- Report: #340694
Complaint Review: Citifinancial Auto - Columbus Ohio
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Author Confirmed
Why?
Citifinancial Auto
PO Box 183036 Columbus, 43218-3036 Ohio, U.S.A.
Phone:
888-350-9065
Web:
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Citifinancial Auto Tried to make settlement on Van after Total loss only to be given the run-around and then sent to their collection department. Columbus Ohio
Was contacted on 4/7 by Angelica of Citifinancial Auto Loss Control division was told that insurances had made their payments and the remaining balance of $998.26 was left owing and would I want to make a settlement payment of $650 to pay it off. I stated that I would. She then told me she would check with her supervisor and call me back.
I called them back on 4/18 and left a message. I called back on 4/28 and talked to Tim Sharp who told me that Angelica was no longer their and I would be working with him. He told me he would check with his supervisor and to call him back the next day. I did and was again told to call back in a day or two. I did again and was told he didn't have an answer but he would call me back. I gave them my home phone, my work and my cell. He never called.
On 5/12 I called and talked to a Mr. Cast who told me that it was approved for the $650 and I asked for 2 payments to be made on 5/23 and 6/23. He told me I could wire the money by Western Union and I asked if a certified check from my bank would work. He said it would. I asked if he was sending out a letter or statement showing this agreement and where to send the money and he stated that it would be mailed.
On 6/11 the collection recovery office called and Michael notified me that no settlement had been made and I now owed $1,742.22. I was informed that they knew nothing about the other settlement offer because they were in a different office. I then asked to speak with his supervisor. He told me he would have them call me back. Nothing happened so I called them on 6/13 and waited on hold listening to music for 15 minutes before hanging up. I tried all of the numbers to see if it would let me put in an extension and it would not.
On 6/16 I called and finally spoke with Mary Beckhold who told me my loan had been charged off and that I now owe $1,801.46 and that if I paid $950.00 or 50% it would show on my credit report as charged off and paid.
I then told her I was contacting the Consumer Protection Agency as to the practices of them offering a settlement and then letting it go and never giving me an answer in order to raise the loan amount up. I think it was because I only had the loan for 1 1/2 years before the accident and they are trying to get some of the money they lost on the loan.
Paula
Salt Lake City, Utah
U.S.A.
I called them back on 4/18 and left a message. I called back on 4/28 and talked to Tim Sharp who told me that Angelica was no longer their and I would be working with him. He told me he would check with his supervisor and to call him back the next day. I did and was again told to call back in a day or two. I did again and was told he didn't have an answer but he would call me back. I gave them my home phone, my work and my cell. He never called.
On 5/12 I called and talked to a Mr. Cast who told me that it was approved for the $650 and I asked for 2 payments to be made on 5/23 and 6/23. He told me I could wire the money by Western Union and I asked if a certified check from my bank would work. He said it would. I asked if he was sending out a letter or statement showing this agreement and where to send the money and he stated that it would be mailed.
On 6/11 the collection recovery office called and Michael notified me that no settlement had been made and I now owed $1,742.22. I was informed that they knew nothing about the other settlement offer because they were in a different office. I then asked to speak with his supervisor. He told me he would have them call me back. Nothing happened so I called them on 6/13 and waited on hold listening to music for 15 minutes before hanging up. I tried all of the numbers to see if it would let me put in an extension and it would not.
On 6/16 I called and finally spoke with Mary Beckhold who told me my loan had been charged off and that I now owe $1,801.46 and that if I paid $950.00 or 50% it would show on my credit report as charged off and paid.
I then told her I was contacting the Consumer Protection Agency as to the practices of them offering a settlement and then letting it go and never giving me an answer in order to raise the loan amount up. I think it was because I only had the loan for 1 1/2 years before the accident and they are trying to get some of the money they lost on the loan.
Paula
Salt Lake City, Utah
U.S.A.
1 Updates & Rebuttals
Robert
Irvine,California,
U.S.A.
Suggestions..
#2Consumer Comment
Mon, June 16, 2008
It appears that Citi Financial Charged-Off the account. If they did they probably transfered it to a 3rd party collection agency. If so this collection agency is subject to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act(FDCPA). Since you don't seem to be disputing the debt, but the amount you need to send them a Validation request. In this letter state that they must provide you with a detailed statement as to where this amount comes from. This includes the original balance, and any accrued interest, and fees. There are some fees that collection agencies attempt to collect that are illegal. For this debt to basically double in a couple of months it seems like there might be some of this going on. This is why you need a detailed statement. Make sure you send the letter by certified mail with return receipt. Also do not sign the letter, just type your name. Unless you have already waived your rights for any future claims with the insurance company for this accident. You may want to use this time to go after them and find out how they appraised the vehicle. For just under $1000 it seems like this could have been an amount you could argue that they undervalued the vehicle and got them to pay the entire loan off. Thus leaving you with no balance at all.
