Capital One Credit Card Compromised
Over the weekend my Capital One credit card was declined when I tried to use it, so I called the customer service number to see what the issue was. According to the customer service rep, my card had been compromised although she couldn't tell me how or if there were any fraudulent charges on the account only that the security dept determined that it had been compromised and the account had to be closed and they would open a new account and send me a new card in 5-7 business days.
However, I was disappointed to learn they wouldn't send the new card to me in China - they would only mail it to a US mailing address. This is going to be an issue for me as this is my primary overseas card and I am not eager to pay the 2.5% currency fees on my other credit cards. I am very disappointed they would not send the card to where I was currently located. I thought they offered emergency card replacement, but I guess that only applies when you can get the card at a US mailing address. Bummer.
After looking at what other cards I brought with me it looks like my best alternative will be my HHonors American Express card which supposedly has only a 2.5% foreign currency fee. Bummer our upcoming vacation to Sydney just got 2.5% more expensive.
Comments (8)
Don't feel too bad...the Aussie dollar has dropped nearly 15 cents since its peak of two months ago. So you still better off.
Have fun in Sydney...
Posted by Norm | September 19, 2008 1:31 AM
Can you not have the card sent to a relative's house and then have them subsequently mail it to you in China? It wouldn't cost that much to send a letter, and if it gets lost, you just cancel the card and you're no worse off.
Posted by Sara | September 19, 2008 11:16 AM
It probably doesn't do you any good while you're not in the states, but credit unions frequently offer credit cards with great foreign currency fees. I'm a member of my state employees credit union and the currency fee is 1% and it's a 1% cash back card... so no fees for me :) We don't use it locally, but whenever we're traveling abroad we use it exclusively.
Posted by Kevin | September 19, 2008 11:47 AM
They wouldn't tell you about any fraudulent charges? Or how it was compromised? I'd be dropping capital one pretty quick. What's in your wallet? Not Capital One.
Posted by Quit The Day Job | September 19, 2008 12:33 PM
My bank assumes my card has been stolen any time I purchase something in a foreign country. I would wonder if that isn't the problem.
Posted by Brian | September 19, 2008 12:56 PM
They're trying to protect against identity fraud. There's been a rash of hackers trying to steal personal information out of department store databases, for example, that would include credit card info.
And while it's a pain in the ass that they won't mail a replacement to China, that's probably a good policy since a lot of the ID theft supposedly comes from overseas.
Posted by Thisson | September 19, 2008 3:31 PM
E-Trade VISA does not charge any currency conversion fee. I've used it in Europe with no problems
Maybe you could get one overnighted to you in China...
https://us.etrade.com/e/t/banking/rewardscard
Best Regards
ps please don't post my email
Posted by Thomas | September 20, 2008 11:55 PM
The same thing happened to me. I unexpectedly received a new Capital One replacement card at my work address. I called to ask about it, since I had used my original card only two days before and the transaction was approved. They claimed that there had been some kind of fraud on the card, which of course they weren't able to specify.
I was really chagrined for three reasons: 1) My work address is not my billing or mailing address, so them having sent the card there put me at greater risk for identity theft than sending it to my home; 2) The only reason Capital One had my work address in the first place is because last year they accidentally issued someone else a renewal credit card with MY account number on it, and the other person's name, so I had the replacement card for this accident sent to my work address (so that I could sign for it). I specifically requested that they not keep my work address on file, since it was a one-time situation. The only reason I keep my Capital One account open is that it is my oldest credit card, and it's good for making purchases overseas. However, I'm really tempted to close it now, because their customer service is horrendous and they more likely to expose me to identity theft than to prevent it, given what they have put me through! Let me also mention that when they sent someone else a credit card with my credit card number on it, they closed my online registration as well, and I had to re-register. I no longer had access to my own past credit card statements! And when I requested previous months' copies of my own statements, they wanted to charge me something like $10/statement! It took me an hour on the phone for a representative to agree to waive the duplicate statement fee. It was also quite difficult to get them to send me a replacement for my compromised card via UPS, with no charge. It also took at least half an hour for a manager to approve this. Ridiculous nightmares with Capital One.
Posted by Rebecca | November 2, 2008 2:33 PM