Consumer complaint received 2021-04-30
Company: CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
State: NC
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 can not access my Capital One account. I'm an American citizen but I am not currently in the US due to the coronavirus pandemic. I don't have access to a US phone number.

Capital One requires me to have access to a US phone number to access their account. I do not have access to a US phone number. I do not want to download a third-party app to access my account. Moreover, I have tried this in the past and Capital One did not accept me using an app from a third party to get a phone number. No other financial account requires me to have a US phone number to log in to an account. I can receive access either by verifying my email, SSN, or occasionally calling if I get locked out. This is true across multiple banks, credit unions, retirement accounts, and other credit card companies. Capital One is the only financial institution that puts up this artificial barrier.

This is a recent change in the past 30 days since I last paid my bill. Previously, I had the option to : verify with email ; verify with the APP ; answer security questions ; call the phone number to get access.

Now, the only way I can access my account is if I call the number. I can not log in to my account at all. They will not email me my statement, nor will they mail the statement to me because I'm not in the US. The only way I can access my credit card statements now is if I call the phone number and have them read each charge to me. I think this is unacceptable and is an excellent way for credit card fraud to go undetected because I can't physically read my statements to keep track of the numbers. Moreover, when someone tried to tell me account numbers over the phone today, they made an error in stating how much is currently charged on my account. I'm also concerned that Capital One will charge me late fees because I can't view account statements and I might miss payments because they refuse to provide me with papers regarding my credit card bills or provide me access to my account. 

Capital One billed me {$59.00} in early XXXX for the annual fee. I would like to cancel my Capital One account and have the unused portion of my fee refunded. I think this is fair because they changed the terms of the service, rendering it unusable and highly unsafe. I do not want to pay for a service I am physically unable to use that compromises my personal data and financial security. Capital One refuses to refund any portion of the funds. 

I am asking for help to either ( 1 ) receive full access to my Capital One account without the requirement of having a US-based phone number ; or ( 2 ) receive a refund of {$50.00}, which covers the 10 months of the year that I pre-paid for their service but am unable to utilize it. Unfortunately, I can't access any of the documents because I am unable to log in to my account, due to Capital One 's recently changed policies. 

Thank you, XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation