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

As much as I dislike change, I can easily accommodate change that is in my best interest. I particularly dislike change that appears to be to my disadvantage. I can’t say I completely understand the Barclay credit card yet but here is what I’ve discovered in the short time I’ve had the limited information provided by AARP:

1) Barclay is not a US company. It has a US presence but is headquartered in the UK.

2) It appears that much higher interest rates are likely.

3) An arbitration clause, a big difference from the AARP Chase Visa.

4) No extended warranty on eligible purchases. Barclay is one of a very few companies that has stripped this protection from their credit cards.

5) No more 3% reward on dining. I find that very disappointing.

6) Perhaps most disturbing is the information on the Barclay website does not match the information I received from AARP. Reference: https://cards.barclaycardus.com/banking/cards/aarp-essential-rewards-mastercard/

7) I cannot tell if Barclay is doing a hard credit check on AARP Chase Visa holders, something that will impact an AARP Cardholder’s credit report for 2 years.

😎 One Barclay website indicates only 12 months of statements are available online. I find that unacceptable. I can’t tell if Barclay provides a year end summary or how long it may be available. I find year end summaries helpful when preparing my tax returns. 

9) Enhanced rewards for many medical expenses is a positive.

10) Barclay apparently takes full advantage to share cardholder information with little opportunity to limit that ability.

11) I’m guessing the up to $1Million to Essential Connections is a good thing but have no way to compare that to funding from Chase.

12) It appears I will be unable to change my payment due date. 
13) AARP should have insisted on Barclay sending the Cardmember Agreement before the card arrives.

It appears to me AARP may have dropped the ball, perhaps unaware the Chase agreement was ending. Barclay is well known to provide company branded credit cards. Perhaps this was an easy out for AARP. I suggest this decision be reversed, I would be surprised if Chase wouldn’t extend the agreement temporarily, and a proper due diligence search for a replacement be conducted.

I suggest the AARP Board address this problem to its members and especially those of us who have come to appreciate this Chase Visa card. This was poorly handled. 

As I understand the letter AARP sent to all members on July 2, 2021, notifying us of the program in place to cancel our existing AARP/Chase credit cards to transition to a new AARP/Barclays credit card, the new Barclays Terms and Conditions Agreement will contain a binding arbitration clause, with no “opt out” option.

AARP has been a champion supporter of consumer rights in the past and particularly supportive of fighting against binding arbitration clauses in consumer credit card agreements.  This new program - moving members to Barclays - is contrary to that fight and support AARP has given members in the past.

So, I do not understand why the AARP Board of Directors, or management, has chosen to take this path and include a binding arbitration clause in the proposed new AARP Credit Card with Barclays.  I for one, will not be transitioning to it.  There are plenty of other credit card options out there which do not include a binding arbitration clause.

If management, or the BOD, have an explanation for members as to why it is now in support of binding arbitration in member financial agreements I’d love to hear it.

I encourage other members to look carefully at this and let AARP know your thoughts about it. 

@notsoyoung  Hi there, here to help clarify. Your existing Chase tradeline on your credit bureau report will be updated to reflect Barclays as the issuing bank. This will not appear as a new or secondary trade line, but will simply update the existing one. The history associated with your prior Chase trade line, including account open date and recent payment history, will still remain visible. The changing of the issuing bank will not impact your credit score, but your credit bureau report may take up to 60 days to update following the transfer. Regarding rewards, all existing Chase cash back reward points will be transferred to Barclays. The only difference is Barclays uses reward dollars instead of points as Chase does, making it easier for Cardmembers to understand the value of their rewards instead of having to calculate how much a Chase point is worth in dollars and cents. The Chase points will have the same value as Barclays rewards.

These specific questions, plus more are also addressed in the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) at the top right of the Barclays microsite for Chase Cardmembers at https://www.aarpcreditcard.com/barclays/

I hope this helps!

Totally agree. How to stop this transaction? Is there a  phone/ email contact ?

The process for credit card company changeover is very troubling.  I received our new cards from Barclay's today, but they can't be activated until 9/20.  Meanwhile, the instructions mailed with the cards say that any automatic payments billed to the old Chase card should be updated before 9/17.  This makes no sense to me.  How can auto payments be processed before a new card is activated?  It sounds like one of the security concerns AARP publishes warnings about.  I do have an autopayment that is scheduled for 9/17 under the old Chase card and will not change my account there to the new Barclay's card until after it is activated.  I am hoping that the vendor does not penalize me and simply gives me a warning about a late payment.  If they do charge a penalty, I will likely cancel my AARP card (and maybe also my AARP membership).  Any advice or assurance anyone can offer on this will be much appreciated.  I am very disappointed in AARP's handling of such a major issue in people's lives.

I received my new mastercard today. wanted to set up access to my account on the computer so on Sept. 20 when I activated it would be able to get in to my account on the computer right away.

The Barclay web site would not let me. Said they had no record of the account number I was taking off the card they issued me. They have given no working 800 number to call before 9/20. Called the number they gave and it was a repeat of what was in the written material. No way to talk to a real person. On Sept. 20 you will never be able to get through to  the phone and there is a good chance the computer system will crash since everyone will be trying to set up their account.

Right now to me this seems like stupid planing on Barclays planing. People should be able to set up access to their account ahead of time since they have a credit card and have been assigned a number. There should be an 800 number for people to use.

This seems to be the signal of one big problem on Sept. 20, and a lot of unhappy people (AARP members) trying to use their new credit card. Really poor planing for this change.

There is a special note at the bottom of the benefits about money going to the AARP foundation instead of the cardholder. This seems to bear out my previous comment about cardholder benefits being reduced to allow for this. The Bank seem to be saying to all this was not our idea.

I would suggest someone from AARP explain why we can not set up access to our account now, and were cardholder benefits reduced for money to the foundation.

AARP Member Benefits Team here to help. We certainly understand your concern regarding the service provided by Chase/Barclays credit card services. The contract has ended with Chase therefor we can no longer service those accounts which is why it is transitioning to Barclays. Barclays will be able to service the accounts starting 9/20.  We hope this information was helpful and thank you for being an AARP member.  Have a great day!

Read my post below then read this update on what is happening.

Tonight when I went to the Chase website to check my card and what was posted there was nothing. Everything had been removed. Called Chase to make sure my card was still good. Never could talk to a person but got the message the account was closed and transferred to Barclays Bank and call them. They gave me an 800 number which was the same as the number we got in the mail for help.

Called Barclays at that number. Could not talk to a person. They message said Monday morning they would take over, and ended the call. I could not confirm anything about my current card till Monday. If it good or not? I do not want to have problems trying to use it this weekend. Looks like I will since Chase has dumped it and Barclays will not pick up servicing as Chase said they would till Monday.

Called the AARP 800 help number. They new nothing and said they could create a report and someone would call me back in 3 days. Talked to a supv. who just stuck to that line. They read me all the info we have gotten and seemed to have little appreciation of what could be developing for the next 2days. I am sure there are a lot of members who have the credit card and could have problems and that is why I called the 800 number so they might head off the problem and get some answers now, and the people handling the change over might have been able to do something to fix the problem so members calling the bank could get the help they needed and deserved.

I just called chase and opened a new acct.same as the old one ,i bet aarp instituted the channge!

I've been on the phone for hours after the website did not have my information yet.  Cannot get in touch with Barclays at this point to activate my card.  So I'm without a credit card.  Is anyone else having issues activating?