Consumer complaint received 2022-11-08
Company: Block, Inc.
State: NY
Product: Payday loan, title loan, or personal loan
Sub-product: Installment loan
Issue: Problem when making payments

Complaint:
**I apologize ahead of time and will try to be brief. I have a XXXX that makes it very difficult for me to make statements without going off-course. I URGE YOU to PLEASE try to read my complaint in whole- as I have been trying to work with the company for over a month now and they have NOT ONCE specifically addressed anything Ive said or made any effort to come to a resolution. I thank you in advance for your patience and understanding. ** On XX/XX/XXXX @ XXXX, my pay status was of the highest level, XXXX. ( https : //www.afterpay.com/en-US/loyalty-opt-in ) further explains these Payer Levels that a consumer can reach through making payments early, on-time and completing loans. ( ATTACHMENT # 1 Email from AFTERPAY just 2 days before shutting down my entire account. ) On XX/XX/XXXX later that night, I made a payment on order # XXXX for {$35.00}. On accident, I hit the wrong part of my phone & 2 payments were made of {$35.00} ( due XX/XX/XXXX & XX/XX/XXXX ) totaling {$70.00}. I had not budgeted for the extra {$35.00} to be paid so early, I decided to request the payment due XX/XX/XXXX be cancelled & refunded, if possible. ( ATTACHMENT # 2 IMG of Loan installments/proof of payment & ATTACHMENT # 3 IMG of Req for {$35.00} return ) THIS IS WHERE AFTERPAY & THEIR AUTOMATED SYSTEM & NEGLECT BEGIN DESTROYING MY ACCOUNT : 1. ) Instead of an answer, I was given the rules/template for being put on a Financial Hardship Plan. Before reviewing this request that I never asked for, they asked me to answer some questions- since I assumed there would actually BE a review- I was under the belief that the agent would read my answers were EXACTLY what the payment installments were to begin with However, no one actually REVIEWS these applications. ( ATTACHMENT # 4 + 5 IMG of Hardship Application sent XX/XX/XXXX ) 2. ) AT THIS POINT, MY INTENT, WILLINGNESS & FINANCIAL CAPABILITY TO PAY ALL INSTALLMENTS ARE MADE CLEAR. There is no confusion of words, no hesitation- I explain AGAIN what I meant about the {$35.00} over-payment ( still Afterpay had NOT answered my question about having it returned to me. ) ATTACHMENT # 6 ALSO sent XX/XX/XXXX in response to Application IMG : Written proof that my account should have NEVER been put on any hardship plan and if ANYONE had actually been Reviewing, as the company claims is done- they would see that. 

3. ) By XX/XX/XXXX, I had NO ACCESS TO MY ACCOUNT. I tried to make a payment so I could finish the existing loans I had with Afterpay. I was denied access to my account. I tried the app, I tried the website, I tried emailing, changing my password, chatting, and then finally, I googled and tried the phone number for customer service. 
THEY DO NOT EVEN HAVE A PHONE NUMBER FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE! ** XXXX We have made a decision to close our phone lines I had No way to access my own financial information with them, what installments were ( supposed to be auto-pay from my account, but were not, ) the total amounts due, when they were due, how to pay them or ANY INFORMATION REGARDING MY ACCOUNT WHATSOEVER. 

4. ) Seeing as I had no way to access the account NOR a way to access any real human being to speak with in regards to my inability to make a payment, nothing was paid. Since I dont think Afterpay is really auto as they say ( or at least the auto part seems to be fluid in the sense that when you are buried in debt, its now auto-deducted. When they lock you out of your own account, it is not. ) 5. ) I continued to try to get ahold of this company and even tried to get the phone number of the office in XXXX XXXX ( where the CEO is located ) to find SOMEONE- ANYONE to help me PAY MY OWN BILLS! If Afterpay considered this the financial hardship payment plan, when, how and how much were these supposed payments supposed to be & when was anyone going to even tell me? Never mind the fact that I had made it ABUNDANTLY CLEAR I DID NOT NEED TO BE ON THE PLAN. Regardless, EVEN IF they ignored me about that & my question about the {$35.00}. How is ANYONE supposed to pay/get financial help or anything at all if Afterpay doesnt even make a plan with you and then Closes all access to your accounts? 
6. ) Almost AN ENTIRE MONTH LATER, XX/XX/XXXX, I am given access to my account after my suspension. ATTACHMENT # 7 & 8. I now owe OVER $ 350+ in Late Fees, Overdue Payments not paid & my regular installments. 
7. ) I CAN NOT STRESS ENOUGH EVEN IF no one listened to me about not needing a payment plan & put me on one anyways. WHERE WAS IT? Where was the employee who was supposed to help me make it? How was I ever going to pay if I already was having a hard time ( even though I clearly said I was fine. ) ***HOW IS ANYONE SUPPOSED TO GET OUT OF FINANCIAL HARDSHIP WHEN YOU BLOCK ACCESS TO THEIR OWN LOAN INFORMATION, XXXX THEIR ABILITY TO MAKE PAYMENTS, WILL NOT COMMUNICATE WITH THEM AND NEVER MAKE AN EFFORT TO SET UP ANY KIND OF PAYMENT HARDSHIP PLAN? HOW DOES COMING BACK 20+ DAYS LATER OWING OVER $ 350+ HELP ANYONE WITH FINANCIAL HARDSHIP?! *** 8. ) From this point, XX/XX/XXXX until as recent as last night, I have been dealing with HARRASSMENT almost daily ( via text, previously also via email ) threatening me about LATE FEES WHICH THIS COMPANY CREATED! The diabolical & unethical business model that this company has created is nothing short of XXXX. ( Attachment # 9- Ex of only a FEW DAYS of HARRASSMENT. ) 9. ) The responses Ive gotten from them in regards to my very REAL concerns have been templates, automated, outdated, irrelevant or condescending. For example : a. On XX/XX/XXXX, I was told that unfortunately no, the {$35.00} can not be returned to me bc Afterpay is free to consumers and we are able to maintain this by operating this way. Which way? By replying to questions sent on XX/XX/XXXX almost a month later? How exactly is this FREE TO CONSUMERS when I am being threatened with late fees daily? ( Attachment # 10 & # 11 is my reply ) b. On XX/XX/XXXX I wrote another complaint & on XX/XX/XXXX I received response that it would be addressed. ( Attachment IMG 12A, 12B & 13 ) c. On XX/XX/XXXX, I receive a response. Nothing that addresses any of my concerns but a notification that my payments are overdue! Also, the agent tells me any payments can be easily made MANUALLY via the website or app. Its INSULTING that not ONE AGENT has been talking in relation to anything Ive said or anything previous agents have said. ALSO I asked this agent- PLEASE.. show me step by step how to make a payment online or on the app when you cant log in & your access to all that information is denied? What are you paying now for? How would you know if you cant even get your name up on the screen? He actually mentions HAVING TROUBLE LOGGING IN! NO ONE- absolutely NO ONE at this company knows WHAT is going on, I dont even know if people are actually running it- but they have my money and can not even read. ( Attachment # 14 ) d. Im probably running out of attachments & Im sure youve had just enough of my going on and on about this company. I just have to tell you, as sick of you are of me going on about it with all my attachments, I have even more & this company has made my life a living XXXX the last month ( AND IT IS STILL GOING! ) In the beginning of this, I had mentioned that I had just received an E-mail from Afterpay unlocking a special offer given to their highest level consumers who had reached the XXXXXXXX LEVEL. After taking my account from me, destroying me with late fees and overwhelming debt, my new level XXXX is what I have to show for all the responsible patronage I have shown to this company. ( Attachment # 15 ) AFTERPAY HAS CLEAR DECEPTIVE PRACTICES GOING ON WITHIN THEIR COMPANY. FROM NOT EVEN HAVING A CUSTOMER SERVICE PHONE NUMBER TO FRAUDULENTLY ( WITHOUT CONSENT ) PUTTING PEOPLE IN THEIR FINANCIAL HARDSHIP PAYMENT PLANS THAT DONT INVOLVE PAYMENT AT ALL. I dont see how it can get much worse.

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief