Consumer complaint received 2017-07-19
Company: CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
State: MD
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Getting a credit card
Sub-issue: Delay in processing application

Complaint:
In XX/XX/2017, I applied for a capital one platinum card to help with pulling up my credit score with plans to use a vacation at the end of the month. I was recommended to capital one by XXXX XXXX. So, I applied online and got an approval for {$300.00}. I received the card in the mail and called to activate the card and was told that I needed to be referred to the fraud department without explanation that had meaning. My thinking is that I just needed to give additional verification to activate the card. I was on the phone for 20 mins and no one could give me information to as " why am I in the fraud department ''. So, I was transferred around and then spoke to a fraud rep .... this person tells me that I need to mail in my ssn and drivers license number. I explained to this must been a racket ... because no legit cc company would do that because of the fraud risk that would be associated with mail and email. I explained that I planned to used this card on my vacation for a rental car that started the next day ... they did n't care. I asked to speak with a supervisor. After much time passed, then a male supervisor gets on the line. I explained the same to him that I needed to activate the card to start my vacation. He did n't care and insisted that I send in the proof of my identity. He repeatedly said that I 'm still in the verification process. I told him that this does n't make sense. How do you run my credit in a hard inquiry form, mail out a card and I 'm not verified? I even asked why was I selected for verification? He stated that he did n't have to tell. I asked why.. he would n't say, he was very condescending acting as if he was doing me a favor. I even advised that am a authorized user on my husband card with capital one and they should be able to use that as proof of my identity ... and in turn that will be the same ssn and address to where my card was sent. He said that he could n't use that information verification. I expressed that I was n't comfortable about sending copies of vulnerable information in the mail and especially after the fact ... i told him this process was crazy and very unprofessional due to this was just like driving off the car lot with a car and then two weeks later the dealer calls back saying that I need to bring in my ssn and drivers license. He laughed and stated the same. He gave no resolve at all. My car loans are even with capital one. Shame on them because this caused me unnecessary stress and heartache. Because my husband and I had been working on my credit for year and now is destroyed again because of capital one negligence. After no help from the supervisor I asked for my to cancel the activate, application and the card because this was ridiculous in their practices ... I asked why was n't I informed online when I applied for the card that I need more information? The asked why is this the first time being asked at activation and after i had to call them and why were n't they proactively seeking me? I told him he had no sense. He then stated that they have tried to contact me ... I asked how and he then stated via email ... I asked what address they had for me ... he could n't produce it because he was lying. He then begin to explain they called me ... I asked for what number do they have ... he could n't tell me ... he was lying .... I told him that they have no integrity at all. I asked for him to email the letters that they sent stating they tried to contact me proactively.. I never received.. Because they did n't proactively try to resolve this matter until this phone call. After no rentention, I asked him to cancel since I could n't activate the card at all and still was in verification status. He stated that he will close the account with a XXXX balance.. I stated that he should n't have to close anything because it was never open ... he stated that when you apply for a card that opens the card ... I objected that because it 's a lie ..he over talked me and interrupted ... I was taken advantage of by capital one because they open the account without proper verification and reported to bureaus and by them doing this it dropped my score by 60 points. It 's not ok that credit card companies can do whatever they what with consumers constantly taken the hit on their credit. We consumers should n't have to take the abuse. Because the card should have never been open nor reported on my credit since I was still in the verification status.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation