Consumer complaint received 2016-08-04
Company: CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
State: NY
Product: Credit card
Issue: Late fee

Complaint:
Capital One case # XXXX Agent : " XXXX '' Rep ID XXXX XXXX During my honeymoon ( XX/XX/XXXX-XX/XX/XXXX ) I was traveling outside the country ( XXXX ) and did not have the ability to submit my credit card payment on time ( Due XX/XX/XXXX ). I called once back in the USA to make payment, and to ask about the late fee being waved. I was placed on hold while the rep verified she could waive my late fee. I was told my late fee would be waved. I informed the rep that was great news, but that I would also like to INCREASE my payment from the minimum amount due to {$200.00}. The rep told me she would have to confirm with her supervisor that had I INCREASED the amount due, that she could still waive my late fee. I said OK I will wait for you to ask again, but before she placed me on hold she began to read me the authorization RSNIP to complete my payment of {$200.00}. I told her " No, I do not authorize you to process my payment until you confirm my late fee will be waved ''. The rep told me SHE HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO PROCESS MY PAYMENT BEFORE CONFIRMING THE LATE FEE WILL STILL BE WAVED. This was a clear act of discrimination based on me increasing the amount I wanted to pay. This allowed the rep to take my payment, and then place me on hold only to come back and say " we can no longer waive your late fee ''. This deceptive practice is being taught to new call center representatives at Capital One. When I spoke with her supervisor, her supervisor and I exchanged a conversation in which I told him I work in compliance at a bank and in no way what I just heard was legal or ethical. He tried to end the call and confirmed with me while I was on the phone that my payment will be processed. He never processed my payment, and not only was I still left with a late fee, my late payment was not processed. 

I had to try and use my card again to find out that no one processed my payment when I spoke on the phone with them for multiple hours trying to get them to take my money ( the entire basis of their organization ). I became incredibly frustrated at the deliberate attempts to affect my credit by not taking my payment ( This is all on a recorded line, they opened a case, referenced above, and agreed with me that their reps did not act accordingly ). 

I would like a case opened as the 2nd call I placed I was told they could not take my payment while the recorded calls were being investigated. It took a THIRD call for someone to tell me I was able to " catch up '' with the late payment ( that I had already authorized to take back in XX/XX/XXXX, but was not processed on their end ) to avoid a continual late fee. 

Once the case was closed, a representative called me back to confirm their rep did not follow protocol and that the only thing they could do to honor me was waive the late fee and reduce my minimum payments. I said to the guy " Are you nuts? Why would I let you lower my fee so that I would just pay MORE interest over a longer period of time? '' When my whole basis of the call was to INCREASE my mim. payment. The {$200.00} auto-pay was finally set up, but the late fee STILL IS NOT WAIVED. 

I can be contacted at XXXX for any related follow up necessary regarding these issues. I want to know fines involved for their blatant discrimination. Thank you

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation