A restricted credit card from Capital One or any other company for that matter usually means your account is suspended. Account suspensions can happen if you miss payments or if your card was never really activated.
Another option is that the company sees suspicious activity in your account, so they may restrict it as a method of cautious.
The only way you can know for sure the reason though is to contact the card company, in this case, Capital One and sort it out with them.
Quick Navigation
Most common reasons your credit card with Capital One might be restricted
1. Fraud
Perhaps one of the more common reasons for a Capital One card to get suspended is that of fraudulent activity.
This is especially so if you know that your account balance is nowhere near its limit, and you’ve made all the required payments.
Capital One is very alert when detecting any strange amounts or suspicious behavior on their customer’s credit cards.
2. Over the limit
Another reason for restrictions is exceeding your original agreed credit limit.
Capital one will immediately stop you from using your card at this point. This is until you make a payment and have enough money in your account available for spending.
3. An administrative error
Unfortunately, mistakes can and do happen on behalf of credit card providers. Thought it isn’t that common, they can occur.
You may only pick this up by trailing back through your card statements.
But, if you have proof in front of you that there has been an error, you should have no problem getting this restriction lifted in an instant.
Such errors usually stem from repeated transactions appearing on your account, but they are scarce.
4. Buying from another country
Sometimes, card companies will pick up on new purchasing activity from other countries. If they believe it looks suspicious, their first reaction is to restrict your card.
5. Late payments
While a lot of people miss a payment date here and there, and sometimes life is just in the way and you need to extend your payment cycle. Having repeated late payments or over due balances that are not paid on time can cause your account to be suspended.
How Do I Fix My Card Restriction
One of the most essential tips when facing card restrictions with Capital One is communicating with them directly.
Capital one can be contacted in several ways.
For those customers based in the U.S, you can call using the following numbers:
| Capital One General Customer Support Helpline | 1-877-383-4802 |
| Credit card Report Fraud | 1-800-227-4825 |
| For those customers outside of the US: Call collect | 1-804-934-2001 |
For those customers based in the UK, you can connect with Capital one using these numbers:
| Capital One General Customer Support Helpline | 03444 812 812 |
| For those customers calling from outside of the UK | +44 115 993 8002 |
Another way of dealing with a card restriction is to log onto your online Capital One account. This is the place labeled as My Capital One. Here, you’ll find all the information you need before making your phone call.
Avoid credit card suspension
If you want to avoid being restricted in the first place, these tips will help guide you, and it can also help you with increasing your credit score.
- Check your account regularly online
This will help you note and confirm all activity and get an idea of how close you are to your credit limit.
Your Capital One online account is a fantastic way to keep an eye on all your transactions, payments, and due dates.
Yet, it is also a great habit to get into regularly checking as you, too, can keep an eye out for possible fraudulent transactions.
By keeping updated with your credit card account, you can work on spotting and reporting such issues quickly.
- Ensure that you know when the payment dates are and that your payment clears on time.
Sometimes, there will be a short delay from when you have paid your account to when Capital One applies that transaction.
Until it is clear, you may have to wait to use your card – or find it is restricted.
For this reason, it pays to bear in mind the clearing time offered by this company. This is when making a payment to your account balance to the time it’s cleared on your account.
The clearing time of your Capital One credit card payment will vary depending on your payment method used.
Capital One does recommend the quickest and easiest way to make a payment on your account is via direct debit.
This way, it will reach your account in the fastest time. This means you won’t have to wait for a delay in the clearing process.
- Try to pay off more than the minimum amount each month when you can do so.
This will reduce the next month fees and interest rates. If you usually pay off your credit card using the minimum payment option, you’ll need to remember how these are allocated.
Those payments due with the higher rates will be allocated first, and the lowest rates last.
- Take into account the potential calculation of your next month’s charges.
This is especially so if you’re planning on making a purchase but have a statement due soon.
It’s worth remembering that all Capital One purchases, cash transactions, and balance transfers carry varied interest rates. So, the final fees and charges here will vary.
If you aren’t sure of the interest rates you’re currently on, look to the summary that comes with your monthly statement.
Final Thoughts
For some, a card restriction is little more than a blip. For others, it can make all the difference concerning a successful transaction or a failed one.
In most cases, fixing a card restriction on your account is simply a matter of a quick phone call to Capital One.
Obviously, when it comes to restrictions resulting from late payments or over exceeding credit limits, this may well have to wait until you have the means to pay what is outstanding.
