You can try, but I went into the branch. I would suggest doing that.

To open a checking account a bank needs to verify your identity and have you sign their signature cards which are matched to the signature on the checks you write. I don't think I've ever been able to open a checking account online, without going into a branch office at some point. Blame it on the goofy banking regulations...

Update: There actually is an option to open the account online, but you can't complete the process without going into the branch. From CapitalOne's website:

OH BUMMER! I don't have any bank within 75 miles. Maybe I could open an account on a trip to the city sometime. I'll need to search further!!! Thanks for the info. Can you expand how you came on to this conclusion.
Thanks!

Just an FYI! I have opened Chase accounts completely online before. I mailed in signature pages. Wonder if it could work with Capital One. I would think they would allow this if you don't have a branch close enough. They want your business and know there are ATM everywhere and everyone does everything online mostly. Just a thought!

The quote shown by TheManofaThousandPlaces in posting #17 looks pretty definitive, that you need to visit a CapOne branch to complete opening an account.

Some banks (e.g., BankDirect) do permit opening checking accounts without ever visiting a branch.

I just took this offer in to a Capital One branch in Houston and they told me that this is a fraudulent offer. They said that someone made this look legit, but that it isn�t. I tried to tell them that it�s right there on their website but they said that that�s a fake website that someone has made to look legit. I explained that that can�t be as the root of the website is their actual website, but they wouldn�t believe me. I even spent about an hour on the phone with them and they kept on transferring me to every which department because no one knew what to do with this.

Anyone heard anything about that?

Wow, that is crazy. I opened one of these accounts, got my 10K miles/points, transferred to my Venture Card and used it to pay off one of my mileage runs in Jan with some other venture one miles. This account works like a charm for me, and I had quite a few conversations with Cap 1 prior to and upon opening with no issues. I'm guessing the Houston branch got a memo about a fake website out there and the information was given to them incorrectly, so they think all of the offers are fake. I'd open online on Cap 1's website, personally. Good luck.

Thanks for the info. I wasn't referring to the 10k points offer, but rather the $300 upon opening up (and making a certain deposit) a business account.

I have taken your advice about opening up an account online, but there is nowhere to indicate your bonus offer. I just talked to a guy on the phone to finish up my application and he says to just take your offer into the branch and see if they'll honor it. Sounds kind of strange to me to "see if they'll honor it." What? Like it's up to each individual branch to determine if they'll honor a corporate promotion? (At least I assume it's from corporate, since it's on their general website.) He also checked under my name and business name to see what offers were available for me - he didn't see this one. So even he says that it's most likely a fraudulent offer. I tried to explain to him that the root of the website is www.capitalone.com and that it simply can't be any other website than their own, but he said he wasn't a technology expert and couldn't answer my question. He said if you searched for the promotion through "Google" and found it that way, that it's probably fraudulent. If I got to the promo through clicking through their website, then it's legit.

I don't know if each individual branch has to pay for the promotion, or a portion of the promotion, out of the commission they receive for opening the account. In that case, they may be turning me down for not wanting pay that. I'm just really baffled by this...

Can confirm my thinking that because the root of the website is "www.capitalone.com" that it can't be anything other than their legitimate website?

I'm moving to Texas and looked into cap1 banks promotions and found they are targeted and sometimes limited to certain states...best offer I could find was $100 or $300 small business signup..... Expires February 29, 2012 (Available in Connecticut, New Jersey, or New York branches only)
So Texas wouldnt not honor it or know about it.
I wish they had something for TX....I got chase to give me $200 for business and $150 for opening a personal account, but 2 months after opening they incresed the min balance to keep them free from $5k to 7.5K...so as soon a 6months are up I'm dumping them and looking for another local bank offer.

There is another offer for a moneymarket that is very interesting: Capital One is currently offering 2,500 bonus miles when you open a Capital One Rewards Money Market account and deposit $500 within the first month.

Just open a Capital One Rewards Money Market account and deposit $500 within the first month, and you�ll receive 2,500 bonus miles within 60 days of making the qualifying deposit.

You�ll also receive 1 mile for each $20 in average balances each month in your Rewards Money Market account for as long as your account is in good standing.

The miles you earn through your Rewards Money Market account can be combined with miles earned on your Capital One No Hassle Miles Rewards Credit Cards.

However, a No Hassle Miles credit card is not required to open a Rewards Money Market account and participate in the Capital One No Hassle Rewards program.

Once you open your Capital One Rewards Money Market account, simply visit the Capital One No Hassle Rewards website at www.capitalone.com/nohasslerewards, and register your account to track your miles and redeem your rewards.

My apologies, I didn't realize you were looking at the business checking account.

After doing a quick search, I see no reason why this would be considered a fraud. It is everywhere, even on Dansdeals and fatwallet. Not that those two are the best around, but given as many places that popped up and linked me to the capitalone website, I would have a hard time believing this is a fraud.

Check out the fatwallet link about it (just search for cap 1 $300 business offer), looks like some got direct mailed with it. I'd keep pushing, maybe check out another branch and ask to speak to the branch manager.

That's exactly what I did - I went in to a different branch today and opened my account there. Whether I'll actually get the bonus remains to be seen, but the rep put the promo code on my account, so that's a step in the right direction.

Way to be persistent. If at first you don't succeed...

I think this is another case of CapitalOne's promotions being more forward thinking than its employees.

When I opened my account, the branch manager was very curious about the promotion and where I got it. She said some of the branch employees were to attend a training meeting the following week to learn about some of the new marketing efforts and promotions. You would think they would tell their people beforehand.

Sorry to resurrect this thread, but I never got the $300 credit and am now trying to get them to pay up. The website no longer has the promotion on it. They say I need to take a hard copy of the promotion into a branch. Anyone have the PDF/screenshot?

Nope, but I had a hard time getting them to pay up too. It helped that I called and asked every so often to make sure the code was on the account. Then I started getting a little less unpleasant.

after moving to Fort Worth we got offers in the mail welcoming us to Texas, the offers ended 7/31 and we signed up on the last day...the lady at the bank said it was the first time she saw that offer and that they never know what promotions are out there until someone comes in with an offer code.

My wife got the personal account with $200 for DD (which will get a 1099) and 10k cap1 points for opening account and setting up DD (which dont get a 1099) account also gives cap1 points for atm withdrawals, online billpay, account transfers and other ordinary things (might have to milk that a bit)

I got an offer for High interest checking with 5k min balance I get no fees, free checks, free atms (reimbursements for using other banks ATM's) and gauranteed .75% interest for a year (whoopee), but it also qualifies for a $200 bonus for setting up a DD on the account

They wanted to see and make copies of our DL and asked us for proof of address and other stuff because of the new stricter patriot act (snooping on honest citizens in the name of national security), they also took the offer letters we were sent, but I spoke up and made her give us a copy for our records in case they play the "what offer?" game when it comes time to pay out.....sorry I don't have a screen shot of the offer they are screwing you on, I'd surely post it....always keep proof of offers until you get paid!!