Consumer complaint received 2020-10-06
Product: Credit card or prepaid card — Store credit card
Issue: Problem when making payments — Problem during payment process
Company: CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION (NE)

In XXXX of 2020, I contacted Capital One in regard to an account that had been closed to receive a payoff amount and a remittance address. I was told to send a check in the amount of {$660.00} to a physical address provided by Capital One. I sent the check for the full amount and it appeared on my bank statement to have cleared my account electronically on XX/XX/2020. I did not hear anything back, but was not advised that I would receive any correspondence so I assumed the matter was closed. In the month of XXXX or XXXX ( my memory escapes me due to the birth of my son ) I received a perforated enveloped check from Capital One in the amount of {$660.00}, however I did not correlate this check to the check I had sent months prior. There was no memo to explain what the check was referenced to. I contacted Capital One customer service and the agent could not find an origination for the check or determine what the check was for. They then told me the check was part of a scam and instructed me to shred the check, which I did immediately. I also inquired if I needed to report the scam to any additional agency and they assured me the matter would be handled within their office and I did not need to speak to anyone else. A month later I noticed my credit report was still reporting a balance due on this card and multiple missed payments, negatively reflecting on my credit score. I called Capital One and inquired about the balance and was told that they never received a payment on this card. I provided a check number, amount, date and a copy of my bank statement showing where the payment cleared my bank account. Their dispute center contacted me and requested a cancelled check image. I reached out to the local branch of my bank and I was told that a cancelled check image was never sent back to the bank from Capital One because it was deposited electronically, therefore they did not have one to provide to me. When I spoke with Capital One on the phone about this, they told me that they always send a cancelled check image and insisted that we contact my bank together. We first contacted the bank rep at my local branch that I had already spoke with and she explained to the agent the exact explanation that was provided to me. The agent then insisted we contact the corporate office of my bank, which we did. The bank rep at the corporate office said the exact same thing as the local rep, but was able to have the IT department source that the electronic deposit was captured in XXXX, Virginia, which is where Capital One 's corporate office is. The Capital One agent said she would have to send this information back to the payment team and would follow up with me. The following week she reached out to me and I was told that due to Capital One not being able to locate my check or the check that was sent to me from Capital One that had been shredded, I needed to file a complaint with my bank and have the bank pay my money back to me. At this point, I requested a contact address, agent and a record of our call transmissions so I could begin filing in small claims court. I also notified them that I would be filing a complaint with XXXX  and the CFPB. I was told they only way they would provide call records would be through subpoena. They did however provide me with an address but no agent.