Consumer complaint received 2026-04-29 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Advertising and marketing, including promotional offers — Confusing or misleading advertising about the credit card
Company: CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
State: NJ

Complaint narrative:
Complainant, a cardholder in good standing on the Capital One XXXXXXXX XXXX account, submits this formal complaint concerning Capital Ones unfair, deceptive, and procedurally defective administration of the advertised {$300.00} annual Capital One XXXX credit. The credit expired on XX/XX/XXXX without any notice whatsoever. Complainant first contacted Capital One customer service on XX/XX/XXXX ( only XXXX days later ) seeking relief. The banks rigid refusal to provide any remedy, combined with systemic design flaws, has caused direct financial harm and substantial non-economic harm ( mental anguish, frustration, and significant time wasted on multiple calls ). Complainant is not done with this matterthe cumulative impact far exceeds the face value of the forfeited credit. XXXX. Deceptive Restriction of the Travel Credit to the Primary Cardholder Only Engineered Denial of Benefit to Authorized Users and XXXX XXXX Capital Ones policy that the {$300.00} annual travel credit applies only when the primary cardholder books ( and never when an authorized user books ) is a deceptive practice designed to deny the benefit in the very scenarios most consumers would use it. As first-time cardholders, Complainant and his authorized user spouse reasonably believed the credit would apply to family travel booked through the Capital One XXXX XXXX XXXX Complainants spouse booked the qualifying travel for XX/XX/XXXX through XX/XX/XXXX ( total spend approximately {$3000.00} ) using the authorized-user card. The primary cardholder was included on the itinerary and ultimately paid the balance due. Despite actual expenditure through Capital Ones own portal and multiple calls to the travel desk ( including inquiries about miles ), the credit was never applied. This is not a neutral policyit is a deliberate structural barrier. Capital One markets the {$300.00} credit as a core advertised benefit of the XXXX XXXX card, yet its internal rules render the credit unavailable whenever an authorized user ( or family member ) handles the booking. The portal terms and conditions contain no clear, conspicuous warning at the point of booking that authorized-user transactions are ineligible. This omission is materially deceptive : consumers are induced to choose Capital One XXXX expecting the credit, only to have it withheld on technical grounds that Capital One never prominently discloses. XXXX. Deliberate and Engineered Failure to Provide Any Notification of Impending Expiration Systemic Forfeiture Mechanism Capital One furnished XXXX notificationby email, physical mail, mobile push alert, text, or any other channelthat the {$300.00} credit would expire on XX/XX/XXXX. When this omission was raised on the XX/XX/XXXX call, the Capital One XXXX representative expressly admitted that the bank dont send notifications and that such alerts are not part of the terms and conditions. The official terms require manual monitoring of the My travel credits and offers View activity page. This is not oversight ; it is corporate policy. Capital One possesses ( and routinely uses ) robust notification systems for statements, fraud alerts, payments, and other events, yet deliberately withholds any reminder for the single highest-value, time-sensitive benefit tied to the {$390.00} annual fee. This engineered forfeiture maximizes the number of unused credits, enriching Capital One at consumers expense. This conduct has caused Complainant significant anguish, mental distress, XXXX, and a substantial expenditure of time across multiple calls to the travel desk and customer service. As first-time users relying on the advertised benefit, the opaque policies forced repeated, unproductive follow-ups that would have been entirely unnecessary had Capital One implemented basic notifications or clearer disclosures. The mental pressure and time wasted are worth materially more than the {$300.00} credit itself. XXXX. One-Sided Call-Recording Policy and Unauthorized Access of Authorized-User Records Fundamental Fairness and Privacy Violations Capital One records all customer calls for its own protection yet explicitly prohibits customers from recording the same conversations, citing policy. The representative in this matter insisted the customer could not record while simultaneously accessing and discussing prior call transcripts and booking details tied to the authorized user spouse without ever requesting or obtaining verbal authorization from the primary cardholder. The agent later conceded she pulled the records simply because the primary cardholder had asked to review previous conversations. This creates a profound and unfair imbalance : the bank equips itself with complete documentation while denying the consumer the identical right to document interactions for dispute resolution or regulatory complaints. XXXX. Refusal to Provide Any Case ID, Tracking Number, or Formal Record of the Complaint Additional Deceptive Barrier to Escalation During the XX/XX/XXXX call, the representative explicitly stated that Capital One XXXX doesnt work through cases, provides no case ID or tracking number for the conversation, and has no formal process to reference or escalate the complaint. The agent further advised the customer to simply write down the date and time of the call. This is a deliberate policy that leaves consumers without any verifiable record or reference number with which to follow up, escalate, or prove the content of the interaction. XXXX. Absolute Prohibition on Supervisory Override or Manual Relief Rigid No Exceptions Policy That Locks in Forfeitures Capital One representatives repeatedly asserted that there is no manual process for any supervisor or higher-level agent to override policy and reinstate or apply the expired {$300.00} travel crediteven when the expiration was discovered and reported within XXXX days, the travel had already occurred through Capital Ones own portal, and the cardholders acted in good faith. Agents stated they could not go against policy and had no discretion whatsoever to provide relief. This blanket prohibition on supervisory discretion is itself potentially deceptive and creates an impenetrable procedural wall that prevents any meaningful customer-service resolution. XXXX. Misrepresentation Regarding the Absence of a Retention Department Further Barrier to Resolution and Potential Deception When Complainant specifically asked to be transferred to a retention department ( or any department with authority to provide goodwill or escalation ), the representative explicitly stated that Capital One XXXX does not have a retention department and that no such department exists for this purpose. The agent offered only a transfer to the general credit card line. This statement is potentially deceptive or materially misleading. By denying the very existence of a retention pathway, Capital One creates yet another artificial barrier that discourages legitimate escalation. Account verification : my XXXX XXXX account ; authorized user spouse ( on file ). Complainant is prepared to furnish full call recordings/transcripts, booking confirmations for XXXX XXXX XXXX, portal screenshots showing the XX/XX/XXXX expiration, and any other supporting materials. This matter involves clear, quantifiable consumer injury and non-economic harm and systemic practices that have harmed ( and continue to harm ) a significant number of cardholders. Prompt regulatory intervention and remedial action are warranted.

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief