Consumer complaint received 2020-11-06
Company: CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
State: OH
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 purchased a set of adjustable-weight dumbbells online on XX/XX/2020 for {$89.00} using my XXXX card. After 5 weeks without receiving the goods I attempted to contact the merchant ( showed as *XXXX on my statement ) but had no luck. I then disputed the charge with CapOne. It is worth noting the marketing was through Instagram ( I've since learned many of those ads are bad merchants ).

The dispute process took its normal course of action, I received provisional credit and CapOne investigated. The merchant then gave CapOne a tracking # showing that the item was delivered so CapOne then asked for my rebuttal. I plugged in the tracking # and found that it tied back to a 1 '' by 2 '' travel manicure kit that I randomly received. What I then found out was that the merchant would ship a low cost, lightweight item to get around the dispute processes. Luckily I had taken pictures of this item so I provided everything back to CapOne for a rebuttal. 

At this point, CapOne credited me back again and began further investigations. After 60 days I then was told the case was closed via phone when I followed up. A week later I then saw another charge to my XXXX card for {$89.00} adjusting the charge back in the favor of the merchant. When I called CapOne back, they said I never provided additional paperwork to prove my rebuttal. I was not aware more was needed ( never received anything in the mail and didn't see they added a letter in my online banking message platform ) but the kicker is when they told me what was needed, I was apparently supposed to go have a third party " weight/dumbbell '' seller create and sign a written statement saying that a manicure set wasn't a sufficient product to be considered a " dumbbell '. 

At this point, I asked to escalate the issue up and I made a complaint about what was being asked and the timeline they had me on. This process started on XX/XX/2020 and continued back and forth 5 times until XX/XX/2020. I filed my complaint with the Bank in late XXXX ... never heard back. 

Today, after attempting 3 more times to follow up on my complaint, I have found out that CapOne never documented the complaint and told me I have no rights because the dispute is now out of time. It is ridiculous that a consumer is asked to jump through hoop after hoop to resolve a charge made by a fraudulent merchant. I was more than willing to adhere to the dispute requests until they asked me to have a 3rd party make and sign a written statement on something so egregious. 

To top this off, I actually work in the industry and manage enterprise fraud for a large regional financial institution. Fraud is near and dear to my heart and it is even more frustrating seeing what consumers must go through just to get made whole from a fraudulent merchant. I can't imagine how many people were effected negatively by this merchant, among others doing the same type of fraud taking money from folks and never sending the goods. And since the merchants know the dispute timelines and rights, they abuse that because they know most everyday people won't pursue to the point I am. 

I appreciate your consideration and I'm happy to help in any capacity I can. At this time, I simply want my funds returned and for merchants like this one to be held more accountable, if possible.

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief