Chronology of a Credit Card Company Screw-Up (and potentially life ruining consequences)
Today, my mortgage broker informed me that - a week or so before I'm supposed to lock into a mortgage - my ability to secure a decent rate is in serious jeopardy due to an extremely late credit card charge that just made it's way to my credit score. Needless to say, this charge is fraudulent. Below is a chronology of my attempt to deal with this.
8:49am - Mortgage broker emails me to say that my credit score has very recently gone from perfect (where it's been my entire life) to sub-par thanks to a charge of $20 associated with a Capital One card. The charge came on 2/04/08 on a card that I have not used in more than a year.
9:10am - Capital One Fraud Division agrees that this is likely fraud. They agree to investigate, and remove the late fees from my account. They say they cannot remove the charge, nor can they send a letter that documents the situation.
9:31am - Capital One Account Management agrees to fax me an "emergency lender" letter that documents the following: (1) The charge to my card is being investigated for fraud; (2) The late fees have been removed from my account; (3) Prior to the mystery charge in Feb '08, there had been no account activity for seven months; (4) In my ten year history with the card, I had never been late on a payment.
2:30pm - Letter has not yet arrived. I call the Capital One Fraud Division (the only phone number I have available). They have no record of any of the above. They hang up on me twice.
2:50pm - I talk to a supervisor at the Capital One Fraud Division. He agrees to refer me back to the Capital One Account Management Division who eventually finds a record of the morning conversation. It had been misfiled. The Capital One account manager informs me that my request for a letter had been denied. Paradoxically, they cannot send an "emergency lender" letter until the Fraud investigation has been concluded, which usually days 30 business days.
3:15pm - I talk to a Senior Account Manager at Capital One Account Managment. He says that the request was denied, because it is not company policy to reveal account information about fraud investigation or about the client side of account history. I ask then what an "emergency lender" letter is. He says that he does not know.
3:30pm - The Senior Account Manager at Capital One agrees to send me a letter stating that the late fees have been removed from my account. He claims that my mortgage lender will accept this, and that all other information is irrelevant. I should receive this letter via fax by 6pm tonight.
Stay tuned.
8:49am - Mortgage broker emails me to say that my credit score has very recently gone from perfect (where it's been my entire life) to sub-par thanks to a charge of $20 associated with a Capital One card. The charge came on 2/04/08 on a card that I have not used in more than a year.
9:10am - Capital One Fraud Division agrees that this is likely fraud. They agree to investigate, and remove the late fees from my account. They say they cannot remove the charge, nor can they send a letter that documents the situation.
9:31am - Capital One Account Management agrees to fax me an "emergency lender" letter that documents the following: (1) The charge to my card is being investigated for fraud; (2) The late fees have been removed from my account; (3) Prior to the mystery charge in Feb '08, there had been no account activity for seven months; (4) In my ten year history with the card, I had never been late on a payment.
2:30pm - Letter has not yet arrived. I call the Capital One Fraud Division (the only phone number I have available). They have no record of any of the above. They hang up on me twice.
2:50pm - I talk to a supervisor at the Capital One Fraud Division. He agrees to refer me back to the Capital One Account Management Division who eventually finds a record of the morning conversation. It had been misfiled. The Capital One account manager informs me that my request for a letter had been denied. Paradoxically, they cannot send an "emergency lender" letter until the Fraud investigation has been concluded, which usually days 30 business days.
3:15pm - I talk to a Senior Account Manager at Capital One Account Managment. He says that the request was denied, because it is not company policy to reveal account information about fraud investigation or about the client side of account history. I ask then what an "emergency lender" letter is. He says that he does not know.
3:30pm - The Senior Account Manager at Capital One agrees to send me a letter stating that the late fees have been removed from my account. He claims that my mortgage lender will accept this, and that all other information is irrelevant. I should receive this letter via fax by 6pm tonight.
Stay tuned.
posted by isaacjosephson at 4:02 PM
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