Complaint Review: Barclays Bank

When I applied for the Barclaycard Rewards Mastercard my credit score was 653, which is considered fair credit. Applicants with fair-good credit can apply for this card and all things being equal, get it as the average minimum credit score required for the card is 591. The average credit score for those who are granted this card is 664. (creditkarma, 2014). 

Although, I already have two credit cards from another bank and existing student loans from a subsidiary of Barclays Bank, my application for the Rewards Mastercard was denied. Federal student loan application and data include race and gender since this is the way that the federal government monitors the number of minorities receiving federal student aid to attend college. Barclaycard also has access to these databases due to its relationship with the lender that offers student loans. However, when I brought this up to Daneen Tucker (some snot nose 20-something black chick who has no clue what racism and discrimination look like) in the executive office office of Barclays Bank, she denied that race had anything to do with the bank's decision to deny a mere $500 credit card limit. A typical guided response. Do not allow banks, especially credit card companies to fool you about credit discrimination; it is as alive and well as other forms of discrimination against African Americans particularly those who live in predominately black areas or low income zip codes. Mr. Jenkins, CEO of Barclays Bank makes more than $15 million dollars a year, and apparently gets off on the Jim Crow mentality. 

I have filed a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and spoke to an attorney last week who encouraged me to come into his office for an initial consultation. This is a very large, national law firm which specializes in discrimination in banking and finance. When I am finished with Barclays Bank, it will wish that it had just granted me the lousy $500 since the judgment from my civil suit against the bank will far exceed this amount. The executives at Barclays Bank are a racist bunch of greedy pigs who think that the consumer does not have the intelligence and/or resources to fight back.

By the way, I do not live in a poor black neighborhood, just the opposite. I am a middle-class professional who is working on a doctorate, but still am not immune to racial discrimination while living in my white-bread environment.