Consumer complaint received 2022-05-31
Company: CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
State: NY
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:
Dear Consumer Finance Bureau : Thank you for taking the time to speak with me today regarding my concerns about Capital One closing my Platinum Card & Kohl 's Card accounts. Though I couldnt choose both options at the same time in this forum, this issue involves a credit card as well as a department store card being unfairly closed. 

These accounts were in good standing. When I was able to speak with a Capital One representative regarding this matter, it was explained to me that my accounts were closed because Capital One found out I had a criminal past. 

I began self advocating and researching all I could find online to help me resolve this issue and continue being a valued customer/consumer of Capital One. 

Within my research I found that the CEO of Capital One ( XXXX XXXX ) has himself a criminal past. I'm not judging him. We all have a past that shouldn't define who we are. I have attached a copy of the headlines I read regarding this matter. 

The following day, I received an email regarding several job openings from a site I subscribe to. Within one of those job postings was an ad stating that Capital One now hires people with a criminal past. I began to wonder why Capital One can have someone with a criminal past running their company, they can hire individuals with a criminal past, but they can abruptly close accounts at whim for anyone with a criminal past? 

At face value, it is true that I agreed to the terms and conditions of having Capital One accounts. ( Platinum Card & Kohl 's Card ). However, when dissecting this power given to banks to pick and choose who they do business with, it appears to be discriminatory and biased to opt out of doing business with someone with a criminal past when your CEO has one, when you advertise you will hire someone with a criminal past, and your own institution 's mission statement ( photo attached ) states that, " Capital One was founded on the belief that no one should be locked out of. The financial system. We're dedicated to helping foster a world where everyone has an equal opportunity to prosper. '' Am I not part of those terms " no one '' & " everyone? '' Capital One was recommended to me by someone I befriended while doing time. He went home before I did. He explained that he started with a Capital One Secured Card and today is driving a {$50000.00} truck and has XXXX credit cards total all because Capital One gave him a chance. They gave me a chance too. I've attached to this email a copy of the email I sent XXXX XXXX when I found out my credit card had been closed. ( I hadn't received notice yet that they had closed the Kohl 's card as well ). As you can see in that email, I explained to XXXX XXXX that Capital One helped me go from a XXXX credit score to a XXXX. I remain appreciative. However, since they closed my accounts, I am now at a XXXX and the new credit score numbers haven't even posted yet. 

This practice is discouraging on so many levels. I served my time and while I continue to fight my case, I feel it is best to put energy into rebuilding for a future rather than to concentrate on the past. 

I feel it is important to note that I question whether or not a phone call I made to Capital One requesting to cancel a charge I had made was the catalyst for their investigation into my past and ultimately the decision to close my accounts. Briefly, I had called because I charged an online order to my Capital One account and paid an extra {$21.00} and change for expedited shipping. However, after placing the order I received a confirmation email from the company which also stated that my order would ship in 31 days. I tried to contact the company to no avail. So, I called Capital One to ask if I could stop the charge because the company I ordered from wasn't able to provide the expedited shipping I had paid extra for. While I disagreed with the Capital One Rep., she advised that I had to wait fo the charge to post before they could intervene. ( All of my research on this topic states that once a charge posts and has been paid it becomes more difficult to resolve ). Nonetheless, it was within days of me making that phone call that my accounts ( in good standing ) were closed. Capital One denies that phone call had anything to do with them looking into my past. 

I am asking for your intervention to have my accounts with Capital One reinstated as they should be. As I previously stated, these accounts were in good standing. Per their own mission statement, I deserve the same chance as everyone else. I don't feel it should be up to a bank or any other business entity to continue to punish me for something I have already paid dearly for. Just as XXXX XXXX has paid his fines for his past behavior, I have paid my debt to society and it is time to move forward. 

I look forward to a positive outcome and a life-long business relationship with Capital One. I believe this is a case that should be reviewed outside of the textbook training of Customer Service Representatives and given individual attention by someone who is non-judge mental and values a consumer in good standing. 

Thank you for your time and with warm regards,

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation