Consumer complaint received 2024-02-25 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Fees or interest — Problem with fees
Company: CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
State: OH

Complaint narrative:
Capital One 's customer service operations. These activities have led me to suspect a phishing scheme designed to illicitly gather sensitive information from Capital One customers. As a customer of both Capital One and XXXX XXXX XXXX amidst reports of an acquisition between the two entities, I find these developments both alarming and unusual. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I made a payment of {$330.00} to my Capital One credit card account, anticipating that this payment would settle my account before the due date of XX/XX/XXXX, thus avoiding any late fees. Despite this timely payment, I was charged a late fee of {$40.00} on XX/XX/XXXX. Seeking resolution, I used the call function within my Capital One app on my XXXX XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX, which connected me to a customer service agent. This number was XXXX ( XXXX ) XXXX. During this call, the agent, who mentioned being located overseas, informed me they could not access details of my last payment nor waive the late fee. 

Feeling unresolved, I then directly called the number on the back of my card, XXXX, only to encounter similar issues. Throughout these interactions, the inability of the representatives to access my account details or to offer any substantial assistance raised my suspicions. Their insistence that I make a payment to adjust my due date, and their overall lack of familiarity with standard Capital One procedures, further contributed to my concerns. 

- 18 U.S. Code 1956 - Laundering of monetary instruments, which addresses the conduct of financial transactions with proceeds from unlawful activities - Efforts by the Department of Homeland Security to disrupt XXXX and criminal financing, which include tracking and preventing the illicit movement of funds - The U.S. Department of the Treasury 's role in combating illicit finance, including safeguarding our financial system against misuse and targeting the financial networks of security threats Detailed Description of Observations and Potential Violations : 1. Unauthorized Operations by Overseas Call Center The customer service experience with Capital One appears to have been compromised, potentially violating laws against fraud and unauthorized access to sensitive customer information ( 18 U.S.C. 1030- Fraud and related activity in connection with computers ). The nature and tone of inquiries during these interactions are inconsistent with previous experiences and raise suspicions of unauthorized access to Capital One 's customer service infrastructure. 

2. Phishing for Sensitive Information There seems to be a concerted effort to extract personal and financial information from customers under false pretenses, potentially violating laws against identity theft and fraud ( 18 U.S.C. 1028- Fraud and related activity in connection with identification documents, authentication features, and information ). The requests for information go beyond the scope of normal customer service protocols, suggesting a phishing operation. 

3. Discrepancies in Financial Charges The Capital One app has shown inconsistencies in the application of late fees, displaying charges on due dates and additional fees post-payment. This situation may not only violate consumer protection laws but also suggests possible manipulation of financial records to defraud customers. 

Due to this inconvenience I would like 12 months of late fees to be waved. My due is the XXXX l. I am being charged a late fee on the XXXX. 

Willingness to Provide Additional Information : I am prepared to offer further details, including call logs, recorded phone call and screenshots of the app discrepancies, to assist with your investigation. Please contact me at your earliest convenience to discuss how I can help. 

Thank you for your prompt attention to this critical matter. I trust that your investigation will help protect consumers and ensure the accountability of financial institutions.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation