Misled Into a Credit Card Application Without Consent
I never thought I would walk into Bass Pro and leave feeling deceived, but that’s exactly what happened today. Within five minutes of entering the store, I was approached by an older, bald employee named Jason, who carried a tablet and immediately started pressuring me and my brother to “sign up.” He described it as a Bass Pro membership with rewards and discounts, never once mentioning it was actually a Capital One credit card application. After refusing several times, I finally agreed, thinking it was a simple store membership. Jason took my ID, filled in most of the form himself, and only asked me to enter information in a few spots. I never got the chance to read the fine print or fully understand what I was signing. Only after the application was submitted did Jason casually mention that it was for a Capital One credit card, which triggered a hard credit check on my report. This is not a small issue for me. I am 21 and have been working hard for the past 4 months to build my credit responsibly with a secured card. I have been careful to avoid unnecessary credit lines, and I take my financial health extremely seriously. Being tricked into a credit application under false pretenses is beyond unethical, it feels predatory, especially coming from an older employee who should know better. When I confronted Jason immediately afterward, he became visibly nervous and admitted it was a credit card application but acted unsure about whether it involved a hard inquiry. It did. That lack of honesty and transparency is unacceptable. I spoke with the store manager, who listened respectfully, agreed that what happened was wrong, and promised retraining. I truly appreciate his professionalism. But Jason’s actions cannot be brushed off as a simple mistake. He used misleading tactics that could damage my financial future. To Bass Pro Corporate: Customers should never be misled into applying for a credit card under the guise of a store membership. This needs serious review, accountability, and clear safeguards so no other customer experiences what I went through. I walked into Bass Pro expecting honesty and respect. Instead, I walked out with a hard inquiry on my credit report and a potential credit card I never wanted. That is not the Bass Pro experience anyone deserves.