Not to be a buzz kill, every situation is different, but my email to the CEO resulted in a no for removing old lates -- despite extenuating circumstances and a good recent history on several accounts. I did get a call very quckly from executive offices (following day) and they were very kind, but I did not get the results that I was hoping for. I hear they are a hard nut to crack, but some have succeeded, so I hope you will be one of them! Let us know.
Starting Score: TU 490 on 11/2012
I just got the same call! Was it a lady? I think she had a bad day. 
I am one of those who got one 30 day late deleted. My CSR was a very nice young lady. She turned me down 3 times but at the end of every conversation when she asked if there was anything else she could do for me I would ask for a CLI. The first time I didn't think to ask......but the last 2 times I did and although I didn't get an erasure of my bad mark I did get a CLI!!! So ALWAYS ask for a CLI when talking to the CSR.....what's the worse they can say???
Oh, how did I get the late removed? I sent 3 snail mail letters to no avail. 3 emails to the Cap One CEO fake email address (google Capital One CEO email address and you'll find it) which all resulted in "our information is correct and we made a business decision to not to deletions of accurate information." (But remember I did get a CLI twice!! Then someone on this forum said to try the CapOne online chat feature on their website. I got a guy named Joseph (that's my name too). I told him my dilemma and I would like them to remove the late from my credit report. He said that was no problem. So I asked him again "are you saying that you can have this removed from my credit report?" He answered in the affirmative. I thanked him for his awesome help and he thanked me for "reaching out to him" and CapOne......and then I copied and pasted our entire conversation. I waited about 10 days studiously watching my reports at www.eliminateidtheft.com to no avail. Then I got a letter saying that my request was denied. I was ticked. So I called the CSR number on the denial letter. I told the CSR everything and told him I had a copy of the transcript of our conversation. He put me on hold for about 10 minutes and then stood by their denial. Now I'm really ticked. So I sent an email to the CEO fake email address and attached a copy of the transcript. I got a rturn call the next morning first thing! It was the same nice young lady I had spoke to 3 times earlier. She congratulated me on my persistance! She said they would investigate and get back with me. 2 days later she called and said that although they do not normally do this they were going to grant my request because their representative, acting as their agent, told me he could so. She then asked if there was anything else I would like and I got her for another CLI. She got me up to $2k which is right far from the $300 I started at!!
Starting Score: That's encouraging, signguy17. The lady was very nice to me (while declining my request) as well. When she asked if there was anything else she could help me with, I seriously thought about asking for reconsideration of my just-declined CLI. I guess I should have asked. She did give me her direct line in case I needed anything else, so I'll keep trying. And, next time I WILL ask for the CLI. :-)