This letter was sent to the Chairman and CEO of Capital One Bank on February 15th. All employee names have been changed to protect the helpful but ineffective. Should a response arrive I will print it.
Mr. Richard Fairbank
Chairman and CEO
Capital One Bank
General Correspondence
P.O. Box 30285
Salt Lake City, UT 84130-0285
Dear Mr. Fairbank,
This is to tell you why you are losing a long-standing customer.
On January 26th, I called Capital One in response to a letter I received regarding my Capital One Visa card being switched to a No Hassle Cash Visa. I asked the rep, Andrea, if it was advisable for me to also have a new card number issued in light of the recently publicized security breach at a major discount shopping chain. She said she would check. She put me on hold and came back to tell me as per my request my card had been canceled and a new one ordered. I should have it in 14 business days. Now welcome to my nightmare.
My card had not been affected by the security breach. I told Andrea to un-cancel my card as it was my only credit card and I could not be without one for two weeks and I never requested its cancellation. She said that was not possible to do but she apologized for the misunderstanding. After more conversation she agreed to consult a supervisor. She then informed me that even though it wasn’t their policy, they would send a new card out that day by UPS (Friday, January 26th) and it would arrive January 31st but I would have to be home to sign for it. I rearranged my day to be at home all afternoon for UPS. It did not come.
I called Capital One January 31st and spoke to Tim who was also very nice and apologetic. He consulted the computer and reported that for some reason the UPS field kicked out the request. I asked why no one called me. He said no one knew. They thought the card was on its way. But he was sending one out IMMEDIATELY by UPS and promised it would arrive on February 5th and again reiterated that I would have to sign for it. I rearranged my day to be at home all afternoon for UPS. It did not come February 5th.
I called Capital One February 5th and spoke to Jeremy who was even nicer and more apologetic than Tim, if that’s even possible, and he said the system showed that UPS kicked out the request again so it looked as if a card had been sent by regular mail. I should get it February 7th. He said if it did not arrive on the 7th to call and ask for a supervisor and an emergency card would be sent to me overnight. I asked why this had not been done on January 26th when my card was erroneously canceled and he said it should have been.
I called Capital One on February 7th when no card arrived and spoke to a supervisor named James who was even nicer and more apologetic than Jeremy, if that’s even possible. He said a card had definitely been sent, either by UPS or mail, possibly both, and I should get it Monday or Tuesday, February 12th or 13th. Today is the 13th. Nothing came. I called Capital One again today and spoke to Les, a supervisor who was even nicer and more apologetic than James, if that’s even possible. He said there have been major problems with getting cards out to customers by UPS and I really should be getting it so soon I can almost be using it.
I sent something to my son in another state by UPS three days ago and he got it today. He didn’t even need it as badly as I need my canceled credit card. And I don’t spend nearly as much on advertising what a terrific mother I am as you people do telling us what a great credit card program you are. Today I also gave my dentist a check for $1,100 that I normally would have charged on your card which made him ask me why the check. When I told him this story he said, “Wow, my wife’s American Express card needed to be replaced and they got one to her overnight.”
The next time a barbarian asks me what’s in my wallet I can promise it won’t be you.
Yours very truly,
OneSaneVoice
Abused former cardholder