Consumer complaint received 2020-02-03
Company: CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
State: CO
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Problem with a purchase shown on your statement
Sub-issue: Credit card company isn't resolving a dispute about a purchase on your statement

Complaint:
I rented a bike to ride around XXXX, XXXX when I was there, but I had a small accident on the bike. When I was turning in a small alley, I accidentally hit the gas handle and hit the wall of XXXX XXXX  store that was on the corner of XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX  XXXX XXXX. Even though nothing serious happened, upon realizing I was a tourist and a chance to make moeny, the store owner demanded XXXX bahts to " fix '' the wall, which is almost {$1700.00} USD. I told him that was an unreasonable amount, but he surrounded me with his friends and local people and was yelling at me and was very aggressive. I tried to call the police, but then the owner of the bike shop that rented me the bike, who is from the XXXX XXXX and has been living in XXXX for 7 years, said that the police are corrupt and that they would likely side with the store owner even if his demand was unreasonable. 

The XXXX also mentioned that the police would try to take money from me as well or they would likely put me in a monkey cell, which would ostensibly cost me far more than the XXXX bahts demanded by the pharmacy store owner. I also knew from my readings that the police are very corrupt there. So, I realized that the best of all the worst options would be to pay the store owner and get out of the country as soon as possible so I can dispute the issue from the outside, not inside of the country due to fears for my safety. Since I did not have enough money, I offered to pay with a credit card. For payment with the credit card, the store owner demanded my passport so he could take a picture of it with the receipt to make the transaction look more legitimate than it was. After taking a picture with the receipt, he refused to return the passport stating he would hold on to it until the transaction was complete. Not only was I extorted money UNDER duress, but also ended up having my passport taken away illegally. I was speechless. 

After I left the country, I disputed the transaction with my bank right away and tried to explain the situation. I told them that the transaction wasnt voluntary and that I had to make it UNDER duress. My bank credited the money back, but that unethical person got the money back because he had a picture of the receipt with my passport. So, he is using my passport to make the transaction look like a legitimate one. I know for sure that when a customer makes a transaction UNDER duress, it is not a valid transaction. How can a transaction that was made under a threat to the safety of a person be considered valid? I really dont get that. I also contacted different government agencies of XXXX and the tourist police of XXXX, but they are saying I need to physically come and file a complaint, which means I have to fly over there. I dont feel comfortable going there. 

I would kindly like to request CFPB to help me in getting Capital One to remove the transaction from my account. I have a perfect credit history and I wouldnt want to ruin it because of this single shady transaction. I am a struggling service member and that kind of money makes a big difference to me.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation