Barclays merchant control not working

I played bingo on a gambling website at the weekend and I spent more than I thought. It’s actually the first time I’ve tried it and thought it’s too easy to spend money and a bit dangerous so I seen on my Barclays Bank app you can’t turn off payments to certain merchants including any gambling transactions.

I went into the controls and switched the toggle to “on” thinking it turns the block on but I just happened to look again tonight and just to confuse us all it’s states if you don’t want transactions turn the control to “off”. I switched it to on which meant it was previously off meaning no transactions should go through.

Has anyone else had issues with this? Should Barclays refund the money as the transactions should be blocked. (It’s not actually about a refund as I did spend the money it just shouldn’t have went through)

If this has happened to anyone else how did you resolve the issue

Comments

  • No why would they refund money you knowingly and willingly spent?
  • Ben8282
    Ben8282 Posts: 4,821
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    I have a friend who plays bingo online and am aware that in order to load the money it requires you to specifically make the deposit and enter your CVV number each time even for a stored card. So I can't really see how you could have spent more than you thought. It is your responsibility to spend responsibly and not Barclays responsibility to prevent you.
  • boo_star
    boo_star Posts: 3,202
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    d_rok69 wrote: »
    Should Barclays refund the money as the transactions should be blocked.

    No. You're an adult (I hope.)

    Take responsibility for your actions.
  • d_rok69 wrote: »
    I played bingo on a gambling website at the weekend and I spent more than I thought. It’s actually the first time I’ve tried it and thought it’s too easy to spend money and a bit dangerous so I seen on my Barclays Bank app you can’t turn off payments to certain merchants including any gambling transactions.

    I went into the controls and switched the toggle to “on” thinking it turns the block on but I just happened to look again tonight and just to confuse us all it’s states if you don’t want transactions turn the control to “off”. I switched it to on which meant it was previously off meaning no transactions should go through.

    Has anyone else had issues with this? Should Barclays refund the money as the transactions should be blocked. (It’s not actually about a refund as I did spend the money it just shouldn’t have went through)

    If this has happened to anyone else how did you resolve the issue

    And if Barclays had blocked them, you would no doubt be on here, posting how outraged you are that they blocked you from spending your own money!
  • born_again
    born_again Posts: 14,015
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    So it was OFF to stop gambling transactions and you turned it on to stop further transactions.

    So how did you manage to "Spend more than you thought" When it was already OFF?

    You will also have to remember if you set it to stop further payments the same day you make the transactions.
    They will still debit as they have already been authorised.

    It will only stop anything you try to make afterwards.
    Life in the slow lane
  • So in summary.

    You gambled money. Lost more than you can afford / wanted to spend. Want this money returned.

    Good luck with that one... Although it appears your luck is in short supply!
  • I know of one bank that has this feature - but when unfreezing it takes 48 hours to take effect - just in case you fall off the wagon and gives you time to think if you actually want to gamble more.
  • Ergates
    Ergates Posts: 2,108
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    d_rok69 wrote: »
    I played bingo on a gambling website at the weekend and I spent more than I thought. It’s actually the first time I’ve tried it and thought it’s too easy to spend money and a bit dangerous so I seen on my Barclays Bank app you can’t turn off payments to certain merchants including any gambling transactions.

    I went into the controls and switched the toggle to “on” thinking it turns the block on but I just happened to look again tonight and just to confuse us all it’s states if you don’t want transactions turn the control to “off”. I switched it to on which meant it was previously off meaning no transactions should go through.

    Has anyone else had issues with this? Should Barclays refund the money as the transactions should be blocked. (It’s not actually about a refund as I did spend the money it just shouldn’t have went through)

    If this has happened to anyone else how did you resolve the issue

    It wasn't set to OFF before you set it to ON, it was in it's starting state, which is to have no state (i.e. neither ON nor OFF). This will have the same effect as ON - as it won't block any merchants. Think of a toggle switch that can be set to on or off, but when you first take it out of the box the switch is actually sitting in the middle.

    Imagine how annoying it would be if your card had a default setting to block certain merchants, without you asking it to, that you had to go and fart around in their website to turn off.
  • boo_star
    boo_star Posts: 3,202
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    Ergates wrote: »
    It wasn't set to OFF before you set it to ON, it was in it's starting state, which is to have no state (i.e. neither ON nor OFF). This will have the same effect as ON - as it won't block any merchants. Think of a toggle switch that can be set to on or off, but when you first take it out of the box the switch is actually sitting in the middle.

    Imagine how annoying it would be if your card had a default setting to block certain merchants, without you asking it to, that you had to go and fart around in their website to turn off.

    Compensation, no doubt.

    £250 or I go to the FOS an it'll cost you £550?

    We used to call that blackmail. It's now "consumer rights" ;)
  • Flobberchops
    Flobberchops Posts: 1,279
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    The app very clearly says what each toggle state means. No need to guess.


    Will Barclays refund you money you chose to spend? Not a snowball's chance.
    : )
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