I can confirm my thoughts on Barlcays Bank

Another debacle with Barclays again today. I have been locked out of my 3rd party online account due to "Technical problems". I was asked various security questions and then came the blinder! Could you give me a recent DD on the account? No, I replied, I have third party access so no statements come to my house. I need to get online to see the transactions and then I can give you the DD. So just like before, we have the catch 22. You need the online info to get past security but you can't get online to see it. This would be funny if it wasn't taking up hours of my time. So that was about an hour wasted.

Anyway,  I gave in and went to the branch. I took everything bar the kitchen sink for identity Whilst there I asked if there was anything else they needed and was assured everything was OK and the online account would be active "tonight". No prizes for guessing what happened so I rang the help desk, went through the now well rehearsed responses whilst listening to their wretched music on hold (the trouble is that I am starting to hum it!). Forty five minutes later I get transferred back from India to the UK having "passed" security and then the girl said " I will get your account going now". Hurray I thought!. Then came the next blinder. "Can I have your mothers maiden name (well that's a really secure option isn't it?). I gave them the maiden name and guess what? "You will have to go to the branch because we can't verify it". Yes there are teethmarks in my desk and yes my hair is falling out.

How do they make such huge profits? It certainly can't be anything to do with the retail side. It's completely inept.

To be continued..... after my visit to the branch tomorrow.