Consumer complaint received 2020-10-06
Company: DISCOVER BANK
State: VA
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Closing your account
Sub-issue: Company closed your account

Complaint:
On XX/XX/2020 I submitted the following complaint to cfpb against discover. 
YOUR COMPLAINT ( I applied for a Discover Card a few days ago and was approved immediately but wanted me to call them. After I called them, they asked a few questions like my previous address and wanted to call me on the phone number that I provided to them and then told me I am accepted and will get the card soon. The next day I got an email that they want my permission to call my tax return, so I did give them my approval. Now they want me to provide them with my three months of checking account statement, or they will cancel my credit card. Really? On top of that, they have put on limitations on my credit card. When I asked what are the limitations? A lady name XXXX said well, your credit card may not work in certain places. I dont feel comfortable giving my checking account statement to a credit card company. I think its unfair that they ask me all this verification information after I was approved for this credit card. If they wanted all this information, they should have done further investigation before giving me the credit card. I think it has to do with two things. One is my name, which is not a typical American name like XXXX, XXXX, XXXX. Somehow, they think I wont be able to pay my bills because I am an XXXX The second reason is that I am retired. I think it has to do more with classism and xenophobia. Their credit statement clearly says that they dont decide based on race or age, but they sure are in this case. If I am already approved for a credit card based on my good credit, then what seem to be the problem? If they canceled my credit card because I dont want to give them my account statement. I am filling a lawsuit against Discover for classism and racism. ) On XX/XX/2020 they responded through cfpb with the following : ( Thank you for your recent correspondence to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ( CFPB ). To ensure your concerns are efficiently addressed, your inquiry has been forwarded to my attention within the Executive Office of Customer Advocacy at Discover. We are firmly committed to complying with the Equal Credit Opportunity Act as well as all other applicable State and Federal laws and regulations. As such, it is our practice to consistently treat all customers equitably. We regret any dissatisfaction this situation may have caused you. According to our records, your above referenced account was opened on XX/XX/2020 as a result of an internet application received on XX/XX/2020. Per the terms of your Cardmember Agreement, all accounts are subject to review. On XX/XX/2020, our Fraud department spoke to you and advised you that we would be sending you an Internal Revenue Service Income Verification 4506-T form for the above mentioned account. In review of this call, it is noted that we requested your permission to access your tax files, however you explained you do not file taxes. As an alternative method of verification, our agent offered to have you send in three months of current bank statements along with the completed Internal Revenue Service Income Verification 4506-T form by XX/XX/2020. On XX/XX/2020, you contacted us for a status on the review of the above mentioned account. Our agent explained we have not yet received the previously requested information. You informed our agent that you decline sending us any documentation and should your account be closed you will move forward with legal action and the call ended. Please be advised as of the date of this response we still have not received the completed Internal Revenue Service Income Verification 4506-T form and three months of current banking statements, please be advised we must receive this information by XX/XX/2020, to avoid account closure. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to address your concerns. Should you have any further questions, please feel free to contact me at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. ) First, they are not honest in their response letter. I did permit them to access my tax file. An agent from Discover sent me a permission form to sign and send it to them through email to have access to my tax file, and I did send it to them through email. In their response letter, they also mention that I have till XX/XX/2020, to send them the rest of the information but instead, they closed my account on XXXX right the next day that they responded to cfpb. They wanted to punish me for complaining to cfpb. I am requesting to cfpb to investigate how Discover makes their decision on giving people their credit cards. My lawyer will also be contacting discover soon to find out on which bases they canceled my credit card before XXXX, XXXX? They have only proved me right by canceling my credit card, that they make their decision on the bases of race and class.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation