Consumer complaint received 2020-02-28
Company: CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
State: NC
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports
Sub-product: Credit reporting
Issue: Credit monitoring or identity theft protection services
Sub-issue: Billing dispute for services

Complaint:
I am writing to dispute the following information on my credit report. I have a Kohls 60 day late reported as of XX/XX/2020. This sixty day late payment disputed by Kohls Department Store, is inaccurate because Kohls did not properly notify me that my online payment made on XX/XX/XXXX failed to post. Quite the contrary I received a payment confirmation email instead. 
On XX/XX/XXXX, I made an online payment for my full account balance of {$130.00}. Unfortunately, I accidentally used a joint bank account number that my ex-husband had recently closed due to our divorce. I did not realize the error until later. On the same day ( XX/XX/XXXX ), I received a Payment Confirmation email from Kohls with a confirmation number that payment was received ( see attached ). At this point I assumed my Kohls account was paid in full and in good standing. 
On, XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX I received emails ( see attached ) stating that I missed a recent payment of {$27.00}. I did not react to those emails because I knew I had paid my balance in full. Also, the emails stated that if I had made a recent payment for the total amount due the I could disregard the email reminder. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I received a Kohls Charge Statement and Annual Privacy Notice email ( see attached ). I didnt immediately open the email assuming that, again, my account was paid in full and this email discussing updated changes in their privacy policies. 

However, on XX/XX/XXXX I received a Payment Reminder email that now claimed I owed {$57.00}. I began to feel something was wrong. I opened my online Kohls charge account and saw to my shock that my payment made on XX/XX/XXXX obviously did not post. 

I called Kohls immediately on XX/XX/XXXX and paid my balance in full. I discovered at the time that I was now 61 days late and that Kohls would report me as such to the credit bureaus. I was not happy and hoped that this one late payment wouldnt be too detrimental to my credit score. However, on XX/XX/XXXX I pulled my credit score and it had dropped from XXXX to XXXX!! 130 points!! I was now upset that Kohls hadnt sent a notification that my payment of {$130.00} was rejected. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I received a letter that was dated XX/XX/XXXX that my {$130.00} payment had never been received and it had now gone into collections. Again, I did not receive this letter until XX/XX/XXXX. Unfortunately, I misplaced this original collection letter. So, I tried to get Kohls to send me another copy for my files. I have spent many hours on the phone and have been told many conflicting things. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I was told that the letter would arrive within 7-10 business days. I waited until XX/XX/XXXX and called. They said the letter was sent. So, I asked them to fax it immediately instead insisting I needed it as documentation proof for my credit bureau disputes. Finally, on XX/XX/XXXX a Collections Supervisor said she would authorize the letter to be faxed and if I called back with the fax number it would be sent. 
I called Kohls the following day on XX/XX/XXXX and gave them a number to a XXXX XXXX XXXX. They told me it could take 48 hrs  before I receive my fax. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I went to the XXXX  office. Kohls had sent an entirely different letter dated XX/XX/XXXX claiming my account was in good standing. I immediately called Kohls and told them this was not the letter that I wanted or was promised to receive. So, the new Collections Supervisor ( 2nd one ) said he couldnt understand why the correct letter wasnt sent as it was clearly marked as the one to  send within my file. This supervisor sent an escalated email and said that someone would contact me. 

Two days later on XX/XX/XXXX I contacted Kohls. At that point I was told by a new Collections Supervisor XXXX ( 3rd one ) that Kohls never sent me the Collections letter as they said they would on XX/XX/XXXX. She also said that as she used to work in that department that I would never be able to receive that letter again. They were not going to let me have it. If I misplaced it, then it was too bad. It was even stated in my file on XX/XX/XXXX that the letter was never sent. I was flabbergasted and beyond frustrated. That letter was to document that the first I was ever told that my {$130.00} payment failed was on XX/XX/XXXX. However, I suspect that Kohls actually never even sent that letter until I called on XX/XX/XXXX. And my complaint is that if Kohls had sent some type of notification like this sooner, I would have never been 60 days late. 

In my 9.5 years history at Kohls I HAVE NEVER made a 60 days late payment. And my overall 30+ years credit history is spotless. My revolving credit cards run in the thousands and I always pay my balances in full at the end of each month. I would never have knowingly allowed this Kohls oversight. 


I am a recently divorced mother of XXXX who is legally required to move out of the house and purchase a new home. My credit score is CRUCIAL in this endeavor. To have my score drop from a pristine XXXX to XXXX was next to a disaster! My credit score has  improved but not to the XXXX that I had worked so hard for. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I sent a goodwill letter to Kohls ( see attached ) explaining what happened asking for them to please apply a goodwill adjustment to my account at the credit reporting agencies. Kohls declined. I am now filing a complaint that Kohls did not provide the PROPER notification concerning a failed payment attempt. I am also claiming that Kohls has not been forthcoming in their dealings with me leading me to believe I would receive documentation they never intended to send me. 

Enclosed are copies of the emails sent by Kohls as well as my original Goodwill Letter. I am asking that you please investigate this matter and correct the disputed item as soon as possible.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation