I've read with great interest all of the epinions of "Capital One". Glad to see I'm not the only one, let alone in the minority who have been screwed by CapOne.
I received a pre-approved letter for the Capitol One "Platinum" card 4 years ago to "consolidate my high-interest credit card balances to a %6.9" (for 1 year when it would rise to only 9.9), $15,000 credit line and no annual fee and other alleged services... I listed the balances to be transferred and waited for the "all new platinum card for select customers with excellent credit history" to arrive.
A few weeks later I received the platinum card. The next day I received a Capitol One "Silver" account card (had not activated either and no time to call). The following day I received a page of "checks" to use to be applied to my platinum account and seperately a letter from them stating that they had closed my platinum account and issued a "Silver account"!
I got my first bill from my new best friends (after all they had rid me of those pesky high interest credit cards- and!). They had "downgraded" me from a Platinum to Silver and reduced my limit to $5000, but I don't care if they want to call it a pink petunia card. I had transferred just over $1200 and planned to pay it off in a few months anyway.
Well, the transfers were on the CapOne bill, but the interest rate was NOT the 6.9 I was promised, but 18.9. I called "Customer Service" and asked about the discrepancies and was told that I had mistakenly received the platinum approval and cancelled my platinum account and transferred the balance to the "silver account" (which I was aware of since I can read)... I asked why the rate was 18.9 instead of 6.9 and they said that 18.9 was the best they could do for a "silver" card holder. I told her that I didnt' want the card if it was going to be . 9 and that they had to notify me if they were going to change the rate. She put me on hold and a "supervisor" explained to me that I had already made charges to the account and that by using the card, I accepted the interest rate (the charges were the transfers). I disagreed and told them to cancel the card, I didn't want anything to do with them at which time they told me that I couldn't cancel the card until I paid the balance.
I was mad, but figured it would just be for 3 months and to pay it off and be rid of them. HA! The next month's bill included a $24 "processing fee" and $22 to "JC Penney insurance" (neither of which I agreed to). Once again I called Cap1 to find out where these charges came from. They pulled my account and told me "you must have made them, it's YOUR credit card!" I told them that I definately had not charged anything at JC Penny and had not agreed to a "processing fee"! I kept getting transferred when finally a "customer service manager" told me that they were billed by Cap1, that the Insurance was "credit protection" and was brought over from my previous account. The Platinum card had the "platinum protection plan" for free and no "processing fee". But since I was not currently a platinum card holder, "things changed"!
I told him that was unacceptable and they needed to reverse those charges. He told me that the only way to cancel the insurance was to notify them in writing, that it was a different department and could not be handled on the phone and that the insurance division would "take care of the charges". Then he basically accused me of being cheap for not wanting to pay that measly $24.
I wrote the letter that night cancelling the 'insurance' and sent it off the next day to the address he gave me. I also sent them a $4XX - payment.
The next bill... The payment that was sent 2 weeks before "due date" was posted the day after the closing date, the interest rate was now 21.9, a late charge of $18, "JC Penny Insurance" for $22, and credit available was "0"!
Once again I called and asked to speak to the "customer service manager" I had spoken to before (less than a month prior) at which time I was told "there's nobody here by that name"! So I went through the same thing again with the rude woman at the other end. She told me hold and I was "disconnected". I called back and spoke to another person and told them what happened at which time I was hung up on again. I called back and got a message that everyone was busy, to hold until the next representative was available. I waited for over a half an hour and hung up with no response.
I called back a few days later and was finally transferred to a "supervisor" who assured me that he would investigate my claim and call me back. I waited and waited... Days... Weeks, with no response. The bill was due again and I sent in the minimum due (out of spite, really).
Next bill, guess what's on there? No payment was posted, "JC Penney Insurance" AGAIN, $25 "late fee", and a $25 "over the limit fee"!
I totally lost it! I called "Customer servcice" and told the woman that I needed to speak to a "supervisor" that I was just going to pay them what I owed and be done with them, the stress was NOT worth it. Very indignantly, she told me that it was noted in my record that I called every month and was 'abusive' and that she WAS NOT going to connect me to a supervisor, that I was just calling to make trouble again. I think my exact words were "Excuse me? Would you care to explain THAT and your nasty a* attitude?" At which time I heard typing and she said "I've noted that you are ignorant and you cursed at me" *click* I called back, waited for the next representative and as soon as I was connected, hung up. I called again, same thing. Hmmmm, coincidence? I think they didn't want to take my call. Is that why they have you enter your account # before talking to someone?
I had received my check back from the bank from the previous month's payment and since it wasn't on the last month's statement it would be counted as this month's payment, RIGHT? Hah!
That's when the "reminder calls started". THAT month!
They could call and harass me for not making a payment, but not answer questions or provide "customer service". The calls continued (up to 7 times a day!) for the next 2 months - and trust me, they didn't get a dime! When I tried to return the calls, I was told that I had to talk to Collections and I thought I was being transferred and after waiting a few minutes, the telephone operator would come on and tell me "If you'd like to make a call, please hangup and dial again..."
On a Saturday evening, I received a call from a man that identified himself as "Charles Gaisser, vice president of past-due accounts". I explained to him all that had happened and we agreed that for $890 (the balance of the transfer plus @$100 in interest), we would part ways if I gave him my checking account # over the phone. I did and thought the matter was finally settled. No withdrawal was ever made from my bank and after a week I called the 800 number that he gave me to contact him if I had any further questions. It was to a switchboard operator at Capitol One, who seemed quite confused when I asked for his extention (there was one more number than any of the extensions had!) She said that she had never heard of "Charles Gaisser" and checked with another person there and she had not heard of him either. Ok... While not productive and a little worrisome that someone was running around with my account #, that was the best customer service I ever got from Crap1.
She said she would transfer me to someone to help me - which turned out to be the 800 customer service number! I was connected directly so I spoke to a person and not a computer. She asked my account # and I told her that I didn't want to give it because the people were rude when they pulled my account or hung up on me. She promised not to hang up and when she pulled my account she said "Oh, I see why you didn't want me to see this" and read to me the "comment's" on my record. I was shocked! It made me sound like I had turret's syndrome and there was a note that the account had been closed, and payment of $890 for payoff was processed. So now I knew that it WAS a Cap1 person I talked to using the pseudonym "Charles Gaisser". THAT was good.
Several month's past and I began receiving the calls again! Then letters and God help them, calls at work! I REALLY tore that guy a new one who was acting like a tough guy when he called me at work. I don't want ANYBODY calling me at work unless it has to do with work. They had been told this before and I declined giving a business phone #.
When I got my credit report, it was still listed as active with a balance!
I notified equifax, sent them all that I had to support it and thought it was over.
2 months after notifying equifax I started recieving REAL nasty letters and harrassing/threatening calls from different collection agencies "On behalf of Capitol One". (Reminded me of Mafia 'warnings'!)
Can you believe that I'm STILL getting collection letters for an account that was closed and paid over 3 years ago? Here's the kicker... The difference between what I owed and paid and the fraudulent charges they agreed to drop plus all of the "fees" is now over $2500!
Get real! Anyone else want to do something about Cap1 to stop them from carrying on like this? Let me know!
*Update*- It's now 6 years after my account was paid off and my credit report still states that I owe them $1800, yet I receive their junk mail pre-approved applications on almost a daily basis!
Filed complaint with credit reporting agency's and they said that Crap1 verifid that the debt was valid. They're holding my credit hostage for their bogus fees that I've already paid and refuse to pay again. I REALLY dispise these morons.
Bill
Pasadena, Maryland
U.S.A.
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