In September 08 I transferred my credit card balance to a promotional 0% for 12 months Capital One Mastercard. I made my first payment online, using their handy website. Everything went through just fine, so I thought. They sent me a letter three weeks later telling me the transaction was refused, as they couldn't verify the checking account number.
I called them the next day to clear this up and made a double payment. The customer service agent told me everything was just fine and the account was up to date and in good standing. Apparently the last three numbers of the checking account did not go through and, although I certainly had typed them in, something happened during the transaction and it became invalid. Not sure why, if I had somehow left off the last three digits, their system didn't recognize that there were digits missing, but I thought, hey, we'll just chalk it up to some glitch somewhere, as the account was fine.
On November 8th, I received a statement, which indicated they had revoked my 0% rate and started charging me interest at over 12%. I spent the next 90 minutes on the phone with them telling me the charge was legitimate, which isn't what I was disputing. I went back and forth, over and over again, telling them that every other credit card company I've ever worked with over the last 18 years has been willing to look at an account and see where an honest mistake was made, either on their part, or on mine, but not Capital One.
I have since spent the last four months sending letters, making lengthy, frustrating phone calls, trying to get the 0% reinstated - all in vain, as they either tell me it's been taken care of, which is a lie, because they actually don't do anything, or they refuse to do it, claiming that 'the system' will not allow them to do it. I love how they hide behind the machinery and take the humanity out of doing business, as if the company is being run by a CPU, rather than a CEO.
After dealing with their dishonesty and incompetence long enough, I found another card with a 0% rate. I asked the customer service agent what it would take to pay off the account and put the balance at zero, with no further charges, and she gave me the payoff amount, which I promptly paid with my checking account and then transferred that debt to the new card.
Guess what - next month I received a statement with interest charges. I have again spent at least an hour on the phone with them, telling them that there is no way in good conscience that I can even consider paying the $19.28 in interest fees, based on the fact that there should never have been any interest charged, the 0% should never have been removed, and they shouldn't have lied to me, repeatedly.
Not sure where this will go, but I am not paying them this money, even if it was only 1 penny, so if any of you have suggestions on what I should do, I would appreciate some help.
Thanks for reading my life story!
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