Credit Cards

[JimB]

Applied online a week ago for a Cap One cash rewards card & was approved for a $20K CL. So far, so good.

Today, the card arrives in the mail, so I call to activate it. To my surprise, I'm immediately connected with the fraud department. After using credit cards for well over 30 years, I'm an old hand at this stuff, but I've never found myself talking with a fraud specialist on my first day with a new card. After asking me a few questions, the specialist tells me that all is well, my card is activated, & that I can now go forth & charge my brains out. (I'm taking a few liberties with her words, but that was the essence of her remarks.)

I then go out for a few hours. When I return, I find an automated message on my machine from Cap One: if my name is Clay Cotton, I should call an 888 number. That's not my name - it's not even close - but I call the number anyway. A computer answers & asks me to press 1 if I'm Clay Cotton or 2 if I'm not. I press 2, at which point the computer instructs me to press 1 if Clay used to live at this address or 2 if he never did. I press 2, & the computer responds by thanking me for calling. It then hangs up.

Now I've had cards from almost all of the big guys (BOA, Citi, Chase, Barclays, etc.), but this is my 1st from Cap One. Is this just another day at the office for Cap One, or have the inmates taken over the asylum? I'm afraid to use this card. What gives? 

Message Edited by JimB on 08-21-2009 07:05 PM

[creditwherecreditisdue]

Nah.

You triggered something in their system. As long as it is only questions I wouldn't worry about it. If it goes beyond that you could have a problem.

[txjohn]

Nice CL.  CapOne doesn't hand out those everyday.

[Uborrow-Upay]

JimB, sounds like somewhere along the line this Clay Cotton had the phone number you now have, and he stiffed Cap One. 

I wouldn't worry about it.  You've got the card, and a great limit!  

Congrats!

[JimB]

Thanks. My only reason for applying for it was to get a card that doesn't charge foreign transaction fees for an upcoming trip to Italy. Now I'm wondering if I shouldn't have gone with Schwab or HSBC Premier instead. I'd hate to have Cap One cut us off while we're out of the country. We'll protect ourselves, of course, by taking other cards with us.

I miss MBNA, which didn't charge foreign transaction fees & which also ran a tight operation. We always took their cards with us when we left the country & never had a problem. But now our MBNA cards are BOA cards, & BOA does charge fees.

[creditwherecreditisdue]

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JimB wrote:

Thanks. My only reason for applying for it was to get a card that doesn't charge foreign transaction fees for an upcoming trip to Italy. Now I'm wondering if I shouldn't have gone with Schwab or HSBC Premier instead. I'd hate to have Cap One cut us off while we're out of the country. We'll protect ourselves, of course, by taking other cards with us.

I miss MBNA, which didn't charge foreign transaction fees & which also ran a tight operation. We always took their cards with us when we left the country & never had a problem. But now our MBNA cards are BOA cards, & BOA does charge fees.

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As does just about everybody else and those that haven't gotten around to it yet seem to be adding them.