Consumer complaint received 2019-05-22
Company: CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
State: IN
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Problem when making payments
Sub-issue: Problem during payment process

Complaint:
I've been a Capital One customer for about 10 years with an excellent credit score, and balance under 1k, on a personal charge acct. For at least the last 5 years I've been sent electronic bills and make online payments through their website. 

Recently my cell contract ended, I changed cell carriers, went on a family plan and wasn't able to port my number. While updating all my accounts, I tried to log onto Cap One but they just started 2SV via cell. ( first time for me anyway ) Since the old phone was deactivated, I couldn't receive the text and couldn't log on to make the update, view my bill or make a payment. 

I called their CS dept ( XX/XX/XXXX ) to notify them of the new number and was supposedly sent a code via text, to my new phone. However it never came through and after 3 minutes the overseas rep sent my call to the fraud dept! I tried to explain the situation and was told after being on the call 45 minutes they couldn't verify I was the owner of the phone nor the number was legitimate. They would not say how they go about this " verification '' I did tell them my credit reports are locked but they said they didn't use those ... 

I asked about an alternate method of receiving the code ( like the email I've used with them for years ) and was told there is NO other way. They then told me I MUST send by USPS, a state ID with photo or passport to prove my identity, but I'm XXXX and do n't drive or travel! ( Even I9 's have other acceptable forms of ID! ) Locked out of my Cap One account and unable to make a payment, I submitted a trouble ticket to my carrier XXXX XXXX to verify my new phone/service was set up correctly. After an hour of troubleshooting it was confirmed, XXXX devices and my device accept both MMS and SMS texts and the problem was likely a Cap One restriction. 

I then called Cap one again ( XX/XX/XXXX ) got the same problem and the same runaround. The real issue, Cap one recently enacted a " premium short code '' 2SV that will not send the 5 digit auth codes they REQUIRE for log onto their website, to MVNO carriers ' phones. ( MVNO carriers are non-contract subscription phones that use XXXX, XXXX, and XXXX XXXX networks ) Some MVNO carriers include XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX and the Gov subsidized phone carriers. The MVNO carrier customer base has been primarily made up of those at the lower end of the socioeconomic status. Coincidence? Is this why now I have to jump through additional hoops to overcome new barriers to utilize my longstanding account? All because I opted out of an expensive cell contract? Is this Red Lining 2020? 

This is discrimination on 2 fronts for me, red lined by socioeconomic bias inappropriately attributed to my cell provider and I'm XXXX/do n't drive/travel. I can imagine that statistically those that are XXXX or at a lower SES are might be less likely to hold a passport and what, maybe unworthy of a Cap One account? They certainly expect their payment, now by check to be on time, even though I won't get my first paper bill for 2 billing cycles!

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation