Capital One and paperless billing!

cesmith64 · ‎09-27-2009

Hi all,

Capital One reported my account 30 days late and my scores have plummeted. I missed a payment due to Capital One changing me to paperless billing without my knowledge! They swear I changed it but I know I didn't. I am a busy, single Mom and I never use paperless billing for this very reason, too scared I will miss a payment. I only owed $1400 on the card which I have now promptly paid off. I was planning on mortgage shopping soon and have been working hard to improve my scores (paying things down and I have never missed a payment!) I went from a 719 to 619 because of this. I know I missed the payment and should of been more on top of things but I'm sick and Capital One won't budge. Capital One said disputing this won't help either as they can back up that I made the change. I have checked all old emails and can't find anything stating this change or where I may have inadvertently changed something. Ugh.

Thanks for letting me rant,

CSmith

DI · ‎09-27-2009

Welcome to the forum. Only 30 or more days late payments are reported to the CRA's. You can try sending Cap 1 a GW to remove the late. Cap One is the most difficult to have a successful GW with. If you were charge a late fee its possible to have it waived.

Even if you didn't enrolled in the paperless billing Cap One will still hold you responsible for making a payment with them. If you have a running balance with them each month one would assume you knew you owe them, and didn't pay them during that month. One will also assume if you didn't received the bill around the time you normally receive it you would have called to inquire about it.

cesmith64 · ‎09-27-2009

Sadly, I was 30 days late. I know it was my fault as I should have kept up with the bill, paperless or not. I am just so annoyed. I have never missed a payment but I also just overlooked the bill since I didn't get my statement in the mail. I still can't figure out how Capital One could switch me without consent. Is there anything I can do to get Capital One to take this off my credit reports since I have perfect credit with them and everyone else apart from this mistake? Or is this just a hard less learned? My credit score is now so low I have surely messed up my mortgage prospects (or decent offers anyway) for the foreseeable future. This one oversight on my part now looks to have ruined my dream of getting out of this apartment anytime soon. I want to cry.

DI · ‎09-27-2009

@cesmith64 wrote:
Sadly, I was 30 days late. I know it was my fault as I should have kept up with the bill, paperless or not. I am just so annoyed. I have never missed a payment but I also just overlooked the bill since I didn't get my statement in the mail. I still can't figure out how Capital One could switch me without consent. Is there anything I can do to get Capital One to take this off my credit reports since I have perfect credit with them and everyone else apart from this mistake? Or is this just a hard less learned? My credit score is now so low I have surely messed up my mortgage prospects (or decent offers anyway) for the foreseeable future. This one oversight on my part now looks to have ruined my dream of getting out of this apartment anytime soon. I want to cry.

Sorry it happend. Whenever a consumer calls a customer service center, the CSR is required to leave a contact on the account. The purpose of the contact is to let the next CSR who takes your call know what's been said during the conversation or changed on your account.

Have the account been switched back to mail statements? I've been enrolled with Cap 1 paperless bills for many years. Each month an email is sent to inform me the statement is ready to be viewed. I know my statement generates on the 10 or 11th of each month so I don't depend on receiving the email.

If you didn't receieve that email you may want to check the trash bin in your email account. If you plan to stay paperless, you want to add Cap One's email address to your email contacts. Sometimes email with a large file goes directly to the trash bin. That shouldn't happen with Cap 1 emails since they only send a short message with no attachments.

Your only options is to figure out how you got enrolled in paperless, and plea your case that you never been late and ask for a GW. Cap 1 more than likely, if not already, going to soft pull your reports to see if you are late with any other creditors. If you have recent lates with any other creditors your chances of getting the late removed is slim.

Good luck!!

DI

cesmith64 · ‎09-27-2009

Thanks so much for the replies. I have no late payments on any accounts. This is my first one ever. Do you mind if I ask what a GW is and what the best way to go about asking for one? Thanks again!

MarineVietVet · ‎09-28-2009

@cesmith64 wrote:
Thanks so much for the replies. I have no late payments on any accounts. This is my first one ever. Do you mind if I ask what a GW is and what the best way to go about asking for one? Thanks again!

Welcome to the forums.

GW stands for "Good Will". It's simply a letter to a creditor asking that some negative information be removed from your report to the CRA's. I've never done one because I didn't know about such things before I found this forum and all my negatives fell off due to old age.

If you go to the top of this page you can do a search for "GW letters" or "GW letter templates" for examples of what to write. Good luck to you.

(myfico)
7/09 TU-742 EQ- 779
8/09 TU-765 EQ- 783
9/09 EX pulled by lender 802

CC interest free as of 8/09
Time can heal all wounds and a low FICO.
"Hello my name is Sandy and I'm a recovering crediholic".

cesmith64 · ‎09-28-2009

Just an update. I called Capital One again and this time spoke with a very helpful rep named "George". I pleaded my case again, very humbly, and he said he will try everything in his power to get this black mark off my credit report. I will update again when and if this late payment is removed. George said that since I am a valued Capital One customer that they will do this for me as a goodwill gesture. Thanks again for your responses and the GW information you gave me.

Anonymous · ‎09-28-2009

Mail a nice letter to Cap1 addy on your CR. Tell them that you have been a good paying customer since ??? And that you are never late with payments. Tell them that you did not sign up for paperless statements and missed the payment because you did not have a bill. I know that it is still my own fault as I should have realized that I had not paid Cap1. I would appreciate it if you could please remove this late payment as I have applied for mortgage and this may keep me from getting a new home.

Something like that but in your own words.

DI · ‎09-28-2009

Good luck!

cesmith64 · ‎10-20-2009

I just wanted to follow this up with my result. I called Capital One back several weeks ago and pleaded my case again with a different CSR. This time the CSR was very helpful and transferred me to a supervisor who I also pleaded my case with. The supervisor was very helpful as well and said he would do all he could to help me. I was very, very humble and apologized for MY oversight. I explained that I was a good paying customer and, as he could see, I have now paid off my bill in full. And though I hadn't received my paper bill, I said it was still my responsibility to pay my bill and that I would be more responsible in the future. I tried not to point the finger at Capital One during the call even though I still have no idea how I got signed up for paperless billing. I also explained that I was a single Mom trying to get into my first home and that this one slip up would effect my chances at getting a mortgage. I didn't beg but let me tell you I ate plenty of humble pie during the conversation and did not blame Capital One one bit during the conversation. I didn't ask for him to reimburse the last fees, only please do what he could to get the late off my credit report. The supervisor asked which agencies I would like him to report this too and I told him all of the them and he said he would submit the necessary paperwork that day. I thanked him for being so helpful and we hung up. Well I have let some time lapse before I checked my scores but finally I couldn't stand it anymore so I checked today. And......yipppeeee!!! Both of my scores are are back to 700 and 703!! Not as high as they were but I will take it. And no sign of the late. All accounts reported on time. I just thought my story my help someone else. The lesson learned for me was, if the first CSR says no and won't budge, call again, maybe even again. And keep your cool and eat that humble pie, even if you feel the CCC was in the wrong. The first time I called I was very angry and accused Capital One for screwing things up and it got me nowhere. I am just so pleased this was resolved and I hope this might help someone else get a result as well. Oh, I was also reimbursed for the late fees! Bonus!