Consumer complaint received 2024-10-24
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Closing your account — Company closed your account
Company: CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION (TX)

On XX/XX/2024, I checked on Capital One 's website to see if I was pre-approved for the XXXX XXXX credit card. I was delighted to find out that I was. I completed the online application and was instantly approved. Later, on XX/XX/2024, I learned that my account had been restricted and Capital One was requesting additional documents for verification, including proof of address, 3 account statements, driver license, and proof of SSN. I provided the information to Capital One the same day and was informed that it could take 2-10 business days before receiving a response. During the wait, I called Capital One multiple times, requesting an update, but was told that it could take the entire 10 business days. On XX/XX/2024, when I called Capital One again, I was informed that the account had been closed, due to violating Capital One 's policies. While on the phone with customer service, the representative was unable to provide any information as to why the account was closed. When I asked to speak with a supervisor, the supervisor also informed that the decision is sensitive and private and could not be disclosed to the customer. At this point, an annual fee of {$390.00} was charged to the account. When I mentioned this to the supervisor, I was assured that the annual fee would be credited back since the account was closed within 45~ days. On XX/XX/2024, I called Capital One again to confirm that the annual fee would be credited back, to which a different Capital One representative reassured me that the annual fee would be credited back. I believe on this phone call, the customer service agent was able to provide me with the reasoning for my account closure and was surprised that previous customer service representatives were unable to provide me with the information. The reasons given stated that my income could not be verified. I informed the representative that I was told to provide account statements from my primary account only, which accounted for most but not all of my income. On XX/XX/2024, I received a physical statement in the mail from Capital One. I again called Capital One to speak with a representative regarding the credit for the annual fee. The representative informed me that the annual fee would not be refunded. I requested to speak with a supervisor again. This time supervisor " XXXX '' ( employee ID : XXXX ), informed me that due to the account being closed for " violating bank policy '' the annual fee could not be refunded. I informed XXXX that I was previously assured twice that the annual fee would be refunded. To which XXXX stated that he was unable to refund the annual fee because the policy stated that if Capital One made the decision to close the account, then the annual fee would not be eligible to be refunded. I asked XXXX if this policy was publicly available to consumers, to which XXXX confirmed that it was not and a customer would not be able to know this ahead of time. 

Throughout this ordeal, I found Capital One 's customer service and consumer communication to be poor and inconsistent. I was never provided any information proactively and instead had to actively call Capital One each time to request information regarding the situation. Additionally, Capital One never provided any real opportunity to appeal any decision it has made. However, what I consider to be completely unacceptable is to promise the customer a refund twice but then not follow through on the promise and subsequently inform the customer that there was no way for the customer to have known these policies in advance or appeal these policies. These business behaviors and customer service practices should be considered fraud.