Consumer complaint received 2020-01-30
Company: CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
State: NY
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: Card was charged for something you did not purchase with the card

Complaint:
On XX/XX/XXXX, I received an email from Capital One informing me that two suspicious transactions had been charged to my account. These transactions in the amount of {$270.00} and {$550.00} had been made earlier that day at XXXX XXXX, a sporting goods store located in XXXX, New Jersey. As I did not make these purchases, I immediately confirmed via the prompts contained in the email that the purchases were fraudulent. I then contacted Capital Ones Customer Service Department using the 800 number on the back of my credit card. I spoke with a Customer Service Representative named XXXX for over thirty minutes. During that conversation, I reiterated that I had not made the purchases in question nor had I authorized anyone else to make the purchases on my behalf. In addition, I confirmed that I had not lost my credit card nor had I at any time misplaced it and that it was currently in my possession. After confirming my identity and location by calling me back on my landline/home telephone number at my apartment in New York, XXXX then ( 1 ) removed the transactions from my account, ( 2 ) canceled my account and issued a new account number and ( 3 ) canceled and reissued my Capital One credit card. At the conclusion of the call, I was assured that I would not be held responsible for the fraudulent transactions and that the matter was resolved. 

Three weeks later, on XX/XX/XXXX, I received a telephone call from XXXX in the Capital One Fraud Department informing me that she had reviewed the disputed transactions and determined that I was, in fact, responsible. Further, she stated that the {$270.00} and {$550.00} charges would be immediately posted to my account as adjustments. The reason given was that she had determined that the credit card was present when the transactions were made. This is ridiculous. XXXX investigation completely disregarded all of the facts, which were previously stated in my conversation with XXXX : 1. To my knowledge, there was only one credit card issued for this account.

2. That credit card was in my possession in XXXX XXXX  XXXX at the time the fraudulent activity occurred. 
3. I am the only authorized user on the account.

4. I have never shopped at XXXX XXXX. 
5. I have been on this earth for XXXX years and I have never set foot in XXXX, New Jersey. 

I do not know how someone was able to breach the security on this credit card. I only know that they did. I also dont know how XXXX and Capital One can honestly claim that they conducted an investigation when none of these facts were considered. 

It is also worth noting that after I spoke with XXXX and my account was closed, I received an additional email from Capital One on the evening of XX/XX/XXXX. This email requested verification of a transaction in the amount of {$770.00} that was made at a XXXX XXXX also located in XXXX, New Jersey, shortly after the fraudulent charges at XXXX XXXX took place. This transaction was apparently immediately deemed fraudulent by Capital One and it was never posted to my account. Clearly, Capital One was aware that somehow a duplicate of my credit card was used on a shopping spree in XXXX, New Jersey on XX/XX/XXXX. I do not understand how the investigation determined that the XXXX transaction was fraudulent but the two XXXX XXXX transactions were valid -- given that they both occurred during the same time period and in the same location! 

I would also like to note that the two fraudulent XXXX XXXX transactions were completely inconsistent with my account transaction history over the last ten years. A cursory review of that history would easily reveal that ( 1 ) I have never purchased anything from XXXX XXXX, ( 2 ) I have never made hundreds of dollars worth of purchases at any sporting goods store and ( 3 ) I have never purchased anything from any store in XXXX, New Jersey. Any large transactions on this account were related to medical expenses or dental expenses. Most of my purchases on this account have been made at online retailers such as XXXX, XXXX and XXXX. When I shop at brick and mortar stores, I do so in my XXXX XXXX  XXXX neighborhood. 

MORE IMPORTANTLY I AM A RETIRED SENIOR CITIZEN ON A FIXED INCOME. THERE IS NO REASON WHY I WOULD SUDDENLY SPEND {$820.00} AT A SPORTING GOODS STORE! 

Capital One 's investigation has basically concluded that I effected these transactions in XXXX, New Jersey and then moments later reported them to their customer service representative from my ( verified ) home telephone in my apartment in XXXX XXXX  XXXX, which is absurd. This incident was caused by either identity theft ( although no other fraudulent transactions have appeared on any of my other accounts ) or a breach of Capital Ones systems. I resent the fact that Capital One is abdicating any and all responsibility for allowing fraudulent activity to occur on my account and then blaming me for it. 

I did everything that I was supposed to do as a customer by reporting the fraudulent activity in a timely manner. Capital One is punishing me for acting responsibly. This is no way to treat a senior citizen. This is no way to treat a loyal customer. Any reasonable person reviewing the facts would deem Capital Ones practices here unfair and abusive. I have been patient and respectful but this matter needs to be competently reviewed and resolved immediately.

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief