Consumer complaint received 2017-10-18
Company: CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
State: CA
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Getting a credit card
Sub-issue: Card opened as result of identity theft or fraud

Complaint:
Please refer background information in Complaint # XXXX. 

I have lived overseas working for a US company ( I am a US citizen ) since XX/XX/XXXX. In early XX/XX/XXXX my identity was stolen and used to apply for several credit cards and mobile phone accounts. All of the creditors ( that I know of ) have performed their investigation and found me not liable, except one -- Capital One. In roughly XX/XX/XXXX, the identity thieves applied for multiple Capital One cards and were approved. They ran up the bill for one of the cards up to close to {$30000.00}. They also tried to apply for increase in credit and also transferring of credit. When I learned from my sister ( my permanent US address ) starting getting bills in my name, she let me know and I put a freeze on my credit as well as contacted all the creditors of the fraud. After several months of investigation, Capital One was the only creditor that insists the account was opened legally/non-fraudulently and is holding me liable for the account 's debts. 

As I did not apply for these credit cards or incur the charges, I do not feel I should pay it, Capital One has sent the outstanding amount to collection and it is now affecting my credit score. I have filed a police report and also completed a FTC identity theft report. Please let me know what I can do to absolve me of this debt that is n't mine. 

This is becoming a harassment issue. 

Recently, Capital One replied through CFPB in a letter dated XX/XX/XXXX in which they provided information about why they thought I am still liable. This information included a California ID with my name, address, DOB. However, if Capital One checked with the California DMV, they will immediately find out that the ID # on that card is NOT related to me and is obviously fake. I have confirmed this information with the California DMV. The picture looks nothing like me and signature does not look like mine either. The signature looks like a computer generated font. I have forwarded my real California Driver 's License to Capital One MULTIPLE TIMES! My police report and FTC Identity Theft report should also include all the necessary information to verify that this fake California ID is NOT ME! 

Capital One also claims that because the identity thieves had my social security number, name, address, and DOB, these are strong evidence that I am the person applying for the credit cards. I have repeatedly told Capital One, once I found out about the ID theft, that I AM A VICTIM OF IDENTITY THEFT AND MY INFORMATION WAS STOLEN! 

Furthermore, Capital One claims they are holding me liable because a phone number used to apply for the card was linked to me by public accounts. That number was applied for fraudulently with my identity information with XXXX XXXX XXXX. XXXX XXXX XXXX has documentation absolving me of responsibility for that phone number. 

Capital One also claims that I have enrolled in online banking with them and when I called them I did not dispute ownership. I did not enroll in online banking with Capital One as I DID NOT KNOW I HAD AN ACCOUNT WITH THEM! In the calls that I made to Capital One, I made it EXPLICIT CLEAR that I AM DISPUTING OWNERSHIP as I am a victim of identity theft! 

Capital One also hold me liable for these charges because they occurred near my address listed on the card. To this, I have repeatedly let them know that I NO LONGER LIVE IN THE UNITED STATES AND HAVE NOT FOR THE LAST 2 YEARS! The address listed is my permanent address and is my sister 's  home. I do not live there and did not apply for Capital One credit cards this year or make any charges with Capital One credit cards!

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation