Kristyn
stockton,#2Consumer Comment
Thu, April 01, 2010
Hello.
I am glad to hear that you have had no issues with Santander. I hadn't had issues with them either and although my story is different from most posted here I was definately wronged by this company and seeing how you have paid your account online you might take heed.
My car was originally financed with Triad. I did receive notification that it was transferring to Santander, but that the only thing that changed was my account number. I had my car on EFT to be deducted every month since purchasing the vehicle. This didn't change. About 1 1/2 ago, my monthly due decreased $5.00, but they continued to take the original amount. No problem. I figured the extra 5 would go to the principle. My maturity date of my loan was 3-19-10 and the balance was only 413.39. Original amount was $426.31. I was ahead of the game a few dollars. Perfect! 3/19/10 was a Friday. 3/22/10 Monday I checked my bank account and my EFT had not posted. Plenty of money...what was the problem. Went online to SAntander which showed my account was PAST DUE in that horrible red they have. I chatted online and was advised they didn't take the money out because it was less than my normal payment of 426.31. That can't be...they've been taking out the $426.31 for over a 1 1/2 when my payment due was less...??? When did they send notice. THEY DIDN'T. They called me on my 3/19/10 DUE DATE (according to them). Whom did they speak to? They didn't. They supposidely left a message on my home answering machine. I never received it. So I said well I'll pay the balance of the 413.39 over the phone. Oh wait...you want to charge me additional finance charges, plus a $10.95 processing fee??? so now I'm supposed to pay $431.00??? why am I paying additional finance charges and a processing fee when I wasn't notified that you WEREN'T taking my payment that you've taken out for the last 3 1/2? If I would have cancelled EFT I would have been required to give them 30 days written notice. Why was i not given written notice to allow ample time to send in my last payment and avoid any additional interest and fees? Why didn't they take out the $426.31 and send me the refund of the $13.00? It ended up costing me more than my normal payment. I was told by their rude supervisor that 1.) If I didn't want to pay the processing fee than I could mail in my payment , but be subject to additional fees and interest. (Uh yeah sure..) or 2.) I either pay the bill or not, but if I wasn't he was terminating the phone call. and 3.) REFUSED to let me speak to his supervisor or another supervisor because this "isn't an issue to be escalted. NO, it's not happening."
I have contacted the BBB and am sending copies of letters to the FTC, Attorney General for Texas (where they are) and California (where I am). I would be happy to join a class action suit against them. It was a horrible injustice. (No not the $17.00) but the way they handled it when it was clearly their issue and could NO should have been resolved with an apology and a waiver of the fees and additional interest.
Kristyn