Consumer complaint received 2020-03-04
Company: CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
State: OH
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Trouble using your card
Sub-issue: Can't use card to make purchases

Complaint:
I applied to Capitol One for a credit card, because XXXX XXXX recommended it. I applied, filled out application honestly and up-front. A few days later I received a notice that it had been approved and I should receive my card within serveral days. When I received the card I got online from my computer went through the process to activate. Had to answer question and what ever they told me to do. I signed the card. I then received a message that it was activated. Yesterday, XX/XX/2020, I tired to use the card and it was turned down. I came home and tried to go through the XXXX or what ever the program is to see if I could find out what the problem was. The program was very intimidating, since I did not have a cell phone I would give them. It said there was a problem with my sign in. I went to CapitolOne.com and finally was able to find and call customer service. The woman there spoke very poor English and talked softly and very fast. I advised her that I was very hard of hearing and she needed to slow down, talk louder and enunciate her words so I could understand. She ask my information last 4 soc sec. # s, the last 4 of my card # s, name, phone number and I don't remember what else. She put me hold. Came back and said she still had to check on some other things and put me on hold again. She then questioned my about my phone number. I demanded to talk to her supervisor, and she hem and hawed about that and eventually she put me on hold again and I got a supervisor, whose name was XXXX. He said there was a problem why it was rejected. He said I needed to fax him or email him the front and back of my drivers license. I refused. I said I had no idea who he was and I know better than to send critical information like that to an unknown person. He asked me who I had called. I told Him I had thought I was calling Capitol One, but how did I know that this number had not been hacked. He assured me they hadn't been hacked. Which of course he would have said if he had hacked. I again refused to send him drivers license. He said he needed to scan the bar code on the back for additional info that would tell him who I was etc. I ask him what his office location was and he stated in XXXX, Florida. I told him since we could not handle this on this call I was be going to be contacting FTC and let them straighten it out. After contacting the FTC they said, I should probably start with contacting the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ( CFPB ) and they would probably contact them if they felt they should also be involved. I am XXXX   years and I am tired of large corporation trying to intimidate Senior Citizens. I feel that they were trying to make me use a cell phone to do my transaction etc., through one of those. I told him I had a cell phone, but I don't use it for anything like that and hardly ever turned it on. It is for emergency use only and immediate contact with a couple of my relatives, in case I need assistance. I thought Capitol One was an upstanding company and felt good about getting their card, to help rebuild my credit. The card is only for an amount up to {$300.00}. It is not a means for someone else to gather my information for selling to someone else for their profit.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation