Anyone ever have difficulty receiving a Credit Card in the mail?

[Anonymous]

Long story short I am having difficulty receiving my card. I have graduated college last year and have had a steady job for 6 months now, just started paying off my student loans, since I am a US soccer fan I do travel fairly frequently and my goal is to have the credit rating to be able to get an Airline credit card.

I have a decent credit score for a relative newcomer. A 701 according to Experian. I have never been late on a utility bill or rent in 4 years living in my own apartment, and although I have only made 3 payments on my student loans so far they have all been on time and I even got a letter in the mail from my lender recently that they were lowering my interest rate because I made my first payment on time. So I am in great shape credit wise.

At least right now. About a month ago I applied for and was accepted for a Capital One no hassle cash rewards card. It had a low credit limit of 500 dollars which was fine as I am only going to use it for gas and some groceries to help build up my credit rating to hopefully have a strong enough score to get an airline credit card in hopefully a year or so. Also would be nice to be able to upgrade my current Capital One care to a card with no annual fee. A month ago I get the email that my credit card had been shipped and was on its way. About a week later I get another email saying my Credit Card was returned to Capital One and I needed to call their number to verify my address. This was already after I received welcoming materials in the mail with my credit score and the terms and rates of my credit card so I know they have my correct address. So I call them and the customer service rep has me repeat back the last 4 digits of my SSN, address, email, and I think I am good to go. Well, a few days later I get another email saying my credit card was returned to Capital One. I ignore it at first because I thought it was just a repeat of the same email.

Well a week goes by and no Card, so yesterday I called Capital One again and went though the automated part of the call and worked my way to talk to a customer service rep. It was nice to find out there is a balance on my card due to the Annual fee and the first payment is due in 3 weeks and I have no way to pay it because I don't have my card and don't know my account number. can't register for online banking because I don't know my account number, and obviously I can't send them a check in the mail to pay it because I don't know what account number it would go to.

So i talk to a customer service rep again and confirm my address, they have me repeat back my SSN, address, email, and they apologize for the delay and said they will rush it and I will get my card in 2 to 3 days, it is normally a 16 dollar fee but they will waive it for me, I was put on hold for about 20 minutes before they told me they will rush my card to me, they thanked me for my patience and being a Capital One customer. However I believe they told me they would send me an email when the card was shipped and a day and a half later I received no email. I am having my doubts that they even sent my card.

If the 2-3 days thing is true I should recieve my card tomorrow or Thursday, if Friday comes and I haven't received it I will have to call them yet again for a 3rd time and the 3rd time I will not be nice. I have been very understanding and polite the first 2 times but a possible 3rd time I need to be firm.

So how can I threaten them? What sort of legal action or customer watchdog groups, BBB, etc has the power to help in this situation? I want to be able to tell them if you don't send me my card I am going to contact so and so who can help me in this situation. Surely there is some government agency or watchdog group that can help in this situation.

After googling Capital One a lot of people have trouble with this company so it honestly wouldnt surprise me if they were doing this on purpose to take advantage of someone new to the credit scene assuming I don't know how to handle it. Holding my card back from me gives them a good chance to damage my credit rating a little so there is no risk of me getting accepted and moving on to a competitor, plus missing the first payment gives them a good excuse to add on a late fee and raise my interest rates. After all this was the company that didnt report credit limits in an effort to keep their customers scores low in order to keep their competitors away. I can understand why it is important to hold back a card to confirm that it is being sent to the correct address due to identity theft concerns but come on, I have already called and confirmed my address twice.

Because right now I feel helpless. My first payment is due in 3 weeks and I can't pay it because I can't get access to my card or my account and my credit rating will get damaged and there is nothing I can do about it. I think there is a way to pay your bill by phone and I guess I can try that if I am unable to get my card so at least I don't have to worry about my first payment being late, then resume my battle with this company to send me my card.

Does this kind of difficulty receiving a Credit Card happen to other people? Now maybe I am just over reacting because the last few days have been stressful and maybe my card will show up in the mail in a few days and this will all be a moot point, but if it is not I want to at least know what my options are so when I do call them yet again I know who to threaten them with if they don't send me my card. I simply cannot understand why a credit card company will hold back my card like this especially with my first payment due very soon.

Any help or advice will be greatly appreciated.

[LTomBerry]

Are you sure someone's not thieving them out of your mailbox?

[clocktick]

I believe you can pay by phone, with one of the reps.  Also, you will find horror stories about Chase, Citi, Amex, BOA, etc. all over the net.  Cap One is no exception.  I'm sorry you're going through this.  I would call again tomorrow.  I don't think this is the norm with them as far as the cards being sent back.  Is there an apt. # on your address?  Your postperson may be delivering it to the wrong person? 

It seems like you're on the right track and great job being so creditworthy at this point in your life.

[Anonymous]

I am very sure someone is not stealing it out of the mailbox, I check it 3 times a day and besides the two times I called Capital One they confirmed that they have my card and it wasnt sent out. My address does have an apartment number but it is clearly marked on the mailbox and in 4 years here I haven't seen anyone elses mail in my box. Of course I only get my utility bills at this address, all my other mail, like my student loan information, W2 form for my job, etc is sent to my parents address because that is what i consider my permanent mailing address.

I used my apartment address in my credit card application due to the part in the application asking if I rent or own, I wanted to put down the address I live at.

I am wondering if the fact I use two addresses affect anything, but I don't think Capital One would have any knowledge of my other address.

[Odiseous]

If the other address doesn't show on your credit report; theoretically Cap 1 wouldn't know about it. 

Even if they did: (in my experience) they'd have either questioned you about it before you were approved; or sent confirmation letters to one (if not both) addresses.

It sounds more like a disconnect at the postal delivery level. 

With proof of address at your parent's place; I'd call and ask them to adjust the application, to your parent's address. Getting the card is the important part. You can change the billing address later; or switch to paperless statements; if there is an issue with delivery at your main address. 

[Anonymous]

well, good news the card came in the mail today so I was just stressing out. Enrolled in online banking and went for paperless statements for convienience.

I am not sure if I have to activate the card before using it somehow because I saw nothing about activation in the letter that came with the card. I am going to just get a tank of gas with it and if it works I can assume it is automatically activated.

In another 6 months to a year hopefully I will have the credit score and history for an airline card. I am still undecided on which one will be the most beneficial. In the coming years I will fly both combined work and vacation as little as 3 or 4 times a year to as much as 7 or 8 so I don't fly enough to get any kind of elite status with a flyer program, but still more than the average person who might take a family vacation once a year or two.

With an Airline card, particularly United since they have the most convienient flights out of my home airport the card has a steep annual fee, but I get something out of it like priority boarding, free checked bags, and red carpet club passes so any miles earned with the card is just a bonus, while with Capital one Venture there is no perk with the card so you have to try to put as much as possible on the card to break even with your rewards and the annual fee.

With the Venture card I can earn the cheap, short hop flights pretty frequently, while with United it is easier to earn the long haul and international flights.

Oh well I still have a bit of time to decide.

[Prettylady1]

I have 2 capital one accounts and have never had any trouble with them whatsoever! Keep calling or maybe give them a different address to send it to! I don't think they are deliberately keeping your card! Also when you call ask to talk to a supervisor. Or call one of the back door numbers listed at top of this forum to speak to a specialist! Maybe they could help you more. Good luck. That sounds so frustrating!!!

Oops. Just read where you got the card. Good luck tho

[snowangel]

I opened my account at the end of July and my first billing cycle just ended 2 days ago.  They didn't charge the AF until the last day of the billing cycle.  Also, your first bill wont be due until 20 days after your billing cycle ends.  So you probably have more time than you think to pay your bill.

Also, it was slow to get my card, however, I customized my card during the application process which I think takes a 4 or 5 days for design approval. Then another 7-10 business days to get your card.  After about 10 days from when I applied, I called to inquire about my card and the rep seemed to think that my card was never sent out so she sent me another card 2-3 day service.  They sent it certified mail and someone must be available to sign for it!  I got mine 2 days after I called.  The day after, I got the original card they sent out in my regular mail.

I would also make sure that your name is on your mail box.  If they are getting it back, it's the mail carrier sending it back. 

Hope this helps.