Crapital One credit cards - is there any worse?

I feel obligated to tell my friends about Crapital One and how they treat customers. I've had dealings with numerous credit card companies over the last 30 years or so, but I've never seen a company as bad as Crapital One's "No Hassle" cards. The "No Hassle" is an obvious joke thought up by someone high in Crapital One's management who had a sick sense of humor. In the recent months I've involved my wife in the Crapital One fiasco and she cannot believe how we are treated and what a credit card company can do. I have nearly 100 pages of documentation on almost a dozen scams by Crap One, but I'll only go over a few problems here. Hopefully someone who deals in credit cards on a daily basis may be able to offer some insight. I'll try to keep this short, but it will be hard. I'm sorry, but it may be worth your time; especially if you happen to have a card by them.

First off, the thought of not being responsible for fraudulent charges; ever heard of that often quoted guarantee of security? With Crap One, forget it! I'll only list one example. (I have several, but I'm trying to keep this short) Recall the auto lift I purchased way back in July of last year? If you recall, it came complete with severe damage. When the shipping company (chosen by and provided by the seller) refused to pay for the damages, saying they had proof it was picked up by them that way, the lift seller basically told me to f*** off. No problem since I paid for it via credit card, right?! Wrong. That's worse actually. I'll explain.

In an effort to try to solve things, I asked the seller if he would just cover the actual cost of getting the lift repaired and I'd cover all the labor and transportation. He told me "You're stupid! F*** no, and don't you EVER call me again!" I called the BBB and state Atty General. They told me to call my credit card co. first off and reverse the charges and then the seller would likely work with me. Hmm, sounded like a good idea, so that's what I did. Crap One wouldn't take off only the damaged portion, but insisted on taking off the entire amount. Oh well...they drew first blood w/me, so okay, the entire amount it is.

Well, the seller, Metro Lifts (still a seller on eBay, but always asks to do the deal outside ebay - to save you ebay fees etc. - first sign I missed) called me in a few days and made all sorts of threats. So, I told them I didn't have time to fool with them and, since they were so nasty, they would deal with my attorney from that point on. (wait, yes, this will get back to the cc company) So, the next day in a phone conversation with my attorney, Metro Lifts is given two simple choices; come pick up the lift and forget the entire deal or take off the bill the estimate amount that was the lowest of 3 quotes - $700. Ken Lowe, owner of Metro Lifts, opts to take the $700 off if he's paid immediately. Since I didn't have any credit cards with me, I logged onto my PayPal account and paid him immediately from funds there. While still on the phone with my attorney, Ken Lowe then told us that he'd get me good and I'd wish I'd never heard of him before. Odd, I thought, but whatever. He signed a faxed letter from the attorney and faxed it back for us both to have on file.

Move on two months; I get a new bill from Crap One with $2500 charged by Metro Lifts. WTF?!! I called Metro and Ken laughed and said "I told you you'd regret dealing with me". Oh well, I figured I'd call Crap One and tell them the charge was fraudulent and be done with it. No can do. It's a Crapital One policy that if a vendor replies to any dispute at all, they immediately charge the entire amount back to the card holder. If I still "think" the charge is fraudulent, I have to again dispute the charge....but this time, they won't take it off. They put it in the "que" to be reviewed sometime in the next 6 months. WTF!!!??? I call them back the next day and demand to speak to a supervisor. (I can give all times, supervisor names and employee numbers, but too much space needed here) The supervisor tells me to send him proof that Metro Lifts has been paid and gives me a fax number. I fax it. A week later I get a letter saying they need proof it's been paid and no more is due. Again, I fax a copy of the PayPal transaction, which includes a "request for payment" by Metro Lifts for "payment in full" for the lift, a copy where the amount was taken from my account, a copy of the email that verifies the amount was "accepted" by Ken Lowe at Metro Lifts, as well as a copy of the letter from my attorney signed by Ken Lowe, president, of Metro Lifts. A week later I get a response from Crapital One saying they need me to send them proof that the amount has been paid and no more is due. I call Crap One, ask for another supervisor (#5 now I think), verify that they have the faxes - they do - and am told by the supervisor that they'll review it within 6 mos and get back with me. In the interim, I am responsible for the entire amount. WTF?!!

A week later another letter from Crap One arrives saying, you guessed, they need proof bla bla bla. More calls, more faxes, more letters. Now, two weeks ago and nine faxes later, Crap One tells me that they'll begin their investigation soon and, BTW, there is another charge by Metro Lifts for another $2500 on my card. Holy shit!! After listening to instructions of how to try to dispute the charge and fax in information as to why I think I don't owe the new amount, I ask to speak to a supervisor. Apparently I'm talking to one. After more discussion, he decides to get a "floor supervisor" for me. (Now remember, each call takes about an hour and a half after all the hold time and punching all the damn buttons for English and verifying all "security" questions) This "floor supervisor" proceeds to 'splain to me that I owe for all charges now, including any finance charges, and that they would now have to start over on another 6 month investigation. I tell him that I'm not going to pay and I inform him that the company who keeps putting on charges is only following through on their threats to make me regret dealing with them. The "floor supervisor" tells me to 'pay your bills'. WTF?!! I tell him that I'm aware that I have an 837 credit score and I do pay my bills! Also, I tell him that I've had enough and I would just have my attorney handle the issue. He laughs and loudly proclaims "you can't sue Capital One!!. I ask him if this issue isn't a pure case of credit card fraud, and he tells me that I don't understand how credit card companies work. I then tell him that I suppose I need to call the police and the FBI since he won't do anything about credit card fraud. I also cancel the card. He also tells me "the police or FBI can't do anything with Capital One!!!

So, guess what?! I call the police and FBI. They say that they have so many calls about Crapital One that they'd just put mine in line. When asked if I don't have a case of obvious cc fraud, they say "yes, but it'll take years for us to get to it". Then they say it would just be easier to just pay Crapital One and deal with another bank. WTF!!!??????? I now call my attorney, the VA Atty General (Crap One is in Richmond, VA), and the local police in Richmond, VA. They all say that Crapital One has so many complaints against them, but even more customers and billions of dollars in attorneys, so they don't have much luck getting Crapital One to court. Holy shit!!!

So, I am still fighting this bullshit by every means and Crapital One now tells me that they can take up to 18 months to review my case. Apparently with Crap One, anyone can bill you for anything and, as long as they reply, you're screwed. Then, that same vendor can continue to bill you as long as you have that card and available credit. No agency is willing to take them on; not even the police or FBI. Agents and officers are working the case, but tell us that it's in line with thousands more; obviously not sounding very hopeful.

Can you believe this?!!! I'm now only going to use credit cards from my local banks. Apparently the larger the cc company, the more they can just screw you. I have sent documentation and letters to 20/20, Dateline NBC and a few other shows. I think it will take that or some attorney who has millions to start a huge civil action law suit. So, now when you see Crap One's "No Hassle" commercials, you know the sad truth.

Damn Dargo you've been having great luck in your life lately.

I don't switch credit cards. I only have 2 cards. My personal card and a corporate card. I've had good luck with both. But I generally do not buy goods or services from too many companies that market the way Capital One markets. I swear that I average 5 offers a week to get one of their cards. They get shredded. Just like the other credit card companies that solicit me for cards with guaranteed acceptance.

It is hard to get good service from the biggest mass marketers of anything. I guess credit cards are just as bad.

Oh, I forgot one other intersting thing I should note from my attorney. As you likely know, attorneys almost always call other attorneys about cases to get advice. Well, my attorney managed to contact another attorney who knows a fellow attorney who works for Crap One. Get this, Crapital One knows for a fact that they have more success threatening the card holder who has a high credit score with promises of putting bad marks on their bureau and sending collection agencies after them that they collect far more of their money that way than actually going after criminal vendors and criminals who commit credit card fraud. Those people either have no money left, file bankruptcy, or continue to flee and are never caught. In other words, Crap One has no qualms about extorting money they know isn't due from their better card holders than getting it back from the criminals who stole it. So...guess which way they almost always pursue?!

I still find it hard to believe that they wield that much power and have that many attorneys that they are nearly immune from prosecution for their criminal ways. Worse yet, all they need to do is flop a few dozen million into more catchy ads about "what's in your wallet", and they will pick up more than enough to replace those who they have screwed. I sound so dumb, but I had no idea...

B_Skurka said:

Damn Dargo you've been having great luck in your life lately.

Click to expand...

I've never seen such. I just keep telling myself that my family is healthy, and all else will eventually pass. But, I have never been one to just bend over and take it. I'm having a hard time right now. First off, I've really battled myself about not going to visit the puppy mill breeder who screwed me and made life hell in that area. However, as I'm all too aware, as difficult as it is to get criminals in jail, I'd be locked up immediately and they'd throw away the key.

With Crap One, I'll keep battling it through agencies that do not cost me out of my pocket. And, hell will freeze over before I'll pay money that was stolen via obvious, easy to prove, credit card fraud. I really don't think I'll ever need to borrow money again in my life, so it's more the point of the false credit report stuff that gets me. Innocent, law abiding, people get punished and the criminals roam free. The bad part is that the more people know this dirty little secret about big credit card companies, the more there are who will go through any means to get your CC number and steal from you. After all, there really isn't any down side right now.

If I didn't get such bad headaches, I guarantee you I'd start drinking! Can't the honest guy win anymore??

Ken Lowe and Metro Lift are real sleazeballs also.
I hate to admit it ....but I have a capital one card I kept for just using online.
Thanks for the heads up Dargo. I'll also stick with my local financial institution from here on out.

Just curious - where is (are?) Ken Lowe and Metro Lift located?

Here is an ebay motors link I found on google:

Find METRO 10 K 2 POST CAR LIFT AUTO HOIST LIFTS TRUCK LIFT in the eBay Motors , Parts ... Call Today 888-661-5454. ken@metro-lifts.com. Ken Lowe ...

That sucks Dargo.. thanks for warning.. I throw a Capitol One CC application away at least once a week.. yesterday's was a small business Capitol One CC.

I had the same type of go-around w/ Amazon.com for a busted TV.. they wouldn't do a refund.. I wanted a replacement.. round & round.. at least my CC company reversed charges.. but they said Amazon already had their money.

Yup, that's them in Mobile, Alabama. Through the Atty General's office I found that they used to be located in Texas and operated under the name of Gemini Lifts there. The best I can tell, they were shut down and run out of Texas. The details are not easy to get because there were several law suits, but I do know that the business now is in Nancy Lowe's name, not Ken's.

The funny thing is that Ken uses the exact same line when anyone calls him. I suppose he's had lots of practice. When the police called, when my attorney called, and when my wife called, Ken said "We operate an honest company doing an honest business...bla, bla, bla." I should have caught that when I first called him. In my first conversation with him (before I bought) he fed me that same line. The police detective is the person who pointed this out to me. He told me that they are trained to recognize as best as possible when someone is telling them a lie. He said that when someone begins out telling you how honest they are (when they are not even asked about honesty), they likely are dishonest. Duh! Oh well, I've obviously not been trained to look for criminals, but I should have noticed that.

Geez Dargo! I just drove through Mobile, AL yesterday! I could have thrown a brick through his window for you or something!

I've always had a funny feeling about Capital One. It's the same feeling I have about CitiBank. They're just too big to care about me.

Wow Brent, That's not good.
What's the process (and/or mailing address) to cancel their card?
I just cut my Capital One card in 1/2 but believe some written correspondence is required back to the company.
It appears you're not alone in your workings with Capital One. Look at THIS page.

Nice link Brian. At least I don't feel alone in falling for Crapital One's numerous scams. Apparently they are a haven for criminals but hell for the honest consumer. Also, that link just further proves that 1) Crap One doesn't give a shit about the customer 2) Crap One intentionally makes it impossible to reach anyone there 3) Crap One firmly believes that they are above the law and they will do what they damn well please.

It just amazes me that we have companies like Crap One doing business here in the U.S. who seem to prove that they are indeed above the law and they answer to nobody. I still am scratching my head in wonder when they flaunt that nobody can bring them down and they prove over and over again that they are correct in that matter. It appears that the only way to bring them down is to get enough people educated on how they operate and have Crap One lose market share. However, they also have that covered. They laugh and say that all they need to do is run more ads and they get more new customers than they can handle. I guess we will soon read of where some customer who Crap One has screwed has gone over the edge and has picked off some Crap One executive. When Crap One can make a difference in someone getting a new car, or even a home loan with their improper reporting to credit bureaus, some people will undoubtedly lose it.

That's only one of many pages of complaints. I did a google search for "capital one". The first page is all the capital one sites. Pretty much every subsequent page is just pages full of complaints including sites dedicated to hosting complaints against the company.

I tried calling customer service to get the proper mailing address. Yea, right. I did finally get someone who then insisted that I had to be transfered to some "special" department to cancel my card. What a bunch of crap. I know that "special" department is just the group that hounds you into staying. Well, the first person couldn't give me a mailing address so I'll just mail it to their main address.

I did see in one of the pages that the state of WV is sueing them for their practices.

Dag, I have one that I got 3 years ago for consolidation, been paying on it, online for all this time, balance going down nicely at 4.9%. I pay on thier online facility, and always pay a bit more than due. Sometimes in fact I pay once my online statement hits, then when I get the paper bill also, making 2 payments. Will be paid off by the end of this year. Never got anything like what is here or on the site listed.............Will be interesting to see how the end comes out now. I have NO credit available, never used the card other than this one transaction, and have always paid on time.

I've since made 4 additional calls to Crap One to no avail. I have each call logged along with the person's first name and employee number. One young lady who took nearly 24 minutes to read the file told me that she couldn't help me, but she was going to cancel her Crap One card! The police detective, I'll call "Brian", called today and said that he is moving the case up to their next level because Crap One has blown him off (as was their promise).

The saga that should have taken 5 minutes to solve over 5 months ago continues with Crap One...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070307/pl_nm/creditcards_congress_dc


are we seeing change here?????????????????

Two more calls today with another hour and a half wasted. Guess what they wanted this time?! They wanted me to send proof that I don't owe the money!
What Stupid Freaking Morons!!!

So, I faxed (and mailed originals - receipts, proof of forgery, copies of an agreed settlement from my law firm etc.) for the 10th (yes 10th) time! Get this, I asked if I could hold on the line to verify that they received exactly what the frick they wanted in the fax. The bitch on the other line told me "Well, no. That goes to our Richmond office and they will enter it into the system within 10 working days and then we will begin the investigation process within 30 days after that.

At this point, I'd love to get a damn senate hearing on other scams by credit card companies. So far, all I've read about is where they steal and cheat on late fees and interest rates. I've never carried a balance in my life nor have ever paid a late fee in my life. I'm finding out Crapital One's HUGE loophole that criminals use. I'll list how right here:

Find the card number of a Capital One credit card. Charge up the max amount you can on the card. Just make up some bogus reason for the charge; it doesn't matter. The cardholder will dispute the charge. Once they do that, you're set and you just won. According to "Shonna" (who claimed to be a floor supervisor), "all the person making the charge has to do is send us anything in response to our letter sent to them telling them that their charge has been disputed, and we immediately bill the card holder and hold them responsible. The billing party could send back a piece of a gum wrapper along with a copy of the dispute letter we sent them and we'll immediately charge the card holder back for the entire amount and hold them responsible. Apparently you don't understand that is how it works here at Capital One".

YES!! That is the actual quote from a Crap One dispute manager. How f***ed is that company?!!

Dargo, it's Monday, we've gotten mail one day this week, in that mail were 2 offers from Cap One. Hmmm. Think I should get one (or two) of their credit cards?

B_Skurka said:

Dargo, it's Monday, we've gotten mail one day this week, in that mail were 2 offers from Cap One. Hmmm. Think I should get one (or two) of their credit cards?

Click to expand...

Yeah get one or two, Tell them Dargo sent you Sorry Dargo I just had to do that

Update

It's been months now since I've been fighting Crap One. It took 19 faxes for them to finally recognize and admit that they received the documentation. No kidding, 19 documented faxes. And, this "supervisor" said that she seems to have several copies of the fax now. Duh!! Anyway, Crap One said that they would begin their investigation within 30 days now. WTF!!??

Fortunately, after Metro Lifts received a letter from the AL Attorney General stating that they have documentation as to where they have charged me twice, once without my permission or knowledge, and that they could lose their business license if they did not report back immediately, Nancy Lowe at Metro Lifts began calling saying that she now wanted to settle this matter. So, she began calling Crap One telling them to take the money back from her account with them and credit it back to my account. Guess what, Crap One says that they can't do that! Apparently anyone who has your credit card number can take money from you but they can't give it back.

Several days later and dozens of calls later, Nancy Lowe of Metro Lifts admits to Crap One that she just wanted to "get" us for making them take responsibility for a damage lift they sent me. She said that she felt that she had caused enough trouble and wanted to pay it back. Get this; in the interim, I had changed my account number at Crap One - this was months ago, and Crap One said that the only way Metro Lifts could give the money back was if I gave them my new account number! Yeah, right; after they stole from me already. I explained to them that that wasn't going to happen. As far as I'm concerned Metro Lifts are a bunch of crooks and I wouldn't ever give them my credit card number.

So, more days and several more calls later another "supervisor" says that they will allow Nancy Lowe to make a payment to my account with her credit card. So, finally, I think this will be over. Nope. Crap One wants almost a hundred bucks in finance charges on this amount that was taken via credit card theft from my account!!! WTF!!!?? They, Crap One, says that since I'm "paying" the account, the amount is legitimate and I owe the finance charges. Now I've lost it with them, I tell the asshole on the phone with Crap One to grab an ink pen, not a pencil, and write this down very carefully; Hell will freeze over before I pay this so called finance charge on an amount that I never owed and was stolen from my account. Now I'm transferred over to some super asshole who tries to read me the riot act about paying my account.

To save the typing, I'll just say that he got nowhere and he backed down quickly when I demonstrated to him that I know more about consumer credit than he does and that he must be a real moron if he expects me to believe his bullshit lies. So, I get another "floor supervisor". Oh boy. Finally this person agrees to take the finance charge off this time as a show of good will towards their customers. (Oh, give me a f***** break!!) Anyway, I finally have a zero balance - according to them; in reality I've had a zero balance for months. So I tell this person I want to cancel the card and want nothing to do with Crap One ever again. As part of their standard speech they say that any charge posted to that account number in the next 30 days will re-open the account. WTF???!! I ask, how's that again? Yup, if anyone charges anything to that account number, valid or not, the account is opened again. Holy shit! Crap One actually gave this new account number to Nancy Lowe when she paid back the amount she stole. So, if she wants to continue to F with me, she can simply charge anything she wants against that account number and this all starts over again!!!!

I explain this fact to the Crap One person and they say "well, just hope they don't make any charges against your account in the next 30 days". Holy shit!!! How in the hell can that be their policy?! I try again to explain that Metro Lifts are crooks who have already demonstrated their willingness and ability to use the "system" to screw with me and that I have no doubt that they may well decide to do so again since I've filed additional complaints with any agency I can find about them. Crap One tells me, there is nothing they can do to stop someone from charging that account after I have requested it cancelled. Obviously, to me, this makes absolutely no sense at all. I'm getting nowhere , so I just say CANCEL my account and hang up.

I now call the Attorney General of Virginia. I am transferred to the Bureau of Financial Institutions of Virginia based in Richmond, VA. I try to give as brief as possible an explanation of what is going on with Capital One and what I want. They take my number and tell me they will call me back. Two days later they call back and say that they cannot speak to anyone at Crap One who can make any decision or stop my account from being open for charges. They asked me to put my complaint in writing and send it to them at P.O. Box 640, Richmond, VA 23218-0640. So, I do so and sent them the now 28 pages of notes of each conversation with people at Crap One along with all the documentation, including the fax that was sent to Crap One 19 times.

So, last week I get another idea. I called Crap One and tell them my card has been stolen. I tried that before and they told me that "we know it hasn't been stolen, don't lie to us". What pricks! Anyway, I get a different person this time. This person says that they will stop the account now and re-issue new cards. No!!!! I explain that I do NOT want new cards. So, get this; the person then says that they will put on my credit bureau that they, the lender, had to cancel my account for payment issues. WTF??!! As usual, I ask this person's name (they won't give a last name) and their employee number. I tell them that I promise that I will personally name them in the law suit I will file today if they do so and that I consider that threat as harrassment based on my race! Guess what?! After being on hold for about a minute they come back on and tell me that my account is now cancelled, at customer's request, and is there anything else they can do for me? No thanks, bye!

Get this; I know this is phishing crap, but I got this the day after Crap One finally cancelled my account.


Do you guys get these emails trying to steal your account number all the time too? I've told my wife and kids to NEVER respond to any email from anyone they didn't email first, and I've never even responded to one of these; even to try to screw with them. But, it does seem odd that I got this one from Crap One right after my account was cancelled. It sort of makes me wonder who has access to Crap One's system and records.

Generally I get these types of emails from banks I don't do business with. It just seems odd that I got this one right after I FINALLY got my account with Crap One cancelled.

Dargo.. not only do I throw away all my Cap. Crap CC offers.. now I burn them!

Seems CC fraud is good business for the CC companies.. no wonder they don't really want to stop it.

Okay, I know everyone is likely bored stiff with what Capital One does, but I just had to show this final bill I received today. Since this is the internet, I tried to take out anything personal. If I missed and left some, please let me or one of the mods know.

I just had to show how they operate. I have never carried a balance on a credit card ever. If you look at the highlighted areas you can see where there was one stray transaction for $45.90 that hit this card before I managed to get the account stopped. That vendor even voluntarily removed the charge. However, look at the amounts listed and the amount listed as paid. No amount was carried over from any previous month. No amount was left due. The balance was paid in full. It was completely paid before it ever became late or was carried over from any previous balance. This is the exact same account that I've been fighting each and every month with these idiots and the criminals at Metro Lifts.

Still, as a nice parting gift, Capital One decided to "give" me a $21.81 finance charge; even though no balance was carried over and no balance was left on the account. If there was any balance at all, even a penny, I could not have cancelled the account. When I just called Capital One to inquire about this mystery finance charge, I was told "that is just the way we do business". There was positively no logical, or even illogical, reason the customer support representative could give me for the charge. When transferred to a "supervisor", I got the same story. Except the supervisor told me that I would have to pay the $21.81 or they would turn me over to a collection agency and they would "ruin" my credit history.

Maybe I shouldn't have, but I actually did tell them that hell would freeze over before I paid the $21.81 that I positively do not owe. Also, I told them that if any collection agency ever called me on the amount I would tell them that I do not owe the amount, it is disputed, and by law, they are required to never contact me again on the issue. I also kindly explained to the extremely arrogant supervisor that if they did try to extort the $21.81 from me, I promised that it would not be a wise nor legal move. I gave them the name and number of my attorney and told them that any and all future correspondences from Crapital One must go through said attorney at said law firm. And, after all they have dragged me though, I would definitely sue and have my law firm demand a jury trial.

Can you believe that a company like Capital One is actually still in business here in the U.S. or A. ripping people off each and every day?!! Do you think it's possible that if enough people file complaints that a company of that size can be brought down? If you read earlier in this thread, one of their supervisors laughed at me and told me that nobody can sue Capital One and that they answer to nobody.

UnFreakingBelievable!

Even though the date I made the last post was on 3/20/07, Crapital One finally cleared my account of bogus charges on 3/13/07 and told me that 30 days without any activity would have to pass before the account is totally cancelled. All cards were shredded and nobody had the account numbers. Well, we forgot to call on the 14th of this month, but my wife called today to verify that the card was in fact gone. Guess what?! Crapital One posted a $2500 charge to my account yesterday, 4/16/07!!!!! The explanation?; an adjustment.

What bullshit!!!!! First off, I don't owe those incompetent bastards a penny. Second off they don't even follow their own bullshit rule of cancelling an account after no activity for 30 days after a cancel request has been posted! I'm on hold with the bastards now and have been on the phone with them for almost 2 hours right now. Nobody can tell me why I've been charged $2500 on an account nor why the account even still exists, yet nobody will make the proper corrections. WTF can I do now??? I've more than had my fill of these incompetent pricks! Any ideas? So far I cannot find any agency at all that gives a shit about what credit card companies do.


Can you believe what shit I'm going through with Capital One??? This is totally unreal! There is no excuse for this shit and I see no reason this company is still in business!

What does your lawyer say about all this? Does he recommend filing any suits?
Is he playing any part in this? Let me know if I'm being too nosy......

Big Dog said:

What does your lawyer say about all this? Does he recommend filing any suits?
Is he playing any part in this? Let me know if I'm being too nosy......

Click to expand...

I actually have 2 attorneys involved in this. Quite frankly, Crapital One doesn't give a shit. They have hundreds of lawyers on staff and seem to be able to get by with complete fraud.