Consumer complaint received 2025-10-29 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
State: WA

Complaint narrative:
This complaint concerns Capital Ones repeated mishandling of my accounts, unethical customer service practices, and unjustified account restrictions that have caused serious financial and personal hardship. 

On or about XXXX XXXX XXXX, my new Capital One XXXX XXXX credit cardrecently activated and paid for with a {$390.00} annual feewas suddenly restricted for alleged fraud immediately after normal use. When I called customer service, the automated system confirmed that the number I was calling from ( XXXX ) matched the number listed on my Capital One profile. Despite that, the representative refused to authenticate me and claimed my phone number was incorrect. 

Without cause, I was required to submit a copy of my drivers license and a utility bill to verify my identity, even though I have been a Capital One customer for years with over {$80000.00} in deposits and annual spending exceeding {$60000.00} on Capital One cards. 

Capital One confirmed receipt of my identification documents on XX/XX/year>, yet stated that it could take 110 business days for review. During this time, both my card and my wifes card remain frozen, leaving us unable to make urgent purchases. 

This restriction caused significant distress because my wifes mother passed away on XX/XX/XXXX, requiring my wife to travel urgently to XXXX for the funeral. She was unable to use our Capital One card abroad due to this unnecessary fraud restriction. I also attempted to book her ticket through Capital One Travel, but the website failed repeatedly, forcing me to purchase the ticket directly from XXXX XXXX without the promised travel credit or miles redemption. 

When I called Capital One again, I spoke to a supervisor named XXXX, who identified himself as a fraud and dispute manager. He confirmed the documents had been received but refused to expedite the review or lift the restriction. When I requested escalation to his supervisor, he stated, we are unable to escalate further. His tone was dismissive and unhelpful despite the documented emergency. 

This is not an isolated event. Capital One has repeatedly issued false positive fraud alerts on my accounts, blocking legitimate transactions and requiring frequent verification calls. These interruptions occur monthly or more, wasting substantial time and causing ongoing inconvenience. No other bank I deal with ( I have several accounts elsewhere ) engages in such excessive, unjustified account freezes. 

Capital Ones repeated authentication failures, arbitrary document demands, and refusal to escalate or resolve issues constitute unfair and deceptive business practices under Virginia and federal consumer protection laws. Forcing long-standing customers with verified accounts to repeatedly send personal documents creates unnecessary security risks and appears retaliatory when customers express frustration. 

The harm caused by Capital Ones actions includes : Interruption of essential credit access during a family emergency Loss of ability to redeem travel benefits and bonuses Wasted time on multiple lengthy phone calls Emotional distress from disrespectful and ineffective customer service Risk of losing promotional bonus miles ( XXXX miles for {$4000.00} spend ) due to time lost under restriction.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation