Contributor ⭐

REPLACING OUR AARP CREDIT CARDS WITH BARCLAY BANK CARDS - SEE POSTSCRIPT WRITTEN 09/21/21 and 09-24

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Has anyone else been concerned about the closing of our current AARP credit cards and its effect on our credit scores? We've had our VISA for many years and have built a lot of history with them. Now AARP is going to CLOSE those accounts and replace them with a new one that won't have any history. Just closing the account will lower our scores significantly. We, for one, don't want to use the Barclay cards, which offer significantly less rewards, so the total amount of our credit will be reduced, another factor in the building of our credit scores.

What do you think?

POST- Postscript 09-21-21: To head off what I was sure would be a catastrophe, and after looking up references on Barclay, we created a new Chase CC account (on August 12th, received it on the 15th), set up our auto-pay bills, and set up the new account for auto-pay from our bank. We paid off the balance on the old AARP account by 09-08-21, and cashed in all our rewards. Then today, we activated the Barclay account (online) and immediately canceled it (by automated phone call). We're in the process of setting up a second Chase card to compensate for the first CC account lower credit limit. Guess we're lucky to have managed to get through to our Barclay account. Keep trying, folks, and don't hold back on your comments to both companies. They certainly could have done a better job of planning all this. Giving their customers a voice in the choice should have been STEP NUMBER ONE.

AND yet another POSTSCRIPT on 09-24: Today Barlcays was daring enough to send us a 'welcome' email with a reminder to activate our card, to which we replied,

"Thanks, but no thanks!

We didn't, and don't, want your card. We have already activated and immediately cancelled our Barclay cards.

For those poor folks who are, to this day, still trying to activate their card or just talk to a live person at your company, we extend our sympathy. Your company has made what should have been a direct and automated process so overly labor-intensive for so many seniors that you won't soon be forgotten or forgiven.

Shame on AARP for choosing you and shame on you for being so ill-prepared to handle the conversion.

Signed, 'notsoyoung'

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ErrolDickey

Contributor ⭐

Yup. It has been weeks. Many hours on hold. Many reps saying they would square it away. Still can't get online because in the conversion from Chase they picked up the wrong email address and the wrong cell number, yet I can't get anyone in Website Assistance even to take a call let alone just change the cell number to the correct one. Total fiasco. One of the worst conversions and support experiences I have ever encountered professionally. A written complaint on this was sent to some P.O. Box for Barclay and, of course, they never responded and there is no other way to get help or complain except to sit on hold for more hours. Today they even started declining all the regular autocharges to that card I always used due to "non-payment" when I can't get online to set back up the autopayments I have always had! Total Fiasco.

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ErrolDickey

Contributor ⭐

Furthermore, whoever was responsible for the conversion from Chase to Barclay should be held supremely accountable for such a shoddy, poorly executed mess! This includes senior management at Barclay as well as at AARP, plus the project manager(s) and technical and website management teams. After a career in IT project management I can say that if I had ever been involved in such a mess I would expect to be fired and never work in the field again. The fact is that they must not have had a test conversion or conversions with a small number of users in advance, to allow identification of any issues with the porting of all the data correctly from the Chase data system to the Barclay one. And then, not planning for hundreds (or thousands?) of users not able to get/use their cards because of such a shoddy conversion? Poor planning all around. Bush league to say the best for it.

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mlafayet

Contributor ⭐⭐

I had a career in IT also and I couldn't agree more.

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john258

Contributor ⭐⭐

I have had problems and posted on them in here. They have been worked out but new ones arrive every time I sign in to check my account. This evening they asked me challenge questions. Some of the questions I never gave them so they had no answer. One time they rejected my sign in, and gave me another set with a question I never gave them. This time they took my answer and I got in. Makes no sense.

It should be evident to all this program is a total mess and the mess is not going to end any time soon since the Bank just creates additional problems.

AARP should end the program now and find a new bank, then go back to putting members first not money for AARP. We still have heard nothing from AARP leadership on this mess. Why?

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suzy0916

Contributor ⭐⭐

You are so right about the sign in. I don't get any challenge questions, but I do have to jump through hoops to sign in every time since 9/20. Like 5 pages worth. First you log in with user name and password (this should be the end of it, you would think!) then next page you have to fill in the last 4 digits of your SS, your birthdate, your 16 digit card number, your security code, hit enter, then check the box for a method (text, phone, or email) to receive your secure pass code, then enter that. Then you are asked if you want to change your password, select NO. Then you have to enter your d**n password AGAIN. 5 separate pages! I have signed in over 20 times and it does this every time. I sent a message (because you can't get through on the phone). Here is an excerpt from Barclays: "We are terribly sorry for any frustration the website security features may be causing and we would be glad to provide further direction in regard to this matter. We can confirm that our system will randomly challenge you with security questions or a Securpass code. In addition, this will also occur if we don't recognize the device from which you are attempting to log in to your account. Our security measures are in place to protect our cardmembers but please know that we are continually striving to improve upon our security protocols and to make your online servicing experience easier. We do understand your concerns and once again apologize if we did not exceed your expectations in delivering quality services. We will certainly forward your remarks to the accurate department for review."

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mlafayet

Contributor ⭐⭐

The whole process is absolutely ridiculous.

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cwcd123

Contributor ⭐

Worst experience ever… no live person at Barclays .. tried multiple times never answer tried different times day and chat / never answer / cashed out rewards for membership 2 weeks ago - never posted to Aarp — unclear statements. Had balance and paid off / then another balance popped up / no one to help me / I paid it and canceled/ had to do that automated - wrong move Aarp/ my chase Aarp card I had no issues with / don’t get it !

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BobtheScott

Contributor ⭐⭐

After reading this I realize I am not alone..... we did not have the Chase Travel Rewards card, but we got the Barclays travel Rewards card... I, too, had lots of problems getting the card activated.... I was able to create Barclays account days before I was finally able to activate the card. And, I noticed that every time I logged into the account, the pages shown and the info on those pages was slightly different.

my main gripe is that even though documents from AARP showed that card accounts other users would receive a separate card with a unique number, we never received a card for the other user... Me! so about 6 days ago I logged on to the account and added myself as another user. Today I checked the Barclays account, and account still shows no other user on the account. I'm researching other cards and will be paying off and cancelling the Barclays card ASAP...

Added today 10/4/21... Anybody beside me think that the responses from AARP are robot generated? I've scanned thru many and they look like bots to me...

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AARPLakeisha

Contributor ⭐⭐

@BobtheScott

AARP Member Benefits Team here to help. We certainly understand your concern regarding the service provided by Barclays. We’d be happy to forward your concern to the Escalation team we work with at Barclays for their thorough review and investigation if you’d like. To do this, we will need more information. Please send me a private message in the AARP Online Community by clicking this link and entering my username, “AARPLakeisha” into the “Send to” box https://community.aarp.org/t5/notes/composepage. Please provide the following details in your message:

Your first & last name
AARP membership number (or home address)
Best contact phone number

We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate you informing us of your concern. We look forward to hearing from you soon!

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StevenF161707

Contributor ⭐

I was able to use the automated phone responses to find my account info... All ID info was accepted.

I am on hold now for close to 4 hours, trying to get:

1- No new card delivered.

2- Full Account number, as when trying to set up Online Access, there are security error.

Also- There is a secondary thread INRE: Interest rates. Mine was 12.49% (Other thread listed one of the posters interest at under 7%) at Chase... I haven't been able to contact anyone at Barclay, as I said, but there minimum appears to be 16.74%. That's a pretty significant increase, to say the least, and considerably higher than other comparable rewards cards. (see BofA).. Chase's rewards were more than adequate..

UPDATE 10/06/21...

Please note.. Initial mailing was done to a "previous address". Not sure why.

After a 6 hour or so wait I finally got connected to a Relationship Analyst, aside from the wait time, the Analyst was extremely helpful and knowledgeable....

Got the address issue straightened out, new card arrived today, old card was cancelled (although it still shows in my accounts?).

Got the information on the interest rates for existing balance and new purchases, same as Chase.

Thanks..

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PatriciaR647027

Contributor ⭐⭐

My card is finally activated. Yea! Called the president of Card services and they contacted security. They had the wrong birthdate on my account. Not sure if that was from AARP, Chase, or just an error in the system.

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ToddH320656

Contributor ⭐⭐

I think the majority of people who had activation issues were related to incorrect birthdates being transferred into the Barclays system. Such a poorly executed transition - by an organization that is supposed to advocate for seniors! What a disconnect. Follow the money on this one....

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MaribethK267090

Contributor ⭐

Barclay is offering a 100.00 bonus if you spend 500.00 in the first 90 days of opening your AARP credit card. The problem is, this is ONLY available for NON-AARP members. AARP members DO NOT get this bonus offer. We get nothing but problems from this card. Shame on AARP for forcing seniors to put up with all these problem issues and not helping us. Their apologies are useless, we want solutions.

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tiberious

Contributor ⭐

So after many many many hours on the phone my mother actually did receive a call back from a Barclay representative assuring her that her card was not closed. It was active and ready to go. She is still using my credit card for any auto pays because she has not been to a store to make an inexpensive purchase to see if the card works.

However I have tried to create an online profile/account for her today and yet again received the error message that they couldn't go through with the process to complete the profile.

I think that my current thoughts towards Barclay and AARP are not kind ones and best not verbalized LOL.

Can anyone offer some help to figure out why after 1 week still I cannot create an online account?

It is beyond exhausting and I just cannot wait to straighten this out so we can leave it all behind us and not renew our AARP membership.

AARP CUSTOMER SERVICE REP CAN YOU HELP?

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MachelleH205186

Contributor ⭐⭐

Was just wondering if we'll get a tax deduction for the 1% of every one of our purchases that gets "donated" to the AARP Foundation? Likely not. I'm currently looking for a credit card with better benefits and will change to it as soon as I've reviewed the options. I wish there was a way to opt out of contributing to the Foundation with every purchase I make, but it doesn't appear that's possible except for dropping the Barclay's Essential card, which I will do soon. BTW--great name, since this card appears to be VERY essential to AARP.

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vcwalker1951

Contributor ⭐

I'm with you!

My objections to this mess are too many to name. One week post changeover and I am on my 6th hour on hold trying to correct phone numbers that are 10 and 11 years old. Will be so glad to finish dealing with Barclays. All the AARP people say is that they will escalate the inquiry. When I send them the info they request, they send another e-mail form letter asking for the same information. AARP is on my sh^&*&^% list as well as Barclay. What idiot thought this was a good idea?

We intend to go to Chase this week and open an account. We reviewed all previous communications and saw NO opt out information regarding the transfer to Barclay. Once the errors on Barclay are corrected, let it rot.

BTW - I went through this with a major member card changeover a couple years ago. Smooth as glass, no errors, no issues, no problems. It CAN be done.

AARPAngelaC

Contributor ⭐⭐

Hi there, sorry to hear you are still having difficulties getting through to Barclays. I sent you a private message in the online community. Please review and reply when you have an opportunity so we can try to get things sorted out for you. Thanks!

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sesander

Contributor ⭐

I paid off my Chase AARP card on Aug 18 and closed the account a couple of days later. The person I talked with told me that I would not receive the Barclay card, which was why I was closing the Chase card. (to not get the Barclay card) And still in September, I received the Barclay card. I don't want to activate the Barclay card or create a Barclay account. I shredded the card after taking pictures of it. I am sure I'm going to continue receiving mail and emails asking me to activate this Barclay card. I should not have received this card. Who can I talk to to cancel whatever pre-setup account is waiting for me to log into?

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vhosko

Contributor ⭐

I did the same as you. Cancelled the AARP Visa and declined the new AARP Barclay card and still receiced it.

AARP please tell us how to cancel without activating this card we didnt want.

AARPAngelaC

Contributor ⭐⭐

Hi there, thank you for raising this concern. We apologize for any inconvenience and confusion. If you canceled your account prior to the conversion but still received an AARP Credit Card from Barclays, Barclays has confirmed you may destroy the card and disregard without contacting them. The Change in Terms notification sent out also informs members that they will still receive a card even if they opt-out, but to destroy it upon receipt as the account will not be active. I hope this helps!

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B18Benenson

Contributor ⭐

I activated my AARP Barclays card online with no problem, but I've tried about a dozen times to set up an online account and I keep getting the same message, "That wasn't supposed to happen. We apologize for the inconvenience, but we could not complete your request. Please try again." I'm so sorry I activated the card because I already used it once. I just want to cash in the Rewards points that will transfer from Chase and never use it again. By the way, I was very happy with Chase and never had any problems with them.

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MachelleH205186

Contributor ⭐⭐

Hope you have more than $25 in Rewards points to cash in. Anything less can't be used for anything with the Barclay's card.

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