I had to make a charge back in July because a merchant falsely charged me for an order I never made. Capital One was horrible: they kept putting it back on my account when the merchant sent a letter with false claims about my business with them, and though I supplied all possible proof to the contrary Capital One kept believing the merchant over me. They put it on my account 6 times, and each time I had to provide the same proof to take it off. It was the "Disputes Department" that I had to deal with. Finally in Sept. They seemed to resolve it in my favor and credited me back.
Then in Feb. Of they charged it back to me without warning and sent me a letter from Customer Service claiming they credited me one too many times. So they actually left me with the original charge from the merchant dispute again. I refused to pay it and called customer service, who claimed ignorance and transferred me to "Disputes", who denied knowledge of it and said they'd send an email out. I got the run around with no results and had to go through this 5 times. I finally called a lawyer friend who helped me resolved this "theft" by Capital One. Here's how.
It turns out that Capital One has to answer to the Federal Reserve System to be allowed to continue to do business, the Federal Reserve enforcing national laws as to how to conduct business (regulating Capital One Bank). I called them and they said to send them a letter documenting the case, along with the proof I used in the merchant dispute, and they would do something.
So, I sent that letter with the proof, by certified mail with a return receipt, to two departments at the Federal Reserve, and I also sent a copy (again) to the "Disputes Dept." of "Investigative Solutions" at Capital One and added on there that I sent a copy to the Federal Reserve as well.
Well, as soon as the Federal Reserve got the letter, and Capital One got my repeat letter with the warning, Capital One mysteriously credited me back with a notice that they were correcting their error! No more phone calls or run around. It was that simple.
Here are the addresses and numbers:
Mail your letter documenting the merchant dispute and proof of your innocence, by certified mail with return receipt, to:
Federal Reserve
Consumer Complaints Department
P.O. Box 27622
Richmond, VA 23261
re: Capital One
Also send the same to:
Board of Governers of the Federal Reserve System
Division of Consumer and Community Affairs
Complaint Section
20th & C Streets
NW Stop 801
Wash. D.C. 20551
Then send a copy of your letter, your proof, and the statement that you sent it to the Federal Reserve as well, to:
Capital One
Attn: Investigative Solutions
P.O. Box 85520
Richmond, VA 23286
It turns out that it is the "Adjustments Department" at Capital One that has the power to credit your account back, or charge it, but it is the "Disputes Dept." at Investigative Solutions that reviews your merchant dispute and gives "Adjustments" the go ahead to credit your account. Apparently, you can call the "Disputes Dept." at 1888-435-4217, but you can't be connected with the "Adjustments" Dept. Because they don't receive customer calls, and some customer service agents even deny knowing about that department.
The number for the Federal Reserve System regulating Capital One Bank is 202-452-3693, in case you want this all confirmed.
Good luck, and I hope I have saved the rest of you the trouble of running around to get all this information. I hope you all get your money back and Capital One Bank no longer gets away with this 'highway robbery'.
-Christina Park
Re: Account # (your account number)
Christina
Passaic, New Jersey
U.S.A.
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