Capital One Financial Corp Applied balance to account, and sent bills, before credit card was even activated. Internet

All that the activation process does is turn the card on.  The Credit Card companies added this step in to minimise their losses due to fraud in case that the card was stolen after they mailed it. Activation just lets them know that yes YOU have gotten the card they mailed, that is why they ask you to call from your home phone!  Most issuers will start giving you automated calls asking you to activate the card if it has been several weeks since the mailing,  as they want to make sure it is not floating around out there somewhere.  As for the fee, you agreed to that when you applied, it was probally burried in some small print,  but none the less you did have the ability to read the terms prior to finalizing your application. All card issuers that charge an annual fee, that fee is automatically applied when the card is issued and on following aniverseries of that date. Capital One is doing nothing unusual here.   So sorry no ripoff here!