Consumer complaint received 2024-06-05
Product: Credit card — Store credit card
Issue: Other features, terms, or problems — Other problem
Company: CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION (CA)

I am attempting to reconcile the charge account bill ( which I have always pay in full each month since obtaining the card several years ago - as evidenced by never having paid a cent in interest charges ). To do so, I signed on to my account, where it clearly says 3 months of statements are provided on-line, yet I can only access 1 month of statement, it is like nothing existed prior to this last month. 

I contacted the Kohls Credit Card by phone and asked for assistance. They told me that I did not have access to the online statements because they do not provide that to customers who receive HARD COPY STATEMENTS. They told me if I wanted to have access to prior months on-line, I would have to sign up for PAPERLESS STATEMENTS. 

I carefully read all the disclosures and policies and procedures available on Kohl 's web site including the eye test of disclosures mailed to me the last time they mailed out updated XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXs, no where do they describe a relationship between PAPERLESS STATEMENTS and the ability to examine the last 3 months of statements on-line. 

I have never seen or heard of services being withheld on the basis of having or not having selected Paperless Statements- especially without ever disclosing same to consumers when they make the choice. 

I do not believe that Kohl 's have the right to selectively withhold on-line access services from an account in good standing without disclosing same to customers. 

Because I was performing this analysis while on an extended vacation away from home, I had no ability to look at the paper statements I had at home. After speaking with the customer rep who assured me that access would be provided after I signed up for paperless billing, I did so, in pursuit of tracking down the issue I was attempting to understand. 

Ha. After signing up, I still was not given access to the 3 months of statements. I did that about 20 days ago. Then suddenly, in the last few days ONLY the statement which was produced a week ago was available to be seen. So, after all of that, I was still prevented from accessing the information I needed. 

I do not believe it is fair for Kohl 's Charge Card to withhold access without disclosure that describes the details of what will be withheld, and the fact it would then take 90 days before the full 90 days of statements would become available on-line. 

After all of that, I am still unable to reconcile the account and evidently will not be able to do so until another 60 days pass, or I return home. Ludicrous! 

More ridiculous, the Customer Service Rep at Kohl 's claimed that they too did not have access to the statements in question until I signed up for Paperless Statements, and 90 days passed for the statements to " age onto the system ''. 

We all know that is ridiculous. Of course they must have access to the statement history. And yes, they had to have paid programmers to withhold access to statements by the customer AND THE CSR 'S unless the CSR outright lied to me- which I am unwilling to claim. I have to proceed on the basis they told me the truth. 

In summary : I do not believe Kohl 's Card can reasonably withhold access to 90 days of customer statements because they wish me to sign up for some service they want me to utilize - whether or not if it saves them money. This is a slippery slope for for-profit financial services companies. If not stopped now from creating a defacto fee for service that prevents the customer from accessing information they need ( and which the company must supply to customers and their CSR staff ), in a world where self-service has become the norm and Customer Support is virtually non-existent already powered by AI engines unable to respond to any issue that extends beyond it's purview- the customer is left without support or access to information they require. 

Financial services firms lead the world in eliminating living-breathing-agents with whom a consumer can contact to resolve issues that have complexity above a 90 IQ - which is the target intelligence for an AI engine. This is one of the reasons CFPB was created. Financial Services requires more oversight than a grocery store - and have the automation to manipulate ignorant consumers who are clueless as to their rights. 

Please remember, these are basic Bill & Receipt revolving Charge Accounts for a mid-sized department store. However, in reality, department stores outsource their Private Label Charge Card to large Financial Service Providers that test new concepts in this smaller test market well below the eye 's or regulators. This is a glimpse into the future for a largely de-regulated industry that has grown into the Trillions in the past 10 years with payday lenders et al who now are owned by the most " reputable '' financial services firms, who all charge usury interests rates exported from states who repealed all usury laws in favor of attracting more business to their state. 

The consumer has been and continues to be the loser in this future of self regulation. Please draw the lines as firmly as possible every chance you get. 

Sincerely, XXXX XXXX