Credit Card Programs - Barclays/Juniper CSRs Say New Policy To Limit Reward CCs

Let's start out by saying I hope this isn't actually happening, this is just our personal experience, so please post your experiences that may be different or if you have any contradictory information that may be useful.

Last week we (Mr & Mrs. Cheapskate...) both applied for Barclay's/Juniper Lufthansa Miles and More CCs. Both were rejected and the reason: "SUFFICIENT credit available through other Juniper CCs".

No problem, we thought, we would just reallocate CLs from other cards like we do with Chase, Citi, etc.

So we call customer service. First rep. has no idea, sends us to the application department. The applications person says that yes, we probably have too much credit (almost all currently unused too) and that we would have to talk to a CSR supervisor.

Transfered again, this person says that Juniper/Barclay's has a new policy limiting the number of rewards CCs a person can have and that if we wanted the M&M card, we would likely have to cancel an existing card and then reapply, that should open up the CL, but of course no guarantees.

We then say that they could just consolidate CLS from our Midwest Airlines CCs (both over 20k CL and have been switched to the no annual fee cards as at 1mile/$2 no way we are using them) and move those CLs onto the Miles & More. Supervisor says, no we could close the cards and reapply, but for specifics he would transfer us to an Applications Specialist Supervisor. (would I be snarky if I pointed out the acronym?)

Anyhoo, we gave the applications specialist the whole spiel, offer to cancel the YX cards, even reallocating CL from our USAirways cards if necessary. No dice. She claims the NEW Barclay's policy is one rewards card per person, and was surprised that we had 2.

Paraphrasing: "If you want a different card you close what you've already got, then after some (unspecified) wait time you can apply for the other "product" you want. No guarantee they will approve the new card and no guarantee they would reactivate your old canceled card."

We explained that we never CLOSE accounts if we have to as that could negatively effect our CR just when we would want to reapply for the other card...

A little more background: We each have 2 Juniper/Barclay cards. US Airways and Midwest Airlines. Both over 20k CLs. No late payments, high FICO scores, low utilization as a % of total credit, etc, (just checked both credit reports).

So, it seems that theirs is some kind of new policy, at least just what was stated to us. We would love to know other people's (recent) experiences, as this seems relatively new. Sincerely hope this isn't the real new policy, and I don't know what this effect would be on any of their business cards (US or YX).

Search for "Junami" on creditboards . Barclay's/Jupiter had a computer glitch a few months back where they were sending multiple cards with high limits to nearly everyone, and once they sorted out the fallout added new, restrictive policies in place. The SubPrime credit crunch probably didn't help things much, either.

I'm sure many issuers have limits on the number of cards they're willing to let you hold (Citi for instance--though it's sort of a soft limit with them depending on how much they like you). One does seem a bit low, but Barclays is a small fish in the CC market.

Barclays has been getting stricter with a lot of things in the past year. Lowering available credit limits is another. They are trying to tighten up and avoid risk. The unfortunate side is they are pushing some good customers away.

I applied for a Barclays Miles & More credit card in mid October. The online system did not approve my application and told me that I would receive a letter with more details. In late October, I received a letter via USPS, telling me that I will be receiving another letter requesting more information, in order to proceed with my application. 2007 is almost over, and I haven't received that second letter yet.

I don't have any credit cards with Barclays and my FICO score hovers around 800.

A friend of mine, with no job and a lower credit rating than mine, applied for the same card at about the same time and got approved immediately, with a high credit limit.

Barclays' credit card application system is the oddest and least efficient I have encountered so far.

Sounds like a violation of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act which requires a decision within 30 days (with a few exceptions). Reason is, banks used to (and maybe still do) discriminate against disfavored groups by taking a real long time to act on their credit applications--or never acting on them. Even if you are not in such a group you are still protected by this law.

Might want to think about dropping a letter to bank CEO (where's my credit card?) or filing a complaint with your state attorney general's consumer affairs office.

Sounds like a violation of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act which requires a decision within 30 days (with a few exceptions). Reason is, banks used to (and maybe still do) discriminate against disfavored groups by taking a real long time to act on their credit applications--or never acting on them. Even if you are not in such a group you are still protected by this law.

Might want to think about dropping a letter to bank CEO (where's my credit card?) or filing a complaint with your state attorney general's consumer affairs office.

Well, I have a different opinion from biggestbopper.

Barclay (or Juniper in other name) and cap one are just incompetent, and BofA as well to some less extent. If things don't go well, don't take it personally and move on and give up. You might want to send a quick online message to see if you get some quick resolution, but if not, just forget. There is no reason to be so tenacious about some credit cards that much. It's not a driving license or some other important government documents.

Some people, especially beginners in this game, get too serious when they fail to get some small miles or points that they were promised and keep calling and writing letters to get what they deserve. In the other context, some other people decline to pay, say, some small late fees or some unexpected finance charges on the ground that they shouldn't have been charged in the beginning, in the spirit of "justice."

I was also in this situation when I got a parking ticket of 15 dollars which was mistakenly given by the parking meter enforcement person. I sent an appeal letter and showed up at the place and got it corrected, but I had better pay 15 dollars and forget. The reason I got emotional about this was that I thought I was taken advantage of, and to some less extent if I don't fight against this, I would be a coward and a loser.

But there is nothing like justice, fairness, being a loser or the like in this game, and the stake is too low to pay much attention to. These kinds of irregularities happen all the time, and they are not targeted to people like you, they happen to everyone. There is no discrimination or ill-intention.

When you get denied credit cards or miles or points, do something very quick that takes less than 5 minutes such a s sending a quick note or a quick inquiry calling, but if it doesn't lead you anywhere, just forget and try again next time. (that is, apply for the same credit card 3 months later again instead of calling in and requesting an answer for the denial.)

Maybe that attitude is more valuable lesson that I learned than the actual miles or points or money in this game. Some problems are never fixed, but it's ok because they are not usually targeted on me, but random occurrencies usually due to the incompetencies of the small companies and are not worthy of my time or waste of my emotion.

I applied for a Barclays Miles & More credit card in mid October. The online system did not approve my application and told me that I would receive a letter with more details. In late October, I received a letter via USPS, telling me that I will be receiving another letter requesting more information, in order to proceed with my application. 2007 is almost over, and I haven't received that second letter yet.

I don't have any credit cards with Barclays and my FICO score hovers around 800.

A friend of mine, with no job and a lower credit rating than mine, applied for the same card at about the same time and got approved immediately, with a high credit limit.

Barclays' credit card application system is the oddest and least efficient I have encountered so far.

Unfortunately it's not only their credit card application system. Had to call them and finally talked to a manager .... they really don't know what they are talking and doing. He refused to give a CC to Mrs. USAFAN ... the same day a CC was in the mail!?!

I would just apply again! Good luck!

I also was turned down when I applied for a National Parks Foundation/Barclay card. The reason stated was that I already had sufficient credit with Barclays. So I cancelled my only Barclays card (US Air - I was planning to cancel anyway before the annual fee hit) and the next day I applied by phone for the NPF card. Got an instant approval - but a credit line of only $700! My credit line on the US Air card was $12,500. I asked for a higher line but the rep said there was nothing she could do, and that I could ask for a higher limit when I get the card in the mail.

I received a letter similar to the OPs when I applied for a Midwest CC while holding a Frontier CC.

I promptly canceled my Frontier CC (which I was planning to do soon anyway), but have not re-applied for the Midwest CC. My motivation to apply has waned since the devaluation of the Midwest/AGR/Choice/SWA transfer...