I just called CapitalOne to activate the new credit card.

[Sisaruus]

Okay... I'll accept that they want to confirm and update my account information. But then I got hit with not one... but two.. sales pitches. The first I think was for some sort of insurance. I had to twice say no, firmly, before the woman then tried to hit me with Sales Pitch #2 for an identity theft protection plan "for a small monthly fee" .... I said no and she started her second back-up pitch for the same product ... which set me off on a rant about how it should be the responsibility of financial institutions to protect themselves - and their customers - against fraudulent use of the customers' account information and/or identities and that this is just one component of the great scam on consumers by the financial industry and their own refusal to be held accountable for their own actions or inactions and I can only hope that our government intercedes and brings these kind of mainstream robberies to an end quickly. I could hear the woman smiling as she said thank you for calling, my new card was now activated and have a nice day. I wished her a nice day back.

I'm afraid to use my credit card now.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

1. Be careful that they don't sign you up for some bullshit program anyhow

"Great Fun America", "Traveller's Advantage" etc........

[JoePhilly]

20. "Are you sure you don't not want to accept not stopping the start of this program?"

Usually found in the small print.

[notesdev]

2. So....

... you just opened an account then with a business which disrespected you right out of the starting gate? I'm sure this will be the start of a beautiful relationship...

[Sisaruus]

4. No, renewal card on an old account.

I use a lot of services and products for companies and industries that I disrespect and which disrespect me. We live in a culture in which it is difficult for individuals to be pure. I accept my/these personal contradictions and am selectively sanctimonious in my consumerism.

[notesdev]

9. ok well

just double check each and every charge made to the account - the TARP banks are desperate right now and will pull all sorts of low maneuvers to siphon money from you.

Capital One is one of the worst (THE worst when it comes to solicitation).

Somehow they find the money to put credit card offers in the mail for me 3-4 times per week for several years running now, that's money they're getting from people who are voluntarily doing business from them, mostly.

[Sisaruus]

13. I try to do most of my financial business with my credit union.

Haven't used a commercial bank for checking and savings for decades.

My (very meager) retirement investments are with Mutual of America, the sole corporate sponsor of the now-missed Bill Moyers tv programs. I was with Mutual of America because my career path has been in nonprofits - and M of A began as a nonprofit to service the nonprofit industry, so somehow I feel a little cleaner doing business with them. When I have been pitched by other money/retirement investment management firms (must be a target because of my age) I just pointed out the Moyers support as my rationale for not changing. I know many computer databases must mark me as crazy.

I compromise my values with my Amex card and that CapitalOne card. ....And with my carbon footprint every day that I drive a car using gas to my job at a food bank - which receives funding from Walmart (arggghhhh). And with the cup of coffee (national brand, not fair-trade) that I'm enjoying while replying to you.

Post-industrial life is so complicated. And thanks for the advice to watch the charges on my card... I'll heed that warning.

[SpiralHawk]

3. "Welcome to the Borg." - CapitalOne (R)

"All your credit are belong to us. Smirk." - CapitalOne (R)

[lunatica]

5. Exactly!

Resistance is futile.

[MilesColtrane]

18. "What's in your wallet? Well, that belongs to us."

[Upton]

6. Big deal...

I just got a new Slate card, replacing Chase, and upon calling in they tried to give me some sales pitch garbage too. I didn't catch all of it, just wished the guy a good day and hung up. You might try something similar next time.

[Sisaruus]

7. Your approach was admittedly better

Wasn't sure if she still had activation info we still had to confirm. And the fact that I was being pitched at 8 a.m. on Saturday morning made me irritable. I do like my menopausal moments, however.

[KharmaTrain]

8. I Got The Same Thing Too...

But I get pitches from almost any business I call now. I activated a Capital One card yesterday and didn't get a pitch to buy anything...the person read a script saying that I qualified for a doubling of warranty on big ticket purchases (nice to get another 90 days) as well as that the card can be used in lieu of having to provide proof of insurance when renting a car (saving $100 or more bucks). No pitches and things I may have the need to use and know. She never asked if I was interested in "upgrading"...or as in the case of a different card (Discover) that tried to constantly sell me on buying dining certificates or other merchandise that I later found were added to the bill, not a bonus at all (Discover has been long gone from my wallet).

Many of the things you are told are required by law...and yep, they'll scare you. They should. Make you think about using the card responsibly and what right you have or not in case of losing them or using them improperly. Honestly, I don't see why you're scared...I actually think it's good their saying these things. I've even had notifications when they've seen what they consider strange activity with my card (more active than usual or high purchases) and I am even glad they monitor that. I've known those who have had their cards stolen and how quickly a pro can run up several thousand in charges in a few hours...

[Canuckistanian]

10. You should have told her

That you'll happily accept the theft protection insurance - if they pay for it out of their outrageous interest fees.

[harun]

11. Don't get fooled by their new over the limit scam. The legislation that went in to effect

recently makes it so, once over your limit, your sale will simply be declined and no charges will be applied to you. Their new scam program is you are allowed to go over your limit and you are charged a fee (Capital One had it at $29). So it undoes the protection of the legislation, they call it "a valuable service many of our members want".

Scammers and cheaters.

[ejpoeta]

12. they are all trying to get people to sign up for that stuff.

[CrispyQ]

14. Yes. Even my local credit union has sent two things about this already.

You don't want to be embarrassed at the checkout counter, so opt-in.

LOL. That was actually one of their arguments!

[bikebloke]

15. My bank was bought out by Capital One.

I'm looking at a Canadian bank that has branches in the area.

[Sheepshank]

16. my best advice?

Make Capital One go to the expense of setting up your account, mailing your cards. Call them about lost or stolen cards (even if they are not). Capital one will go to the expense of closing out cards, setting up fraud watch, setting up a new account and mail new cards....then just go ahead and close out. They will either offer you a better rate to stay, or will avoid a long term headache with those barracudas. you can't lose.

Of all the cc companies I really and totally hate those particular blood suckers. They are one of vilest of all cc companies. I closed an account after I received a letter that they would be raising my rate from 6.9% to 19.9% after never being later on a payment or going over limits. A friend of mine with a little more of a financial trouble got hit with a court hearing notice for $2500+, for an original bill that was $500. They are very efficient *sarcasm* at adding fees and penalties. While I understand my friend was wrong for getting over 8 months delinquent, they made it impossible for her to try and catch up. What payments she did make seemed to make to amends.

[MilesColtrane]

17. You get the same crap from most ginormous companies.

When I moved I had to call AT&T. Instead of simply helping me get a new phone number, the customer rep tried to sell me a bunch of stuff I didn't want AT EVERY TURN.

That seems to be a symptom of all companies that are so incredibly large.

They've grown so big that they've reached the limit of how much more share of the market they can grab, like a shark that must move forward to survive that has outgrown its tiny tank.

(They also become too big to fail without taking out the entire economy.)

Oh, for the days when monopolies and trusts were viewed as poison to the capitalist system and were dealt with accordingly.

[Tsiyu]

19. The Well-heeled CEOs of CapitalOne

and their equally well-heeled wives - out on the town - would absolutely sneer and scowl at any poor soul on the street begging for an edge of bread.

But they hire people who essentially beg you for your money, relentlessly, shamelessly every chance they get. Begging as if they are hungry curs! Begging as if the CEOs of CapitalOne are wearing rags and living in cardboard boxes on the street!

It's not okay to beg for money if you're just homeless.

It's perfectly fine to beg for money constantly - and to nickel and dime your customers like the slickest pickpocket alive working the crowd - as long as you're a bejillionaire corporation!