever, it is actually run and operated by a Financial Institution with whom the customer has made a credit agreement. What you have described However sound more like BHS changed provider,  and “automatically” Opened an account with the new provider whilst was up to you to settle the debt and closed the account with the old provider. The question is “did they actually automatically open an account for you” (... they could not as you had to sign a credit agreement with a different financial institution)? Having done a quick google search it looks like people were applying for those Co-branded BHS/Barclaycard card in store in BHS but was not immediately clear that it was actually wholly managed by Barclaycard and offering a special discount when buying goods in BHS...

T_Anne

I’ve I have been in touch with Barclaycard and they will only tell me what I already know. So now I’ve raised a complaint and as I never signed an agreement for a second card and account I want them to investigate how or why this was done. Thanks so much for your advice, really appreciate it. 

SuperAllyB

I'm struggling to understand your complaint here. Even if you did end up with two balances, it's surely all money you'd spent and added up to what would have been a single balance had the card not been changed?

Also, I'm struggling to find any old enough paperwork to check, but I recall any time something similar happened that a letter would have been sent giving the option to opt out of the new card and simply pay off and close the old one.

D3xt3r5L4b

T_Anne said:

I’ve I have been in touch with Barclaycard and they will only tell me what I already know. So now I’ve raised a complaint and as I never signed an agreement for a second card and account I want them to investigate how or why this was done. Thanks so much for your advice, really appreciate it. 

Any chance of explaining things a bit better?