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Sarah H

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Review of the Barclays, Premier current account:

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Barclays Premier Banking: A Cautionary Tale of Custo...

Barclays Premier Banking: A Cautionary Tale of Customer Disservice After less than two months with Barclays Premier Banking, I find myself compelled to warn others about my deeply frustrating experience. What promised to be premium banking has instead been an endless cycle of security hurdles, blocked transactions, and customer service failures. Excessive Security: From Protection to Persecution The level of security to make payments is not just thorough—it's excessive to the point of absurdity. Despite having an account open for less than two months, I've had online payments, Apple Pay transactions, contactless purchases, and direct debit mandates all flagged as "fraudulent." These false flags have resulted in over four hours spent on the phone trying to resolve numerous blocked transactions. Security Theater at Its Worst The verification process defies logic. Even after successfully passing multiple security checks including: Account information verification Debit card details Text message verification to my registered phone Barclays app verification Security questions (date of birth, mother's maiden name, place of birth) This extensive verification still wasn't enough! To clear legitimate payments, I was required to explain "WHAT" each payment was for, with transactions remaining blocked until I provided "satisfactory reasons" for my own spending. This invasive questioning goes far beyond reasonable security measures and enters the realm of intrusion. "Computer Says No" Culture When I attempted to register a formal complaint, I was dismissively told that "they could not raise a complaint due to the system processes being correct." Apparently, if their system says it's working as designed, then customer distress is irrelevant. They offered to "log feedback" instead—a transparent attempt to deflect legitimate grievances. This is classic "Computer Says No" behavior that prioritises rigid adherence to systems over actual customer experience. Barclays has clearly crossed the line between protecting customers' money and providing acceptable customer service. Creating Distress on Both Sides The system isn't just causing deep distress to customers; I suspect it's equally challenging for employees on the frontline dealing with increasingly irate clients. No one benefits from this broken approach. I'm certain someone in Barclays' marketing department will respond with platitudes about their "thousands of satisfied customers." Well, this customer will be closing her current account and moving her mortgage to another provider. While Barclays might not be bothered by losing one customer, I hope this review helps warn potential customers to think twice before opening an account with them. The bank that claims to be built around you has instead built walls to keep you from your own money. Reviewed on: 7th May 2025

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