I submitted the request online through their website. It was a camping reservation fee I paid at a state park. It coded as "government services" or something like that. They didn't question me at all and sent me a message saying the miles would be redeemed.

My friend had issues calling in and talking to several different CSRs. It may be the type of transaction that is causing you to have trouble. His was related to Universal Studios tickets he had bought online through a website which he thought was a travel agent. Turns out the transaction was placed not through the travel agent's website but was routed through another website that coded as something other than what Barclays determines as "travel". So he had to eat the cost of the tickets and didn't end up using his miles.