Is it possible to cancel a card before it arrives?

[Anonymous]

I admit, I'm not the best on a computer, many times I have to ask people for help but I've tried to do things myself that I maybe shouldn't just to keep other people out of my business.   Today I was checking out preapprovals, I was really wanting to check out auto loan preapprovals on Capital One's website (they sent me an email), but I must have clicked credit cards by mistake and my preapproved offers came up as Cap1 Platinum and QS1.  My phone rang and I left my computer for a few minutes.  When I returned the screen said "congradulations, you are approved for a Cap1 Platinum Plus with a $300 SL"  CK sent me an alert that I had a new inquiry on my credit reports.  

I did not want that card and did not intend to apply for it.  To pour salt in the wounds, they gave me another useless $300 SL and put me back in steps.  Maybe in 3 months they'll give me another $100 CLI!  Screw Cap1.

[Anonymous]

The account is opened upon approval, you can close it before the card arrives but it will still report to the bureaus as a closed account along with the triple pull, you literally picked the worse company to have this happen, sorry.

[Anonymous]

I just don't understand how the application went in automatically, I called Cap1 and told them I didn't apply for this card but they told me it appears that I did and I'll be getting my card in 7 to 10 days.  I know I should have logged out and closed my browser but it was only a few minutes -- I will never recomend anyone else to use Cap1's pre-approval tool.

I already have a Cap1 card for over a year, it started out as a Platinum card with a $300 CL and after several CLI's they bumped it up to $850 and finally converted it to a QS.  We all know it won't grow, it started out in steps, I had several steps and I'm likely stuck at $850 for life, but I won't know for sure until around June when the 6 months since my last CLI are up.  I wanted to close the card back in December but they gave me a $100 CLI and upgraded to a QS so I was told to wait till June and see what they do.  

Is there really any advantage in waiting until later to close both cards as opposed to just closing them now and getting it over with?  With current gas prices, if I charge a tank of gas on a $300 CL card my utilization is way to high, so what exactly do they expect me to do with the card?  I already have Citi DC with $1,000 CL.

[AverageJoesCredit]

For the life of me i dont know how an application is submitted without filling in your information and hitting submit. I know jack about computers but i do know you have to hit submit for it to get approved. Only thing i can think of by your description is you left your computer and someone sat there and did it for you as a joke and left before you came back.

[Anonymous]

You took a triple pull, and your AAoA is going to go down already, so if there's no AF, may as well let it ride.

In 6-12 months, you'll get a CLI or two, then you can combine both cards into one for a bigger CL.

[Anonymous]

Yes.  Give them a call and explain.  I had a similar situation happen with PenFed Credit Union.  They cancelled the card.  The inquiries stayed.  Maybe they will remove the inquiries too in your case.  All they can say is no.

[Anonymous]

I now suspect somebody else did it, should I file a police report?  I can't prove who did it, but I have my suspecions.  I tried calling Cap1 and said I didn't apply for this card, but they said it appears that I did.  What really happens if I file a police report?  Should I wait for the card so i have the card for evidence?  "This card came in the mail that I didn't apply for".

[FinStar]

Admittedly, you stated that you were on your computer after clicking on an email checking out auto loan pre-approval information. So, you "inadvertently" clicked on the credit cards pre-approval section.

Who else has access to your computer? It would be very difficult to find a cause to support a fraudulent application occurred if you are the only one who has access to the computer. Besides there are a few steps that have to be acknowledged (even in a short form pre-approval) before any outcome. If an individual leaves the application in mid-stream for a long period of inactivity, it will time out. Something doesn't add up.

[UpperNwGuy]

I think you clicked on the wrong button before you went to talk on the phone.

[UncleB]

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@FinStar wrote:
Admittedly, you stated that you were on your computer after clicking on an email checking out auto loan pre-approval information. So, you "inadvertently" clicked on the credit cards pre-approval section.

Who else has access to your computer? It would be very difficult to find a cause to support a fraudulent application occurred if you are the only one who has access to the computer. Besides there are a few steps that have to be acknowledged (even in a short form pre-approval) before any outcome. If an individual leaves the application in mid-stream for a long period of inactivity, it will time out. Something doesn't add up.

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+1

While more "exotic" theories are always possible, the most logical explanation is that you simply applied by accident.

If you reach-out to Capital One they will happily close the new account, but you've already taken three HPs and the new account will probably report even if you close it now; IMO the best thing to do is use this as a learning experience, and hang on to the card.  Wait until you get a couple of CLIs, then combine it with your older account if you don't want a second Capital One product.

Good luck however you decide to move forward.