Tim B.
BEWARE
BEWARE! It gives me no pleasure to rate this card with no stars. The store and prices are great and having the card has additional benefits for points and pricing but the credit service itself has major issues. At the Kohl's cash register when checking we were checking out, we were encouraged to apply for the card, we were immediately approved, used the card right then for the additional cost savings and because we had the cash on hand decided just to go ahead and pay the amount charged to the card right then on the spot and not receive a bill later. All seemed well until sometime, a week or so later, we received a call from someone saying they were with Kohl's asking for additional information (again card already approved and used) including a SS#. I refused to give that over the phone for fear of someone attempting identity theft etc. (something that had just happened in a big way to a close relative), and was told that we could present the info next time at the store. OK, we said that would be fine. Well, we sometime later received a letter in the mail asking for the same information and at this point decided it safe enough to send this info via email but first called to confirm that this was indeed Kohl's and to make sure we understood the exact documents required. I got off the phone and sent it immediately. Next time we went to the store we were told the account had already been closed (and reported to credit agencies), and although irritated, wondering why the woman on the phone didn't tell us the account had already been closed (a further indication that they don't have it together and their incompetencies could cost you via a damaged credit reporting) and there was nothing we could do about it (after a half an hour at the store on the phone with the credit services department, with the assistance of the store cashier who was quite nice and empathetic), but was encouraged to simply open a new one, right then. We applied and were denied. WHAT??? OK. whatever, perhaps a bit later after the smoke has cleared on the initial closing idiocy we could apply, which we later tried online and were once again denied, or so we understood. Turns out that account was actually open, which realized via a our own credit check as although we had received some letter in the mail from Kohl's, saying " your account has been closed," and another to the effect of "someone is trying to open an account with your info" and your card is being used fraudulently and will be closed. WHAT ACCOUNT??? We understood we had no accounts!!! SO....... the credit report now shows two closed Kohl's accounts which kills the credit rating we have been working to build after living out of the country for 7 years and not having much of a recent payment history fo for this reason. I called several times and even wrote a letter which I finally GOT a call in reply to but was told there is nothing we can do about it, as it wouldn't be fair to others to clean this whole debacle from your credit??? FAIR to who? This exact thing has happened before because you didn't get the info you needed in the first place, although activated the card and then called and asked to confirm SS# for someone who wisely wouldn't give it you over the phone??? KOHL"S DO YOU SEE AN ISSUE HERE? OR NOT FAIR TO THOSE WHOSE ACCOUNT WAS CLOSED FOR NON-PAYMENT??? NOT OUR CASE BUT THE REPORT ON THE CREDIT REPORT COULD INDICATE THIS??? SO..........LONG STORY SHORT.......BEWARE AS THE CREDIT DEPARTMENT IS LOST AND IT COULD REALLY COST YOU VIA YOUR CREDIT REPORT FOR NO FAULT OF YOUR OWN OTHER THAN CAUTION WITH YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION. IF THIS HAS OR DOES HAPPEN TO YOU, I SUGGEST THAT YOU DO THE SAME AND REPORT THIS TO THE BBB AND SECRETARY OF STATE TO MINIMALLY PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING TO OTHERS AND ENCOURAGE KOHL'S, AN OTHERWISE GREAT STORE, FIX THEIR ISSUES.