Consumer complaint received 2023-03-24
Product: Credit card or prepaid card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Closing your account — Company closed your account
Company: CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION (WA)

I am experiencing a puzzlingly intense frustration with Capital One Bank regarding a business credit card account. 

I received notice from Capital One in XX/XX/XXXX that a photo copy of my drivers license and social security card was needed to meet federal criteria in order to continue providing me with a business credit card that I had with the bank for many years. I was unsure that this was a genuine request because Capital One did not provide a link or other secure document portal through which to provide that information. This was odd because I had opened a new personal credit card with Capital One and they did provide a secure portal. Also, in XXXX there was a breach of my information from Capital One making this request suspect. In XXXX, I confirmed via telephone call that the request was genuine. I sent the documents through the USPS. I received no response from Capital One. 
In XXXX I called and was told that the documents had not been received. I sent them again immediately via registered mail. USPS confirmed the documents were received. When I called, the representative informed me the documents had not been received. Upon learning I had USPS proof that they had been received I was transferred to another representative. After several layers of representatives, rising to the level of supervisor, I was informed that indeed Capital One had received the documents, but they were not clear enough and needed to be sent again. I was given a fax number this time. I faxed to the number given. When following up, Capital One stated they did not receive the fax. They also said that the fax number I had been given was the wrong one and they had no idea who was in possession of my documents. With a new fax number in hand I sent the documents again. Upon follow up, I was told the documents were not clear enough. I faxed them again with high resolution color technology. Upon follow up I was told it was not known if they were received. I physically took the documents into the local branch of Capital One Bank but was told the local bank was separate from the credit department and they could not help me. Shortly thereafter, my business credit card was locked, and my auto pay accounts were being rejected. I again sent documents via USPS a second time and faxed them three more times. On XX/XX/XXXX, I phoned Capital one and the representative told me the case regarding this account had been closed but could not explain why. The account was locked. I scaled up to a supervisor again, who told me to send the documents yet again! When we try to get to a higher level of supervisor, we are told it was not possible and we are stuck where we are. 

I was notified by a credit monitoring service that Capital One has closed my account and that this may negatively impact my credit. I found it odd that Capital One never informed me of this directly. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I called and was told by a representative that it was possible to reopen the account. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I received an email that I could upload the documents through a secure server. I did so and received confirmation in an email that the documents were received. 

When I called to follow up on XX/XX/XXXX, I was told by an agent that the documents had not been received and that the account could not be reopened. This representative also told me, as did all the others, that there was no avenue to file a complaint. I asked for the address of the corporate headquarters and was told that this could not be disclosed. So, I read that address to him from the website. 

I called again and managed to scale up again to supervisors. At last one told me that my documents had been received and she was able to give me dates. She also noted that the documents were legible. But there has been no written notification about any of this from the company and they refused to allow me to audio record the encounters. 

I call weekly to Capital One and each time run into dead ends with kind-heated representatives who have no power to acknowledge that documents were received and no way to move us along to a higher authority. 

Capital Ones incompetence impacts my credit by closing the account, cutting off the means of my paying vendors, and forcing me to open accounts at another bank. 

Having no other opportunity to deal directly with Capital One bank on this matter, I am now seeking redress with the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau.