Paperless Billing - Now With Paper

Isn't paperless billing supposed to be paperless? Well, not according to Capital One it's not.

I've had my Capital One card for years and for years I've chosen the paperless billing route. There's never much on my credit card. I go in every month and see if I have a charge; if I do, I set up the payment. Easy, right?

This month, I got a paper statement in the mail! Hello?? Paperless billing? I'm kinda pissed about this. Not only is my full name and address on my statement, but so is the entire credit card number. Now there is one more document I need to shred.

I called Capital One last night to express my dissatisfaction with the whole statement issue. I was transferred to another country to talk to a representative. He couldn't understand why this was an issue with me. After all, Capital One has a new statement format and they wanted everyone to see it. I tried to explain that I don't care about their new format since I never looked at their old one. I did NOT want a statement coming to my house. Ever.

Again, he said it was just this month to show off the new statements. I asked did they plan on mailing them now and again just to surprise me? He stated that yes, Capital One very well could mail statements now and again when they felt like it. Gee, I was getting no where. He couldn't understand why a little piece of paper was bothering me.

I started to think about that very thing last night. Why was it bothering me? Is it the fact that in my neighborhood, or any neighborhood, I don't want a piece of paper sitting outside unlocked with my credit card number on it? Is it because for years, I have not seen a statement come in the mail and suddenly there it is? Or have there been other statements that just didn't make it all the way to me? Does someone out there have my credit card number from a stolen statement that I wasn't expecting?

Have I been too indoctrinated into protecting my identity? When the bank sends you your ATM card, they always send your password under separate cover. Shouldn't I expect as much from my credit card company to not put all of my information on one piece of paper and mail it to me? Should I just say no big deal and move on? Am I over reacting?