In the world of finance, mergers and acquisitions often stir up a whirlwind of speculation and concern, especially when it involves major players in the industry. The recent buzz surrounding Capital One Bank's acquisition of Discover Financial Services has sparked a wave of apprehension among consumers and employees alike. This move has raised valid concerns about the potential negative impact on the marketplace, lending choices, fees, and the cherished 100% United States-based call center model that Discover has come to be known for.

One of the primary concerns stemming from this acquisition is the potential reduction in competition in the marketplace. With fewer players in the financial services sector, consumers may find themselves facing limited options, leading to a lack of competitive pricing and reduced innovation. The absence of healthy competition could result in a less dynamic marketplace, ultimately leaving consumers with fewer choices and less leverage to negotiate favorable terms.

Moreover, the acquisition could lead to a reduction in lending choices for consumers. Discover Financial Services has long been known for its diverse range of lending products, offering competitive rates and attractive terms to its customers. The consolidation of these offerings under the umbrella of Capital One Bank may lead to a homogenization of lending options, potentially limiting the variety and flexibility that consumers have grown accustomed to.

In addition, the possibility of increased fees looms large on the horizon. The absence of robust competition could embolden the surviving financial giant to impose higher fees and charges on consumers, knowing that the options for consumers to switch to a more favorable provider are limited. This could result in a financial burden for many consumers who have benefited from the competitive fee structures offered by Discover Financial Services.

Beyond the impact on consumers, the acquisition also raises concerns for the employees and customers of Discover. Discover has prided itself on its 100% United States-based call center agents, providing a level of service and support that has garnered the loyalty and appreciation of many customers. The potential integration of these operations into Capital One's existing framework could jeopardize the unique customer service model that Discover has cultivated, leaving both employees and customers feeling uncertain about the future of this cherished feature.

In conclusion, the acquisition of Discover Financial Services by Capital One Bank has ignited apprehension among consumers, employees, and industry observers. The potential ramifications on marketplace competition, lending choices, fees, and the beloved 100% United States-based call center model are significant causes for concern. As this acquisition unfolds, it will be crucial for all stakeholders to closely monitor the developments and advocate for the preservation of consumer choice, competitive pricing, and the unique service offerings that have made Discover Financial Services a standout in the industry.

Consumers, be prepared to have enough patience to self-advocate. I made a purchase with Discover Credit Card and the merchant gave in writing, one FULL YEAR (365 days) no questions asked 100% Money Back Guaranteed if it turned out to be of NO VALUE at ANYTIME within that time frame, and all that's needed is to send an email requesting refund (with several months left, I was nowhere close to a full year) After trying the product, I discovered several issues that made it didn't work for me. I contacted the Merchant first but because there was no response, I called Discover and opened a dispute. I fully explained the entire situation and said I'm not disputing the charge-its just that I"ve not heard from the Seller regarding the Full refund. Discover claimed they'll launch an investigation. However, they reversed the credit in Merchant's favor, stating the Merchant wasn't required to submit documents. Yet they sided with the Merchant and gave me a very difficult time requesting PROOF even though Merchant already wrote PROOF in Subject Line of correspondence that mattered. (PS: see more detailed explanation about documents in proceeding paragraphs:

I was confused because I was told if they needed docs from me, they'll call me if it's necessary. Needless to say, I was not called and by the time I saw update, the credit was already reversed. I called immediately and was told I can upload docs and they'll reopen case. I uploaded 6-7 documents (PROOF of email from Merchant regarding refund, correspondence, receipt, etc) YET that wasn't enough for Discover. I wasted so much of my time and energy on the phone with them, as I was at a loss about the additional docs they were asking for. I was told they need: Document from the Merchant that he promised a Refund, What date should I receive the refund and to which account it should be credited. This requests was ridiculous because they already had PROOF -the very detailed 3 page email that Merchant sent as "PROOF" in Subject Line which laid out the policies for FULL REFUND at anytime For a FULL YEAR 100% money Back Guarantee-No questions asked. I kept saying the refund/credit is to be placed back to the method of payment from which the purchase was made (ie. Discover Card) it was beyond frustrating to deal with customer service reps-as nothing they were saying made sense--they initially credited the amount to the Discover card-the card I used to make the purchase before reversing it, but now they needed info from Merchant to state where should purchase be credited? Make that make sense. The hardest thing was hearing them say without these things, I'll not receive the credit-but I can contact the local government and file complaint, or the FTC etc. My energy was so depleted after dealing with Discover reps that I decided to give up on following up. It was evident to me that I was getting nowhere with them, and the entire process began to sap my energy.

Discover NEVER assisted me with the dispute-instead they conjured all sorts of additional conditions, despite the fact that legally those conditions were already met. I'm still beyond discombobulated and distraught as a result of my experience throughout this process. It made me realize there's lack of care for customers with honest disputes and the dispute process with Discover will frustrate you to the very end. In the end, it was the Merchant who created the solution but I had to painstakingly send multiple emails to merchant. Discover did nothing to assist me in this matter; had it not been for the Merchant honoring the very email that I sent Discover as PROOF regarding the promised Refund, the dispute would be a lost cause. At this point it's useless for me to notify Discover of this complaint, I spent so much time on the phone repeatedly explaining the unfairness and confusion regarding their requests and it fell on deaf ears. It's unfair for me to have spent time feeling like despite evidence already provided, they insisted on things that were not necessary. The fact that a merchant was not required by them to present documents during the dispute but they sided with the merchant surprised me. Then it happens that it was the Merchant (after several emails between Merchant and myself), who issued a full refund as promised in evidence.

So I did, the whole story, in the column "Notary Commission/Identefication numbder" Write "N/A in New Hampshier", send, 14 days, no answer, I call the bank, and they tell me that my date of birth is not readable in the document. (At that point I just felt like I was in a circus) 3 times I sent the document, and 3 times I faced incompetence of employees. I asked the support guy, "Can you read my birthday?" And he said to me, "Yes sir, I can see here *Calls my date of birth*, but the notary's department said it's unreadable, so I can't help it. He added that if I didn't confirm my identity in two days my account would be completely blocked. I asked you to talk to the manager, and I was told that he wasn't there as usual, but he could call me back. SPOILER: The manager hasn't called me once. At the end, I was told that if I didn't confirm my identity in two days, my account would be permanently blocked. I did all the same waiting 14 days, and I got a message that my account had been blocked. I'm dialling the bank to find out what's wrong again. Why this time they could not confirm the document. The support person says, "I sblocked, you can try to create a new one. Here's what I can tell you. No company or bank has sucked as much nerve as Discovery Bank. I think if there's a bank in Hell, it's called Discovery Bank. As a result, I used a card for 1 month, spent 64 dollars out of 1000, (I paid it before state) And then 2 months met with employees of the Discovery Bank who are either not so interested in their work that would Google that HX could have other laws, The libor is so not motivated to provide quality service that even after two requests to contact the manager, the manager can call you back only in a dream. Either Discovery Bank decided to recruit Or the Discovery Bank decided to recruit people who can't parse complex numbers, like dates of birth. I don't know, you'll deduce for yourself. But I assure you, if you have the opportunity to open an account with another bank, in any case, TD Bank, American Bank, Chase Bank, open there, avoid Discovery, such experience that was with them, I would not even wish the enemy.ee the comment that we called the notary once, he didn't pick up, so we couldn't confirm your identity. We cannot recreate your account because it is

It's a misnomer that getting a credit card is going to make your life better. Right? Unfortunately, our society has fallen prey to banks deceptive practices and predatory lending to everyday Americans that aren't making enough to get by as income and inequality get worse as if that's not the case already. But I digress!

-DISCOVER sells their product(s) as if you're always getting the 5% cash back, now I know that was never true to begin with when I applied to getting a card through them. Getting 5% cash back is only available throughout certain times of the year/month/Quoter per calendar year, You DONT automatically get enrolled to receiving 5% cash back, you have to enroll in it periodically by checking your account for upcoming promotions. So I think you get my drift here with their rewards program! Moving on...

-"THE UNITED STATES OF DISCOVER, FRAUD AND PREVENTION DEPARTMENT" Is and absolute a joke, to put it lightly. These folks have no clue what they're doing. Attached with this review are photos of a dispute regarding Alibaba for an item purchased that was not as advertised and was delivered the wrong item, a cheap POS made in China item. After providing sufficient amount of documentation and following their instructions specifically to support my claim, DISCOVER said "Na' go F your self Mr. Smith". Moving on...

-As you can see in exhibit (A) boys and girls, every month the account is paid in full "Statement Balance". Since paying the account off and not having it being used for several months now; Occasionally we get in the mail, US Mail that is "Checks"! Yes, Checks! For those of you that don't understand how checks work for credit card issuers, they are absolutely predatory. DISCOVER realized we no longer are using their product and assume that we could use some checks to take cash out of and ATM and pay double transaction hefty fee of 5% of whatever the amount is your going to take out of the ATM. I never and have never used checks that credit card issuers send out, you pay double the interest and fees on top of that. You need to read the terms carefully, your going to get screwed!

-Folks, bottom line here is this' I travel frequently and ran into several merchants where they don't take DISCOVER! Their rewards program the way they have it structured is... We'll... Stupid! It makes no sense.

-There are so may great cards out there that give you great rewards or cash back that you can take advantage of, as long as you pay off your balances in full every month, you can enjoy your rewards. But if you plan on not taking advantage of rewards or cash back and you're going to make monthly payments, you need to get a balance transfer card with zero percent introductory promotional rate or low interest rate card.

-What have we learned so far class? Stay away from DISCOVER products! That's right class, you're now an informed consumer!

Auf Wiedersehen

I employed use of my Discover Card to hire Mark S.Guarlnick (hereinafter M.S.G.) a Cherry Hill, New Jersey based attorney who claimed to have Elder Law expertise. In fact he was referred to me by the Burlington County NJ Bar Association, as it turns out, a private advertising club for any licensed attorney who timely pays their annual dues. The Association does absolutely nothing to discern, let alone ensure member competency in any area of law which they pay the Association to refer potential clients both seeking and in need of competent legal representation. I hired M.S.G. To prepare, file and defend a Guardianship Petition in Burlington County Superior Court on behalf of my elderly mother whose assets were under threat from Elizabeth, my sister/her daughter (a sociopath, narcissist, borderline personality disordered, and kleptomaniac as defined per minimum diagnostic criteria in the "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual on Mental Disorders," Volume 5, (DSM5), as adopted and published by the American Psychiatric Association in 2013) who conned our mother following a minor stroke into giving her Power of Attorney (POA) over her health care and business decisions. Elizabeth then stole $100,000 in our mother's savings and investments, plus our residence since June 23,1963, and then relocated her like a chess piece to at least a half dozen different nursing homes in at least two NJ counties over a 2 1/2 year period until her death on February 17,2020. Among other things, Elizabeth prevented our helpless mother from preparing a will, communicating with any member of her extensive social network (Willingboro Friendship Guild where she was recording secretary, Willingboro Senior Citizen Center where she crocheted articles of clothing for child burn victims and veterans, Corpus Christi Church Altar and Rosary Society, ceramics painting lessons in Edgewater Park, etc. Her social schedule put mine to shame.) voting (since moving to Willingboro in 1963, she never missed a vote, but that came to an end in 2017), traveling outside the walls of any of the institutions she was in fact entombed in under lock and key by Elizabeth, engaging in any recreational or civic association activities (she loved traveling in the Spring to see blossoming flowers which she painted, the Fall to see leaves changing colors, and the winter when she enjoyed seeing Christmas holiday lights on display), receiving dental care, and even practicing the religion of her choice and even meeting with a priest (a devout Catholic since birth), in fact pressuring our mother into joining a Medford, NJ cult. As it turned out the Guardianship Petition was so inherently defective that Burlington County Superior Judge Paula T. Dowe threw it out, providing me with a charitable 7 days to identify and hire a replacement attorney. M.S.G. Then misrepresented the basis upon which he petitioned the court to withdraw as attorney for my mother and me. First he claimed I lacked the additional $17,000 he suddenly demanded after receiving a 15 minute tutorial from Elizabeth's Runnemede, N.J. Attorney. Mr. Whitmann outlined for M.S.G. All of what he screwed up and ommitted as attachment to the Guardianship Petition he prepared, in addition to the fact that he failed to file it in the proper Court offices, and failed to pay the requisite $250 filing fee. Second, M.S.G. Falsely asserted that I wouldn't follow his legal advice which consisted of "Just walk away from and forget your mother even exists." To underscore the merits of his advice M.S.G. Argued, "When I turned 18, I walked out of the front door of my house and never looked back!" (emphasis added). My response - "But I wasn't raised by a couple of crocodiles like you and your parents." Apparently, Richard Whitmann, Esq. Of Runnemede became so concerned and empathetic with my mother's situation, and suspicious regarding my sister's behavior and intentions, he provided M.S.G. With a detailed, 15 minute tutorial on (a) how to properly prepare a Guardianship Petition (what was omitted from and withheld as attachment to the Petition), (b) where it was suppose to have been filed, (c) fact that he failed to pay the requisite filing fee, and finally (d) how to properly defend it. In point of fact, I audio recorded that tutorial using my cell phone, then placed on the empty seat at the end of the conference table during a 15 minute period in which Elizabeth and I were instructed by the mediator to temporarily leave them (mediator, M.S.G. And Elizabeth's lawyer) in the room. Most astonishing regarding the recording was the sustained (pregnant) pause (silence) on the part of M.S.G. Following each of Whitmann's pointed thesis statements on the subject. Then there was the public audio recording of the Court, none of which Discover Card would accept as evidence, nor review and consider arguing, we don't accept audio or video recordings of evidence against one of our merchants. Moreover, we're not paralegals, attorneys or judges and therefore, will neither consider, nor accept official court transcripts supporting my assertion either, in fact the reality that the Court (Judge Paula T. Dowe) threw out the Guardianship Petition and permitted M.S.G. To withdraw as attorney for my mother and I. Essentially, Discover Card absurdly insisted that both unless and until M.S.G., the offending merchant, fesses up (comes to Discover Card with bent knee and hat in hand) to having violated the retainer agreement, there is ABSOLUETLY NOTHING ELSE THEY WILL ACCEPT AND CONSIDER IN THE DISPUTE REVIEW PROCESS. What Discover Card has done is, not merely unethical and immoral, but criminal in denying me a refund for (a) Receipt of a grossly defective product, (b) gross breach of contract - M.S.G. Failing to defend his defective petition (or now prepare a new one after learning from Richard Whitmann what he screwed up) as agreed in the retainer agreement, and (c) damages (financial and psychological) suffered by both my mother and me. In point of fact, between Elizabeth disappearing our mother from November 13th, 2017 until her death on February 17,2022, I never saw my mother again. Result of our mother's September 21,2017 stroke was nothing more than weakness from the left knee down for which she was suppose to be receiving physical therapy for at the Woolman Center of Medford Leas, in Medford, N.J. Albeit Medford Leas was billing the government for one hour of physical therapy per business day, each of her physical sessions rarely exceeded five minutes, coming to an abrupt stop upon failing to perform. Albeit the government was being billed by Medford Leas for one hour/business day speech therapy, in the two (2) plus months she was there, she was seen by a speech therapist only three (3) times. According to that therapist (with a PhD), she gave my mother a reading comprehension test yielding a score of 64. I asked the therapist what time (relative to meal and bed time) in where environment she met with and tested her. The 64 was achieved in her hermetically sealed room which she shared with another patient. I recommended she be screened, either in the large meeting room, or outside where oxygen levels would be much higher and the air would be a bit cooler and thus more stimulating. The second therapy session took place in the large meeting room, yielding a score of 96. After Elizabeth learned of my intervention, she ordered speech therapy and recreational therapy be ended. Takeaways for you, the consumer: (a) POA is very, very dangerous legal instrument, (b) Unless you have $60,000 or more in disposable income to overcome mistakes and harm caused by granting POA to the wrong person by hiring another, more competent, diligent, and ethical Elder Law attorney, with NO GUARANTEE OF SUCCESS, and (c) even more with which to file suit against Discover Card, DO NOT USE DISCOVER CARD TO HIRE AN ATTORNEY OF UNPROVEN COMPETENCY IN THE SPECIFIC AREA OF LAW OF CONCERN TO YOU! So shaken was M.S.G. Upon learning that I recorded the entire mediation session, including his tutorial, that he switched his advertised legal specialty to handling cases of legal malpractice and ineffective assistance of counsel. Discover Card is fine for paying for gas and groceries. However, AVOID USING DISCOVER CARD when paying for SERIOUS, potentially life altering transactions and DO NOT HIRE Mark S. Guralnick of Cherry Hill in the context of any case involving Elder Law. Discover Card will lift its proverbial leg and do a number on you! You have been forewarned! Use Discover Card at your own risk! Discover Card is both willing and prepared to screw much, much more than your credit score!

Discover Card has to be THE WORST automated call center for payments EVER! This talk out loud to a phone to simply make a payment is exhausting, INSULTING, infuriating, and set up poorly. It is the INVERSE of "customer service" and more like a cruel "Simon says" game of do it our way or else. ÑO ONE wants to have to talk OUT LOUD to a phone, having to verbally say out loud "PAYMENT". Why can't we simply press 1 or 2 to make a payment. Later in the call we CAN enter numbers on the keypad in this hopscotch system of allowing the keypad for somethings and not others. Entering the amount of a payment is a pure act of futility! Is there someone in corporate sitting around in a board room listening to these calls, laughing at us as some sick joke? Their "automated" call center allows you to enter your payment amount using the keypad, then you can't APPOVE that amount is correct by simply hitting 1 or #, which almost EVERY OTHER company and system allows a customer to do. You hit 1 to accept, which is customary in almost ALL OTHER systems and it will then change your payment to $1 What the heck? Whoever approved this call system should be fired. Whoever continues it and does not change the platform at Discover and thinks it's "ok" should also be fired. You have to verbally announce out loud "YES" being treated as if we're some subjects to a sovereign to simply OK the amount VERBALLY, that you just PHYSICALLY used the keypad for. As if this automated system is Schizophrenic not knowing one minute to the next what it wants to be! Then later, you STILL again are "forced" to talk outloud to have to say SUBMIT the payment. More like "bow and submit to Discover like good little subjects." I mean WHO at Discover "customer service" thinks this is a good system? Other credit card companies you can BREEZE through making a payment by just pressing #s very quickly and can pay via phone quietly and discretely vs needing to be ALONE so one can belt out our subservient answers to an inanimate object being treated like subjects! And DONT give us some canned "business communications 101" retort of "well you can download as some app." Or "you can pay online." as if somehow DEFLECTING and REDIRECTING absolves Discover Of addressing the WORST and most INSULTING AUTOMATED PHONE PAYMENT platform in ALL the industry! Whoever continues this system should be ashamed of themselves as well as everyone in corporate governance.

I had a friend whom I was paying to help me write my checks to pay all of my bills. I went through a divorce and I had health issues five years ago. My ex took care of the banking so I had no idea what credit cards or debt we had. My ex left me and our 2 children. My ex cut all communication. So here I am 5 years later. 8 months ago I began to notice my friend was stealing. She was using a credit card that was mine that I had t carried or used in over three years and she also got a second discover card in my name that I never applied for and never knew about. Since about 2019, This person i trusted charged over 30,000 in my name with 2 discover cards. When I reported this to discover card they took the charges off pending a fraud investigation. Once they finished the investigation the charges went back on my the cards. I received a letter saying the investigation was unfounded. No other explanation. I have called many times to explain that I have a case number and an ongoing police investigation and that I know who did it. I even gave the name of the person to discover. Yet each time I call, discover card tells me they have no record of everything except two charges that came back unfounded. When I explain, I am told to start over by giving them each charge one by one. There are thousands ot them. What part of, idid not make these charges, don't they understand. One of my phone conversations had me in disbelief. I told them previously that I never applied for the second card in my nameand I kept asking them how is was activated and they never answered that question, until a man I was taling to from discover told me the card was never activated. I said wrll how did the person use it. Tap and pay he said. The card was activated before it was mailed by them. Yet I'm still paying. Discover card is purposely making me wait on hold and acts like they don't have the information on my account right I front of them. Guess what the same thing happened yo my capital one card. There was a 6000. Transfer to pay a discover card that was at the limit. Capital one has done and treated me just as discover card. I'm financially screwed. Besides those credit cards I'm in debt from my identity being stolen close to 80,000. Discover keep sending me emails which are in a threatening manner. People, stay away from discover. They lie.

Not sure but this person evidently works for a financial institute credit repair place these that is telling people not to do bankruptcy. This should be your last resort. I agree but if your going through tough times and still trying ask them for help and they deney you then you have to do what will be best in your situation, Credit repair is ok if your working but if your not they dont even wanna talk to you about repairing your credit. It is a multy billion dollar business and even the non profit organizations are making big money, but once you tell them you dont have a job by by.
Here is my thought of credit card companys, if you had requested multiple times to the lender to help you and they give you the run around make sure you document and record your calls with them they do the same to you beleive me but you must let them know like they do you. Be polite and cautious of what you say but don't let them try to make you feel like your a nothing or a low life you are just going through hard times just like everyone else. What goes around comes around. Even though your accounts are closed they still can help you lowering the payments and interests rates, I had a manager of a well known credit card bank committed himself on the phone that he would lower my interest rate even though the account was closed all I had to do is do autopay, not only did he say this but another representative stated it also for auto pay. Now one year later they say they never can do it, Well folks I had recorded the info and also documented the conversation plus I have emails that I had kept just for this sole purpose so. When I go into the rears if it does happen I will keep my little security blanket and keep adding to it. See we made the debt and we know it is our obligation to pay back with in reasonable time but there is always obstacles that happen along the way the we are not prepared for, So the lending company's try to capitalize on these hard times and think we are not aware but we are very aware. Isn't it something how credit card company's when you are not using there cards they keep flooding your mailboxes with checks to use one week I counted 4 in mail box next week the same they tantalize you untill you give in and use them, they also had raised credit limits by thousands of dollars with out your consent and with no signature was needed. This to me is a violation of your rights. So now how I get through all this I keep praying that they get everything I want and that they have good health, prosperity and happiness in there lives. So just remember when you feel down because you are doing everything you can to pay your bills and they keep trying to put you down farther by overwhelming high interest rates and high payments that they wont work with you, you do not have to be treated like that
All credit companys can help you by lowering your payments and or the interests rate, and when they refuse to help you start your own investigations and get as much info as you can on them because there will come a time they will have to answer for the over charges and the out rages high interests rates this is theft by deception in my oppinion, Its horrible feeling what they continue to do to veteran familys, handicapped, disabled, college school children and most of all the elderly that are making a hard struggling living to pay them back, to us we count every penny we make to them, the CEO'S of credit card company's they count there millions and trillions of dollars they are making off the poor, one day the lion will roar its head.
If all else fails you tried your honest best to work with them and they treat you like dirt then give them what they deserve file file file. Bank ruptcy
Because there all high and mighty lets even go farther then bank ruptcy lets do our home work
My credit card company has 600 filed complaints against them with the better business bureau
Hmmmmmm

They have an excellent credit card. I love it.

One of my top 3 credit card choices.