Consumer complaint received 2026-01-13 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: NY

Complaint narrative:
I am filing this complaint against Kohl 's ( retailer ) and Capital One ( card issuer ) regarding misleading information provided during an in-store application for a Kohl 's credit card, resulting in me receiving a store-only card instead of the advertised Kohl 's Rewards Visa card, along with an unnecessary hard credit inquiry that harmed my credit score. 

On XXXX, at a Kohl 's department store in XXXX CT, a Kohl 's associate encouraged me to apply for a " Kohl 's Visa credit card '' at checkout. When I questioned her for details, she explicitly stated that it was a Kohl 's Visa card usable anywhere Visa is accepted and that it was issued through Capital One. I informed her that I already have a Capital One account with various credit cards ( Mastercard 's ) and had never heard of such a card, but she reassured me multiple times that it would be a Visa card issued by Capital One. I also stated that I would primarily be using the card at XXXX and she stated that I could use the card anywhere that Visa is accepted. 

Relying on these representations, I applied through the in-store process. The card I received in the mail was a standard Kohl 's store credit card ( usable only at Kohl 's stores and Kohls.com ), not a general-purpose Visa card.

Upon discovering this, I contacted the number on the card and spent over three hours on calls involving Kohl's/Capital One credit services and my bank. I was informed that Kohl 's uses a dual-application system where applicants are randomly/automatically considered for either the Kohl 's Rewards Visa ( general-purpose, usable anywhere Visa is accepted ) or the standard Kohl 's Credit Card ( store-only ). I now understand that approval for the Visa version is not guaranteed and appears to be an arbitrary process, regardless of creditworthiness, income, or other factors. This dual system and the risk of receiving a non-Visa card were never disclosed to me during the application process by the associate.

The associate 's statements were inaccurate and deceptive, directly causing me to apply when I would not have otherwise, as I had no interest in an additional store-only card. This led to an unnecessary hard credit inquiry on my credit report, which negatively affected my credit score. The account was subsequently closed at my request after paying off any small balance, but the inquiry remains.

This appears to involve confusing or misleading advertising/marketing about the credit card terms ( including the product type received ) and problems during the application process, potentially violating consumer protection laws against deceptive practices.

What I have done to try to resolve this : I attempted to resolve directly with Capital One/Kohl 's credit services via phone, but they were unable/unwilling to issue the Visa card without a new application ( and new inquiry ) or to remove the inquiry.

Harm suffered : Negative impact to my credit score from the hard inquiry ; wasted time ( 3+ hours on calls ) ; inconvenience and frustration from the misleading information.

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief