Consumer complaint received 2021-11-22
Company: CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
State: DC
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Other features, terms, or problems
Sub-issue: Other problem

Complaint:
I'm writing to complain about a misleading and deceptive change in benefits associated with my credit card, a Visa Signature " Quicksilver '' issued by Capital One. 


FACTUAL NARRATIVE I am attempting to file a claim under the " Auto Collision Damage Waiver '' benefit associated with my card. This benefit is described in the following " Guide to Card Benefits '' posted on the Capital One website, as of XX/XX/2021 : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  [ Permalink snapshot as of XX/XX/2021 XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX I relied on that benefits guide, which I accessed in XX/XX/2021, in choosing to use my Capital One credit card to make a car rental. Later in XXXX, I was involved in an accident with that rental car, and attempted to file a claim. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I called Capital One using the phone number on the back of my credit card ( XXXX ), and a customer service representative directed me to call the benefits administrator ( XXXX ), which is a separate entity from Capital One. On XX/XX/XXXX, the benefits administrator told me that the " Auto Collision Damage Waiver '' was no longer a benefit associated with my card. 

I promptly re-dialed Capital One 's customer service line again on XX/XX/2021. The Capital One customer service representative assured me that the benefit was associated my card. On XX/XX/XXXX, I called Capital One again, and a customer service representative again assured me that the benefit was associated with my card. 

Still, despite Capital One 's assurances, the benefits administrator refused to process my claim. On XX/XX/XXXX, I called Capital One a third time to escalate the matter to a senior customer service representative. Initially, the senior customer service representative also assured me that the benefit was attached to my card. 

However, after further research, the senior customer service representative finally informed me that this benefit was removed from all Capital One cards starting XX/XX/2021. This was his first time learning of the change in benefits, as well as mine. 


LACK OF ADEQUATE NOTICE AND CONTINUED MISREPRESENTATIONS I had no knowledge or notice that the benefits for this credit card changed. I did not receive any letter explaining the change in benefits. 

The benefits guide that I did consult is hosted on the Capital One Website. When I am logged into my Capital One account, the website directs me to that benefits guide to explain what benefits are attached to my account. I believe it is reasonable to rely on the files hosted on a credit card issuer 's website as the most recent and accurate representation of the benefits associated with my credit card. 

Here is the Capital One website listing cardholder benefits XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  Again, as of XX/XX/2021, the auto collision damage waiver benefit is still listed as a valid benefit for cards of my type, a Capital One Visa Signature. There is no reason to believe that the Capital One website is out of date. Indeed, many of the explanations of benefits listed on that website are dated 2021. 

Furthermore, Capital One 's own customer service representatives continue to represent to customers that the benefit is still valid. As I mentioned in my factual narrative, three different Capital One customer service representatives told me that this benefit was still associated with my card. 


CONCLUSION I would like the CFPB to investigate these deceptive representations about changed benefits. If credit card companies want to change the terms of their credit card agreements, they must at minimum update both their online materials as well as their own customer service representatives. 

If this change in benefits indeed happened, there is almost no way for any cardholder to find out about it. For now, I am still unable to file my claim.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation