Consumer complaint received 2021-09-09
Product: Credit card or prepaid card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Struggling to pay your bill — Credit card company won't work with you while you're going through financial hardship
Company: CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION (NV)

I recently received a letter from an attorney 's office regarding collection of my balance owed to Capital One. I disputed my balance due on the grounds that Capital One was negligent and incompetent in handling my settlement request. They offered a settlement of {$10000.00}. I countered with an offer of {$7.00}, XXXX, 50 % of the balance owed. After I made my counter-offer, this is how it was handled : 1. I counter-offered on XX/XX/2020. 
2. On XX/XX/2020, I was asked to electronically sign to start payments. The payoff amount was listed as {$14000.00} and NOT {$7000.00}.

3. On XX/XX/2020, I was sent a revised counter-offer document that stated I had to make a one-time payment of {$7000.00} OR pay the balance in full. This was NOT what I had agreed to. I replied that I had agreed to {$300.00} a month for 24 months.

4. On XX/XX/XXXX, after I replied to the email stating that the terms were not what I agreed to, I received a reply from XXXX XXXX XXXX telling me that the system could not schedule payments more that 30 days out and I had to schedule my first payment on XX/XX/XXXX. I had requested a start date of XX/XX/2020 and would pay on the XXXX of every month moving forward. 
5. I replied on XX/XX/2020 again stating this what not what I agreed to. I received a reply from XXXX XXXX XXXX and replied to him that I would gladly agree to pay XXXX and start payments on XX/XX/2020. 
6. On XX/XX/2020, I received an email from XXXX XXXX about setting up the payment, 30 days before XX/XX/2020, again without stating which amount I would be paying. I replied asking what amount I was paying off. She replied on XX/XX/XXXX with a link again stating that I owed over {$14000.00} ( the amount I owed kept changing even after the account was closed ). 
7. I received links to sign to begin paying on XX/XX/2020, XX/XX/2020, and XX/XX/2020. All of them were for the full balance. None included the {$4200.00} reduction they offered OR the amount of {$7000.00} I counter-offered. Thus, the reason I never began payments was because Capital One was deceptively offering me a discount and accepting my counter-offer while at the same time sending me documents to sign for paying the full amount.

8. I also believe that this entire issue COULD have been handled expeditiously had ONE person been assigned to handle my account. I received emails from XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX, and XXXX XXXX. 
9. I have received at LEAST one email from Capital One monthly up until XX/XX/XXXX asking me to settle or pay the account. Not ONE of them has lowered the amount by the {$4200.00} they initially offered or the {$7000.00} I counter-offered. My last email to them simply stated that I would sign the document and begin payments as soon as the accurate amount was shown. Since I am unable to send THEM a paper for THEM to sign, it would seem the party that has delayed this entire process is Capital One.

10. I have the emails they sent and my replies to substantiate my claims. If Capital One seriously wants to complete this transaction, I am simply waiting for them to negotiate in good faith AND send a document that states what was agreed to by both parties.

11. I have called Capital One twice and the attorney 's office twice to dispute the AMOUNT owed. Capital One has sent me two letters denying the dispute and saying that I owe them money, yet never addressed what the amount or balance was. The attorney 's office washes their hands of it and says the problem is between me and Capital One. On a phone call to Capital One, the person I spoke to in collections said the settlement was negotiated by an outside firm ; I told her that the email had the Capital One logo on it, to which she then replied that it was in-house. She also stated that the settlement amount was noted in the computer.

12. I believe that legally Capital One has to send me a settlement letter/offer for me to sign so that I may make a copy of it. This was never done. They simply sent attachments to their emails for me to electronically sign. I believe Capital One negotiated the settlement and then tried to back out on it after agreeing to it.