Consumer complaint received 2026-01-01 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Trouble using your card — Can't use card to make purchases
Company: CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION

Complaint narrative:
XX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX, SC XXXX XXXX cell XXXX home XXXX Dear Capital One Customer Service : My business has used a Capital One credit card for years to charge monthly business expenses ranging from a few XXXX  to many XXXX. When my family took a bucket list trip to XXXX in the XXXX  of XXXX, I acquired a personal Capital One card, with a limit 0f XXXX and no international fees. After minor purchases, my new card was declined for no disclosed reason, resulting in embarrassment and many hours of phone calls to Capital One. In freezing rain in the 30s, outside the XXXX, XXXX business where my card was declined, I repeatedly sent my photo id, passport and detailed personal information to the company. They said it would take 10 days to verify I was who I said I was. We were on a 2-week trip. I was told that there was a system failure and to call back the next day. This took two hours. 

Factoring in the significant time difference between XXXX and the US, I called back the next day and got a very rude agent. He told me the case had been dismissed, I had a new case number and that they had to verify my identity through copies of utility bills at my home address in the US. My government real id and passport were not sufficient. Then he said they would call people in the US who knew me to verify I was really in XXXX. The main people to call were with me and when I gave other work and family numbers to the agent, he said none of those were correct. I have owned my own business for 33 years so Capital One did not have up to date numbers. The agent told me the contacts listed were male, so at wits end, finally on a hunch, I gave him my husbands number. That was one of the numbers Capital One had, but he died in XX/XX/XXXX from XXXX XXXX. So Capital One was calling my dead husband to verify my identity. When I said clearly they had very out of date and incorrect numbers, he said, We are not the FBI. When I asked them to look at my business Capital One card as another verification, they refused. When I got back to the US, I immediately sought to pay off the small allowed purchases and Capital One made me go through hoops to pay and close the account. They still wanted me to prove I was me with home utility bills. I was trying to give Capital One money. I couldnt use my debit card or my business Capital One credit card. 





I dont know why Capital One approves credit then denies it and makes a customer go through such inconvenience and difficulty. I would like an 1. apology, 2. for management to improve these poor verification systems, 3. and a XXXX credit on my business Capital One card. My business card ends in these numbers XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. The card name is XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. My last 4 of my social are XXXX. 


I placed another call today to the Capital One number and was treated as if I committed fraud. Absolutely no action or understanding has been shown about treating a legitimate customer well. If no action is taken by Capital One, I will most likely escalate to the XXXX XXXX XXXX and other customer protection agencies, and I am considering canceling my Capital One business card. 


Sincerely, XXXX XXXX XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation