Rant on Capital One

[Texas Proud]

Well, gonna rant on Capital One...



The short background is that we were in Europe and bought a SIM and was told it would work everywhere... it did not...


So, when I got home complained to Capital One that I should not have to pay the full price as I did not get the service promised (I am leaving out a LOT of info on this as it is not part of my rant)... I spent 40 minutes on the phone going over the problem and how we tried to get it fixed. I was told they were going to send papers that I needed to fill out for the claim. I got those papers a week later...


I then spent a couple of days writing down everything that I had spent 40 minutes earlier telling them the problem... it was like those were wasted minutes as very little was down... so mailed in the response via snail mail as my options was fax or snail mail... my DW remembers me saying I was mailing it in with plenty of time....


Well, it seems not... they said it needed to be in by the 21st and they did not get it until the 23rd... well, I do not believe them as I mailed it the 13th and it does not take that long to get anywhere in the US... plus the 23rd is a Sunday and who delivers on Sunday....


SOOO, they said that since I did not get them the info in time the claim was closed and they would not reopen it... they told me 'it was the law'... why do they lie to you on this... they have 60 to 90 days to respond to a complaint, not 3 weeks...


I ripped a manager a new one but do not think anything will happen... he did send me a link to upload 'new' info for them to look at but I have no new info as I sent in everything that I had!!!



Looks like I will be using Cap One a LOT less going forward.. all for $27... I first need to find another CC that does not charge a fee for overseas charges..

 

[TheWizard]

I didn't think Capital One was a wireless communications company nowadays.

And next time, try using Google Fi in Europe.
It works in almost all European countries but not in all African countries...

 

[Go-NoGo]

Or T-mobile Magenta 55+
Free cellular data almost any country outside the US

Also Capital one offers international cellular service? can you point us to link ?

 

[CardsFan]

OP,

I am assuming you bought a SIM card from another vendor using your Cap One card. If I am wrong, please disregard my comments. Did you go back to the original vendor to complain? That is where I would start. If that did not work, I MIGHT dispute the charge, on line, with Cap One, using what ever info I got from the initial complaint.

Sounds like you waited until you got home to complain, and you got SOME use from the card. There IS a time frame where you can challenge the charge.

All in all, if you have been happy with a card's service for years, why would you cancel it because they could/would not reverse a $27 charge that you made overseas?

Frankly, I might be pissed at the original vendor, but would have a hard time blaming the charge card company.

Anyway, good luck.

 

[punkinhead]

I disputed a charge on my Capital One card last week on their website. I logged on, clicked on the charge, selected dispute, then answered 3 or 4 questions. It was resolved in my favor within hours. Couldn't have been easier. One of the canned questions was if I'd tried to resolve it with the vendor and, if so, how. I answered that I'd emailed the vendor and didn't get a response.

 

[Texas Proud]

Yea, not interested in what should have happened... I did not have any say in it... but since people are missing the point about Cap One being a problem I will give more info..



Yes, DW bought a SIM card in Italy and they said it would work in Switzerland.. we paid extra for it working there... well, it did not.. her cousin went back and paid extra for it to work... but that only lasted 7 days.. we bought another SIM in Switzerland... it was challenged within 10 days of buying it... I also challenged it in plenty of time for Cap One...


My problem is Cap One took all the info for my claim... and then sent me paperwork that I had to send back (which I did) but said they did not get it in time so closed the case... they now say they will not reopen it.. THAT is the problem.. from me first reporting to them closing it was 21 days... they then said it was the law... it is NOT the law...

 

[TheWizard]

Oh well, it was only $27...

 

[punkinhead]

For $27 I'll click on a link and answer a few questions but it's been several decades since I've been willing to spend 45 minutes on the phone and even more time filling out paperwork for $27. Life it too short to waste time and get aggravated over something so trivial.

 

[luckydude]

I agree with OP that CapOne messed up on the claims process. So certainly CapOne could've done better. The claim amount is irrelevant. It's the process that needs to be corrected.

Having said that, IMO sometimes it's just not worth the hassle to try to fight over a trivial amount, even if one is in the right. OP probably spendt tens of thousands of dollars on the trip, and in that context a mere $27 is a drop in the bucket and not worth the hours of hassles of phone calls and filling out paperwork.

Also, if CapOne has been good in the past, I would continue to use it. No company is perfect, and to expect that everything will go right every time is unrealistic. I've had a CapOne card for over a decade. They have certainly slipped up a couple of times on my claims, but then I look at all the other times when they've been excellent (especially fraud prevention and detection), and I'm willing to overlook a slip up here and there because on the whole, CapOne has been good for me.

 

[Aerides]

For $27 for an international dispute, most CC's would just write it off - some even for domestic.

Many (Amex) are also more flexible on the 60 days, but it depends on the nature of the dispute. And global network processing among issuers/acquirers.

And don't ever mail in your support - they must all have a secure inbox or email or upload process these days.

But yeah, move away from SIM cards if you can, find a carrier that makes your life easier, especially if you travel internationally with some frequency (another Google Fi vote here, not it's not perfect, but far better than this mess).

 

[gailwinters]

Re: the mail delivery times - we have had two instances in the past six months where mail was not delivered across town - once our mail to someone else, and once mail sent to us. Neither envelope has ever turned up.

 

[dknighd]

If you do not like the way Capital One handled this, you are free to cancel your card. Or just not use it any more. And, luckily here you are allowed to rant once in a while.


You were "told" the SIM would work. Do you have written documentation? If so, submit that as additional information.


I hope this rant made you feel better. Sometimes you just have to let it out. Even if it makes no difference. Do not rant to people on the phone, they are just doing their jobs!


I hope you enjoyed the rest of your trip. What did you see? Would you do it again if not for this SIM issue?

 

[Texas Proud]

Some comments....


I did NOT know it was going to take 40 minutes to get the claim in at first... that was the first thing that irked me...


Then they send me paperwork asking me to write down what I had told them... irked again...


Then get TWO letters the same day saying that they closed the claim and that was that... another time...


So, called to see what happened and was told it was my fault for not getting the letter to them in time and they would not do anything to open it up again... but the guy did send me a link to upload info (BTW, this was NOT offered when I was supposed to send stuff in the first time, it was either FAX or snail mail)... irked again...


I did send in the claim info again but that is the end for me... it has taken a LOT longer than I expected due to Cap One's system and requests... it should have been a 5 minute claim at the start and that would be the end... I will not do anything else on this... irked that it took so long with no results...



Cap One used to be my main card... now it is Fidelity (2% on everything) but Cap One still is used for overseas and every once in awhile..


Like most CCs you never do anything but use it and pay the bill... same with this one... I cannot say they were 'good' as I never dealt with them before this... I do not want to have to do this again especially if the amount is much bigger...


Ranting helps!!!

 

[W2R]

Ranting helps!!!

Glad it helped!

 

[Texas Proud]

BTW, I did not mention that a few years ago I made a claim against the soccer club my daughter attended... some girl decided to hit her a few times and the club did nothing... the club was unwilling to return any of my money (had already paid for the season)...


Got in touch with Chase... 5 to 10 minutes of explanation and I got a credit.. nothing ever came back to me for any update... a done deal quickly... and it was over $300...



This is why I complain about Cap One.. all these hoops for a measly $27 and they say they will do nothing... we will see what happens since I sent in info requested and if I get the money back I will update...

 

[Koolau]

Oh well, it was only $27...

Heh, heh, just be glad your 40 minute call burned more than $27 of their time. Don't get mad. Get even!

 

[rothlev]

BTW, I did not mention that a few years ago I made a claim against the soccer club my daughter attended... some girl decided to hit her a few times and the club did nothing... the club was unwilling to return any of my money (had already paid for the season)...


Got in touch with Chase... 5 to 10 minutes of explanation and I got a credit.. nothing ever came back to me for any update... a done deal quickly... and it was over $300...



This is why I complain about Cap One.. all these hoops for a measly $27 and they say they will do nothing... we will see what happens since I sent in info requested and if I get the money back I will update...

I am with you. on this one. It is a small amount of money but the customer service was horrible. I would not be happy either. But when I had to submit a charge back to B of A their procedure was the same as what you went thru. I had to mail in the back up documentation. I found it all annoying and time consuming. I did get my money back. They did not have an upload link either. I would waste more of their time if it were me. tell them you will complain on social media and at the BBB. waste more of their time. Tell them they will lose customers over this level of service.

 

[Koolau]

I am with you. on this one. It is a small amount of money but the customer service was horrible. I would not be happy either. But when I had to submit a charge back to B of A their procedure was the same as what you went thru. I had to mail in the back up documentation. I found it all annoying and time consuming. I did get my money back. They did not have an upload link either. I would waste more of their time if it were me. tell them you will complain on social media and at the BBB. waste more of their time. Tell them they will lose customers over this level of service.

Heh, heh, they've already lost one customer. ME.

 

[The Cosmic Avenger]

Cap One used to be my main card... now it is Fidelity (2% on everything) but Cap One still is used for overseas and every once in awhile..

Is that because Cap One has no foreign exchange fee? How much cash back do they offer? Don't forget, Fidelity's fee is 1%, so with the 2% rewards you still net 1%. I thought about opening a C1 card for international travel, but for now I think I'm going to stick with my Fidelity CC rather than try to net another, what, 0.5%?

 

[MarieIG]

BTW, I did not mention that a few years ago I made a claim against the soccer club my daughter attended... some girl decided to hit her a few times and the club did nothing... the club was unwilling to return any of my money (had already paid for the season)...


Got in touch with Chase... 5 to 10 minutes of explanation and I got a credit.. nothing ever came back to me for any update... a done deal quickly... and it was over $300...



This is why I complain about Cap One.. all these hoops for a measly $27 and they say they will do nothing... we will see what happens since I sent in info requested and if I get the money back I will update...

Sometimes it's the Principle. . .

 

[Texas Proud]

Is that because Cap One has no foreign exchange fee? How much cash back do they offer? Don't forget, Fidelity's fee is 1%, so with the 2% rewards you still net 1%. I thought about opening a C1 card for international travel, but for now I think I'm going to stick with my Fidelity CC rather than try to net another, what, 0.5%?

Cap One is 1.5% on all purchases.. it was why it was my main card... Fidelity is 2% so it became main...


Yes, zero fee on foreign exchange...


I do have Discover and Chase where I get the 5% on what they want to give me every 3 months... I do hate it when they offer the same categories like now.. both are gas...

 

[Texas Proud]

Well, was late on getting my mail... but I got a letter from Cap One that they have started the claim process again due to what I sent on a link...


Now we wait for the reply from the vendor... I will accept whatever comes... not putting in any more time on this (well, except here )

 

[W2R]

Well, was late on getting my mail... but I got a letter from Cap One that they have started the claim process again due to what I sent on a link...


Now we wait for the reply from the vendor... I will accept whatever comes... not putting in any more time on this (well, except here )

Good luck, and let's hope for a better outcome this time!