Barclays slashed my credit limit for non payment of unauthorized transactions

cheekykid

I got a letter from Barclays saying that because I haven't made any payments for a while my credit limit will go down from £100 to £4000 and if I don't clear my balance my account will be closed. I was shocked as I hadn't used my card for months. I rushed to log in online and I saw some contactless transactions for less than £10. I have disputed them however my limit is now gone. Any idea if Barclays would or could restore it later on given that what happened wasn't my fault?

eskbanker

You do have a responsibility to read statements though, so would have been expected to spot unauthorised transactions - it's perhaps understandable if you weren't actively using the card for a long time, but if that is the case, would it be a big issue to have a lower limit?  No harm in asking them to reconsider if you'd start using the card again though, but nobody on here can really give any indication of how they'd respond....

cheekykid

eskbanker said:

You do have a responsibility to read statements though, so would have been expected to spot unauthorised transactions - it's perhaps understandable if you weren't actively using the card for a long time, but if that is the case, would it be a big issue to have a lower limit?  No harm in asking them to reconsider if you'd start using the card again though, but nobody on here can really give any indication of how they'd respond....

I hadn't used my card so didn't bother loging in at all until I realized I don't have my card to begin with so then I called them.
Also not using it for a few months doesn't mean I would never use it. People don't always have the need for credit.

Perhaps someone here has been through the same experience hence my post. 

born_again

Accounts that are not being used have a higher risk of fraud. Which is nicely summarised by this tread, by them not being checked. Especially when paper statements are turned off.
One reason as well to have a DD in place & use once card every few months just to keep it active👍

Do you still have the card? If not when was it last seen?

Olinda99

they can't require you to ,'clear the balance' all they can require is the minimum payment and set it so that you cannot spend anything further.

the balance will then of course go down over time but you will be paying interest on the balance

SacredStephan

cheekykid said:

until I realized I don't have my card

Has the card been used by someone in your household?

Hoenir

cheekykid said:

I got a letter from Barclays saying that because I haven't made any payments for a while my credit limit will go down from £100 to £4000 and if I don't clear my balance my account will be closed. 

What's a "while" ?   As I'd be surprised if communications hadn't been sent earlier if no payments were being made. 

cheekykid

Hoenir said:

cheekykid said:

I got a letter from Barclays saying that because I haven't made any payments for a while my credit limit will go down from £100 to £4000 and if I don't clear my balance my account will be closed. 

What's a "while" ?   As I'd be surprised if communications hadn't been sent earlier if no payments were being made. 

3 months. Not communications, no txt messages other than a monthly email telling me you new statement is up. No missed payment alert of any kind. 

born_again said:

Accounts that are not being used have a higher risk of fraud. Which is nicely summarised by this tread, by them not being checked. Especially when paper statements are turned off.
One reason as well to have a DD in place & use once card every few months just to keep it active👍

Do you still have the card? If not when was it last seen?

No I don't have the card. Last seen was 3 months ago

Emmia

cheekykid said:

Hoenir said:

cheekykid said:

I got a letter from Barclays saying that because I haven't made any payments for a while my credit limit will go down from £100 to £4000 and if I don't clear my balance my account will be closed. 

What's a "while" ?   As I'd be surprised if communications hadn't been sent earlier if no payments were being made. 

3 months. Not communications, no txt messages other than a monthly email telling me you new statement is up. No missed payment alert of any kind. 

born_again said:

Accounts that are not being used have a higher risk of fraud. Which is nicely summarised by this tread, by them not being checked. Especially when paper statements are turned off.
One reason as well to have a DD in place & use once card every few months just to keep it active👍

Do you still have the card? If not when was it last seen?

No I don't have the card. Last seen was 3 months ago

Don't you have spending alerts turned on, on your phone etc. that would have alerted you to transactions as they were happening.

And you didn't look at the statements when notified...

Jami74

Hopefully reported as lost or stolen now? And frozen so no more transactions can be made on it without your knowledge? 

Personally, if I'd had a card go missing and then used by someone else, I would completely cancel/close that card and get a new one just in case someone still had the card details and might try to use it again.

born_again

cheekykid said:

Hoenir said:

cheekykid said:

I got a letter from Barclays saying that because I haven't made any payments for a while my credit limit will go down from £100 to £4000 and if I don't clear my balance my account will be closed. 

What's a "while" ?   As I'd be surprised if communications hadn't been sent earlier if no payments were being made. 

3 months. Not communications, no txt messages other than a monthly email telling me you new statement is up. No missed payment alert of any kind. 

born_again said:

Accounts that are not being used have a higher risk of fraud. Which is nicely summarised by this tread, by them not being checked. Especially when paper statements are turned off.
One reason as well to have a DD in place & use once card every few months just to keep it active👍

Do you still have the card? If not when was it last seen?

No I don't have the card. Last seen was 3 months ago

Are these transaction in local area?
Where was the card kept?
Are your details upto date with them?