Consumer complaint received 2018-11-07
Company: CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
State: CA
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:
Capital One refuses to investigate fraudulent credit card charges. 

In XX/XX/2018, I found two unrecognized charges with merchants I did not know, recognize, or authorize on my Capital One account both made on the same day of XX/XX/XXXX : 1 ) {$1.00} for XXXX XXXX for " professional services '' and 2 )  {$1.00} for XXXX XXXX " other services '' I did not recognize the last 4 digits of the card ( XXXX ) on which these charges appeared either as it was not on my primary acct but perhaps on an authorized card that I also did not recognize. 

On my next stmt ending on XX/XX/2018, two new charges from these same merchants appeared for different amts on different days on the same acct I did not recognize : 1 ) {$39.00} for XXXX XXXX for " professional services '' and 2 ) {$29.00} for XXXX   XXXX " other services '' I disputed all four charges. Around this time, I learned that I had been the victim of identity theft -- several credit card applications were submitted and accounts were opened in my name under my SSN. I immediately placed a Fraud Alert with the credit reporting agencies -- but to no avail. I continued to receive new accounts that were opened EVEN AFTER I placed the fraud alert which I thought was supposed to freeze my credit. I advised Capital One of this. I even reported the card number ending in XXXX itself as stolen. 

These fraudulent charges continued on my next stmt ending on XX/XX/XXXX ( third charges ) : 1 ) {$39.00} for XXXX XXXX for " professional services '' and 2 ) {$29.00} for XXXX XXXX " other services '' Apparently Capital One failed to close the acct number ending in XXXX despite my reporting that it was stolen and being used fraudulently. 

Conditional credits were issued. Then w/o any investigation or notice, Capital One reversed them one by one. I continued to dispute them again. Capital One ignored me and XXXX my ability to dispute them online as other credit card companies do for convenience and efficiency. I spent over two hours disputing these charges. 

Finally Capital One sent a letter in XX/XX/2018 about ONE charge, the {$29.00} XX/XX/XXXX charge for XXXX XXXX. It simply contained standard contract language by the merchant that failed to demonstrate that I or my authorized user had entered into a contract for services. I have no idea what this merchant is or the XXXX. I responded by USPS mail to once again dispute this and the other charges. Capital One alleged that it did not receive my response. Every fraudulent charge I disputed was either reversed. 

On three separate occasions from XX/XX/XXXX to XX/XX/2018, I contacted Capital One, speaking to a different person each time in the dispute dept. They refused to dispute the charges. Finally, I emailed the dispute response I sent in XX/XX/XXXX to Capital One through an email it sent me on XX/XX/XXXX, specifically to provide dispute documents. Capital One issued a conditional credit for just ONE of the SIX fraudulent charges. 

OnXX/XX/XXXX, Capital One, again without notice or investigation, reversed the conditional credit without explanation. I have tried in vain for over 6mos trying to dispute fraudulent charges made on an account number that I reported as stolen which Capital One left open for addt'l fraudulent charges. Capital One refuses to process or investigate credit card disputes as it is legally required to do.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation