Thanks very much for your reply Boo, but unless I'm misinterpreting it, the FOS link says "don't bother", and closing my account - whilst very tempting - will cause a lot of stress and no doubt more cock-ups in transferring to another bank, which let's face it is just as likely to mess things up as did Barclays? OK, I could perhaps sue them, but is there really no mechanism with which I can encourage them to act responsibly towards me in future?

My card was declined three times today. I received no call from Barclays at any stage, So, I called Barclays Premier to be told it was due to a fraudulent attempt to access my account. It wasn't, I know exactly what happened, a lady in a rural branch got a little confused because my home address and work address are 300 miles apart and questioned this, but without giving me the option to explain that, like many people, I have two addresses and my account has to be at one of them. Anyway, Premier put me through to the appropriate department, 'fraud prevention'. The first call took 40 minutes to be connected, but I was immediately cut off, perhaps inadvertently, who knows. I called again, this time it took almost an hour to be put through. I was asked several security questions relating to my mortgage payments, my partner's details etc, which I answered correctly. I was then asked the name of the most recent petrol station at which I had filled up and paid by card. I'm working in rural Wales at present, so whilst I could picture it, I had no idea as to the town or the name, and I couldn't find the receipt. I was then asked the name of a music shop at which I had spent a certain amount in money in early October. Again, no idea. The member of the Barclays team then said "I can no longer speak to you". I asked if he was joking and suggested that he might ask some more reasonable questions (i.e, what did I spend yesterday or today), but that was apparently not an option and he cut me off. So, I rang Barclays Premier again and told them this story (now 2 hours phone call at my expense on the clock). Premier were actually very good, and eventually a manager came on to the call and said that there is nothing that can be done, that I will have to go into a branch (although there are no branches here open until Monday, Christmas Eve), presenting proof of identity, and that they will have to phone through to deal with 'fraud prevention'. So, I have no access to any of my accounts over the weekend before Christmas. This is the 6th time this has happened to me in 3 years. I now cannot buy petrol, food etc for my family over the weekend, am worried that online payments will be declined etc. So, I tried to complain at the end of the call only to be told that I couldn't complain because I had failed to answer the security questions. I asked the manager in question whether he could remember the name of petrol stations and shops that he had used up to three months ago and he agreed that it was stupid, but also said that this was the system and there was nothing he could do. I should add to this that I spoke to two people in 'fraud prevention' today. Both were disinterested and borderline rude, and both seemed barely competent to deal with customers in almost any respect (for example, I had to read my account number three times to one because he was having trouble entering it into the system). The Premier staff were however very good, but could not help. The last time this happened I complained to Barclays in person at a branch (which took about 20 minutes) and I didn't hear anything. I asked the manager today what action has been taken in relation to that complaint and he said that there was no record of any such complaint on my account. So, what I would like to know is how I can take proper action, firstly I want Barclays to stop treating my money as if it is theirs (they say that stopping all my accounts protects me, but of course it protects them first), secondly I want compensation for 3 hours of my time and 3 hours of phone usage, and lastly I want to know why previous complaints simply disappear, despite the effort we have to go to to actually log the complain in the first place. Thanks in anticipation of your help folks DB