Strange, unpleasant CC application - Capital One

[Amethyst]

So I received a "pre-cleared" application online for a BJs Mastercard from Capital One. The benefits are attractive - 3% rebate on BJs purchases, 10 cents per gallon off BJs gas (which is already discounted for members).

I have had a Cap One online account for years, as well as one Cap One CC (5% rebate on Walmart online grocery shopping), which is below their "limit" of 5 Cap One CC's. My credit rating is 830.

I provided all requested personal info and sat back, confidently expecting approval in 60 seconds. Instead, the screen said they will review my application and be in touch.

Several hours later, a woman's voice, robotic, staccato, talking very fast, came on my answering machine. "This is Gail from Capital One. It is important that you contact us as soon as possible about your credit card application." She rattled off a phone number and a 10-digit application number - so fast, I had to play back the message to be sure I got it all.

When I called, I got another woman, different voice, same robotic delivery. She texted me a link on my smartphone to an identity-verification app. I had to use my camera to focus a grid of red lines on the back of my driver's license until the grid turned green. This took 7 tries. When I complained, she suggested I "get a family member to help." The final step was to take a photo of the front of my DL.

The woman stayed on the phone the whole time. At the end, she said to keep checking my email, as the card had not yet been approved. Then, "Wait, it has been approved, you will receive your card in the mail in approximately 5 to 7 business days." No "Is there anything else I can do."

The whole encounter felt adversarial and condescending.

Anyone else been treated this way?

 

[CaptTom]

Keep us posted on how it goes. I was looking at that one, too. I already get 5% off on gas (which today is about $0.15 off per gallon) but it might make a nice back-up for when PenFed finally eliminates that benefit. I don't buy a lot inside BJs, but I think there was a % back on other purchases, too.

 

[audreyh1]

Sounds horrible!

Unsolicited online offer via email?

 

[athena53]

No, and I'd also be offended at the "get a family member to help" suggestion- I've dealt with various systems in scanning checks for mobile bank deposits and some are really finicky. I was coding Fortran before most of these Customer Service people were born and a coworker once coined the term "user-hostile" to describe these interfaces. Still a good word 45 years later.

I was pleasantly surprised last month when I applied for an AA Visa and I didn't even have to unlock my credit (maybe I should be alarmed?). I'm thinking it was because it was with Citi and I already have their Costco Visa.

 

[donheff]

It does sound unpleasant but I can see why they would jump you thru hoops. Lots of fraud out there. But you would think they would train their reps to be polite.

 

[Aerides]

She texted me a link on my smartphone to an identity-verification app.

This is where I would bail. I do not do apps that I don't want in the first place. Any ID requirements should have been handled in the application, or they should have made it clear that was the reason for the delay in approval vs. calling you...

It's messy and silly, but I would not get offended. They probably don't pay their phone reps much, and/or they are outsourced.

 

[O2Bfree]

I applied for a Capital One REI Mastercard online a few days ago, and it went through right away. The application wasn't sent to me though, I applied through the REI website. Perhaps it went through quickly because I'm an REI member.

I'm a little unnerved when these things go through too easily, but what you went through sounds like a little much. Almost as bad as the IRS. I tried to get my mom an ID.me login for her IRS account, and eventually gave up.

 

[Chuckanut]

It does sound unpleasant but I can see why they would jump you thru hoops. Lots of fraud out there. But you would think they would train their reps to be polite.

Speaking of fraud, the entire process as described makes me nervous. Especially the part about the drivers license. I hope the OP has credit frozen.

 

[COcheesehead]

If something starts making me feel uneasy, there’s a reason.

 

[easysurfer]

The process does sound a bit creepy. I could see scammers using a similar technique to get somebody's personal information.

 

[jollystomper]

Never had to deal with that. For a "pre-approved" offer from a financial institution I am dealing with, typically all I have to do is answer a few basic questions.

It sounds suspicious to me. However, I can only surmise that, from your locale, maybe there have been a rash of attempts to fraudulently open accounts, so they are being extra cautious. Particularly if it has been the case of younger folks co-opting older folks to get (and steal) credit cards in this manner.

It is worth calling the general Capital One customer service number (and not the one you were told to call) to see if they can shed more light on this matter.

 

[DrRoy]

Be careful. It could have been an identity hack.

 

[OldShooter]

... Several hours later, a woman's voice, robotic, staccato, talking very fast, came on my answering machine. "This is Gail from Capital One. It is important that you contact us as soon as possible about your credit card application." ...

This is the point where I would have deleted the voice mail.

... The whole encounter felt [-]adversarial and condescending[/-] stinky and dangerous. ...

FTFY

 

[braumeister]

I got the impression you started this fiasco by clicking a link in the email they sent you. I think we all know that's a very bad idea, so I hope I'm wrong about that. The whole thing stinks of phishing scam to me.

 

[Amethyst]

No, the offer appeared on BJs.com.

Sounds horrible!

Unsolicited online offer via email?

 

[Amethyst]

It was on bjs.com.

I got the impression you started this fiasco by clicking a link in the email they sent you. I think we all know that's a very bad idea, so I hope I'm wrong about that. The whole thing stinks of phishing scam to me.

 

[pacergal]

That sounds like a terrible experience.

 

[Car-Guy]

I've had a Cap One CC for years and never had any real issues... Sounds terrible..I'm not sure I would have played along as long as you did.

 

[ERD50]

I got the impression you started this fiasco by clicking a link in the email they sent you. I think we all know that's a very bad idea, so I hope I'm wrong about that. The whole thing stinks of phishing scam to me.

I agree - clicking a link in an unsolicited email? Don't do that!

Calling a number left on your voicemail? Don't do that!

Downloading an app provided by this unverified source? Don't do that!

I'd be very concerned that this was an identity hack. At a minimum, I'd call Capital One to see if this was valid. Not sure what action you should take after giving them your DL scan. At the very minimum, delete that app!

-ERD50

 

[Amethyst]

Thanks, everyone, for your concern. I started beating myself up immediately! How could I be so dumb!

Then I called Capital One, as I should've done to begin with. They confirmed that they approved my BJs MC application yesterday, and I should be getting a letter along with the card in the mail in a week or so. They also sent an email, which I received.

I'm still annoyed at the amount of personal info requested, and told them so. They didn't have anything to say.

 

[audreyh1]

No, the offer appeared on BJs.com.

Thanks, everyone, for your concern. I started beating myself up immediately! How could I be so dumb!

Then I called Capital One, as I should've done to begin with. They confirmed that they approved my BJs MC application yesterday, and I should be getting a letter along with the card in the mail in a week or so. They also sent an email, which I received.

I'm still annoyed at the amount of personal info requested, and told them so. They didn't have anything to say.

Well that’s good.

 

[OldShooter]

... Then I called Capital One, as I should've done to begin with. ...

Hopefully you called on a publicly published Capital One phone number and not the number in the email. Right?

 

[Texas Proud]

This is where I would bail. I do not do apps that I don't want in the first place. Any ID requirements should have been handled in the application, or they should have made it clear that was the reason for the delay in approval vs. calling you...

It's messy and silly, but I would not get offended. They probably don't pay their phone reps much, and/or they are outsourced.

+1 on this... no way I am giving up my info for a CC on some strange app...


I probably would have looked up Cap One phone number for CC and called them directly instead of using numbers given to me that might be fraud....

 

[Amethyst]

OK. so I guess the answer to my original question is that nobody else, when applying for a CC, has been treated the way I was treated, correct?

 

[SecondCor521]

OK. so I guess the answer to my original question is that nobody else, when applying for a CC, has been treated the way I was treated, correct?

Not exactly, no.

I've applied for lots of credit cards. Most approved, some declined.

I try to read up on the various CC websites about what each issuer is looking for and, depending on how much I want that particular CC, will jump through some of the recommended hoops.

It sounds to me like you were subject to a combination of some suspicion of identity theft (on the part of the legitimate Capital One issuer that your application may not have been from you) *plus* some curt CSRs. I've had both of those but never at the same time.

Both are very annoying, but I would try not to take it personally.

Glad you were eventually approved and not a victim of identity theft.