Credit One Bank review: Purchase protection

Most consumers are unaware that credit card companies offer Purchase Protection. It protects the customer from theft, fraud, damage, and loss of a purchase for up to 90 days after a purchase with a credit card. Since I worked for a major credit card company (a long time ago), I had some knowledge of it. However, each credit card company has their own policies as to how they handle purchase protection.

I had purchased an almost $186.71 order from www.alibaba.com on September 13, 2023. My merchandise never arrived. In my discovery process, through www.fedex.com, I had found that my address on the package was either sent illegible or had been damaged in the delivery process. FedEx replaced the address once the package got state-side. When they did this, my merchandise was sent to the wrong address. This was verified by the picture that the FedEx delivery person took upon delivery to someone else's front door; and, by calling FedEx's 800 phone number--in which, their phone system did not recognize the numbers to my address.

When I called Credit One Bank to explain my situation and request a dispute for the loss of my merchandise, they never once informed me that my issue did not qualify for Purchase Protection. They gave me a claim number of 23092801218C. So, I sent them a 10-page document, on legal paper, that was full of pictures (Evidence) and explained my discovery process, summary, and request for relief. Also, the document was sent with a return receipt. After they received the documentation, they credited the merchandise amount.

Within about 30 days, I received an email. The only response I got was that I authorized the purchase amount (!) and they debited back the amount of the merchandise. Well, with the response that I got, I knew that they had processed my document as a Fraud Dispute (!) and not a Purchase Protection Dispute.

Before calling Credit One Bank, I went to their website to make sure that they offered Purchase Protection. Sure enough, they do offer it. However, when I got to speak with a Credit One Bank representative, I found out that she had no knowledge of what Purchase Protection was (!). Then, she transferred my call to an Account Manager -- which, in reality, is the Fraud Department. Oh, my goodness, it was to my misfortune that I was transferred to the most highly accented, barely speaking English individual ever! It took a lot of effort on my behalf to have to really listen to what this individual was saying [Why do they put a barely speaking English individual in such an important (Dispute Resolutions) position!? They have to repeat themselves over and over again just so that they can be understood!]! The only thing that I really understood from this individual was that my dispute would be resubmitted for review and my account debited again.

With the knowledge that my Purchase Protection Dispute was being resubmitted for review, I knew that I'd have to resubmit more documentation. Rather than to have to do that all again, I decided that I would give Credit One Bank another call. I wanted to find out what their policy was on Purchase Protection. I figured that maybe, just maybe, I could get ahold of a representative that was knowledgeable. What I got was an individual that almost transferred me to the Fraud Department but decided not to. She informed me that Credit One Bank only offered Zero Liability -- which is, basically, Fraud Protection. I was looking right at Credit One Bank's website on Purchase Protection when she said it (!). Also, she informed me that my annual fee, which I don't have, paid for it (!). It was unfortunate that this call turned out to be such a colossal waste of my time and very unproductive (!).

My card with Credit One Bank has an American Express logo on it. From what I have read, American Express teamed up with Credit One Bank to conduct business. This gave me an idea. Why don't I call American Express and ask the questions that I need answering about Purchase Protection? So, I did. Within one minute of speaking with a very understandable English speaking American Express representative, I had my answer (Thank you, AMEX!). One would think that if Credit One Bank partnered with American Express, that Credit One Bank would be just as knowledgeable as American Express. Sadly, this is not the case.

View 0 more photos