Argh, Barclays!!

marc.faulkner

Having a bit of a Barclays nightmare at the moment.

About 8 weeks ago, Barlcays sent me a Pinsentry device, which I was able to use successfully with my existing Visa

Connect Debit card. Shortly after receiving this device, I moved house and informed Barclays of the new address. I

was able to continue using my card as normal.


About 3 weeks after moving, I presented my card to pay for petrol, and it was declined 3 times in a row. (And I knew

this wasn't due to lack of funds - as it was a couple of days after payday). Extremely red faced, I tried the cash

machine outside the petrol station - which advised me that my request had been refused! I had to speak to the

manager of the petrol station, who eventually agreed to take a cheque although he was not at all happy.


I called telephone banking, and was advised that my card had been "upgraded", and that a new card had been sent out

to me some 2 weeks earlier - to my old address!! I was furious, as this was over a week after I supplied Barclays

with my new address details. They placed an immediate block on the card at my old address and ordered a new one for

me to my new address.


I waited nearly 2 weeks for this to arrive, after which time I took time off work to visit my local branch and was

advised that no card had been ordered. They then ordered a new card for me, and assured me it would be with me

within a week. This card finally turned up yesterday - almost 3 weeks after being ordered in branch! I also received

a new pin number, which had not been requested.

I successfully used my card to pay for a purchase yesterday afternoon, and also to obtain a balance from an ATM, so

I assumed it was all okay. I then arrived in work this morning, and tried to log into my online banking. I entered

my membership number as usual and then the Pinsentry code, and was advised that my details were incorrect. It gave

me a number to call, which I called. I was then advised that a block had been placed on my NEW card, and was

transferred through to the fraud prevention team.

The lady in fraud prevention wanted me to answer some additional security questions, which I was happy to do. Her questions were as follows,

1) Which online gambling company did you use in September 2007? (How the hell am I supposed to remember, it could have been any?)

2)Which supermarket petrol station did you use in December 2007? (Again, how the hell can I be expected to remember this?)

3)How much did you spend in Tesco on January 14th 2008? (By this stage, I'm getting a bit miffed with these questions!)

AS I was unable to correctly answer these questions (I was able to guess, and I reckon I was fairly acurate) I was advised that they would have to terminate the call and that I need to take 3 pieces of ID into my local branch (one of which must be photographic) before they can remove the block from my card...

AAAARRRRGGGGHHHH!!!!