Cardholder Beware: New Capital One Policy Is Pretty Creepy, Invasive

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The new Capital One Finance (COF) policy for cardholders is turning heads and causing some to lash out at a policy that’s being perceived as invasive and violates your privacy.

Capital one-cof-stockThe updates for cardholders specifies that “we may contact you in any manner we choose” — and notes that the manner can include calls, emails, texts, faxes or a “personal visit.”

Where you may ask? Let’s look closer at the new policy: …”at your home and at your place of employment.”

Yes, Capital One can come knocking on your door or tell your boss they’d like to speak with you.

As the LA Times points out, the policy or IRS would need a court order to do what a credit card company says it can do on its own.

“It sounds really invasive, but I don’t think it’s a violation of your 4th Amendment rights,” said Daniel E. Kann, a Santa Clarita lawyer who specializes in illegal-search cases.

He explained that the amendment applies primarily to searches and seizures by law enforcement, not civilians. A credit card company, in theory, could reserve the right to visit your home or office without a court order, Kann said.

Harassment, of course, is a crime still — but that would depend on how often Capital One decides to “contact you in any manner we choose.”

And one other thing if you’re thinking you will just ignore their calls.

“We may modify or suppress caller ID and similar services and identify ourselves on these services in any manner we choose.”

Hello, is Jen Smith there? This is … um… this is her mother.

COF stock is down 5% year to date.


Article printed from InvestorPlace Media, https://investorplace.com/2014/02/capital-one-policy-invasive-cardholders-cof-stock/.

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