Complaint Review: American Credit Acceptance

I experience the same exact experience. With the exception of the date that it happened and the fact that I had to pay a whole lot more to get my car back, it like someone, somewhere else read my mind. As they stated this seems to be a standard practice with them. I was allowing them to deduct my payments from my account every month, thinking like this customer that they were taking my payment out like they were suppose to only to find out that neglected to take the payments out for nearly three months. But in my case, how I found out was when I got up from a nap go to get my then 7 year old great niece from school only to wake up to an empty driveway. I thought someone had stolen my car and called the police. I never received nothing from them stated my payments were behind, no knock on the door or anything. How I found out that they had repo my car the officer that came to my home called them while he was here and they told him they had the call repoed because I missed a payment. I later received photos from my next door neighbor at the time of the tow truck driver towing my car, incorrectly, from my house, which I still have on my phone. I finally got my car back 2 months later and made arrangements with a lady named Karen to get my car payments current and received a letter from them stating that my final payment on my car is Feb 2020. Apparently from what I was told, I presently owed 2 full payments and 1 half payment yet my statements, when i get them, reflect I still owe thousands more. You'll probably be hearing from me about them trying to take my car again for non-payment but this time I have proof of my payments because after that incident i sent my payments to them. I vowed that they would never deduct another payment from my account and I have proof from the letter I received of when my last payment is due. I wish you luck with these people. Praying your outcome is in your favor.

I thank the individual who gave me the actually very sound advice and yes there were things I could have done to prevent this situation.  I once had a friend who was a thief and proudly reported she stole a camera from someone's car.  She stated "If they didn't want me to steal it they would have locked their doors".  Whether I am locking my doors or screening my bank account (which I do not take the time to do because I am a doctor in private practice and involved in working on social causes in my spare time) does not mean it is okay for another party to take advantage of me.  Thats bad behavior and breaking the Ten Commandments.  The goal in society should be better behavior by everyone (like starting with simply treating others decently and not stealing) NOT being cautious, paranoid, fearful, defensive and always "watching your back" be it financial or otherwise.

Also, I did not think Ripoff was a blog site for people who should be spending their time (in my opinoin) helping others rather than idlely reading about others misfortunes.  This is a site for voicing complaints or injustices and valid rebuttles FROM THE PARTIES INVOLVED.

I would add to the moral of my story, "If you have a loan with American Credit Acceptance" I would take it elsewhere.  American consumers need to vote with their feet (not retreat into the shadows and double check their accounting).  This nation was founded on protest not paranoia.

At step 6 why would you think everything is fine?  Your bank account would have a higher balance due to the funds not being withdrawn.   If you were doing proper account management on your bank account you would reconcile it every month.  Where you would have realized that they were not withdrawing the money the FIRST month this happened and would have contacted them.  Or did you realize they weren't taking money out and figured that it was their issue and if they really wanted their money they would make more of an effort to contact you?

But then again you didn't pick up the 800 number, so why would anyone believe that you would read anything they mail to you instead of figuring it was "junk mail".  Why would they expect you to read any e-mails, as you would have just said it was "spam".  Short of them sending a singing telegram, you would have come up with the typical "sub prime" excuse of that they didn't try hard enough to remind you to pay a bill you knew you had.  Oh and yes these "sub prime" excuses includes the "Oh I just don't have the time to manage may accounts" or the ever popular "You don't know my situation".

Now, with that said. While you would possibly have a valid complaint for the first month if you were charged any additional fees.   It was your responsibility to make sure the payments were being made where the rest of the fees and the reposession are a direct result of your failure to properly manage your accounts.

I will also make one correction to step 8. The lesson you should take away from this is to manage your accounts in the first place so it doesn't get to this point.  This goes with ANY account you have.  If you follow that advice you may one day no longer be stuck going to these high interest sub-prime creditors.