Consumer complaint received 2023-10-30
Company: The Savings Group, Inc.
State: CA
Product: Credit reporting or other personal consumer reports
Sub-product: Credit reporting
Issue: Improper use of your report
Sub-issue: Received unsolicited financial product or insurance offers after opting out

Complaint:
Subject : Complaint against XXXX and The Savings Group for misleading advertising and hard inquiry refusal removal. 

I am writing to complain about XXXX and The Savings Group ( XXXX ) for misleading advertising and refusing to remove a hard inquiry from my credit report. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I was researching auto loan refinancing options through my bank and received marketing offers from XXXX. I submitted a request for more information about buying out my auto loan lease. I was contacted by XXXX XXXX of XXXX, who deceptively misled me with a multitude of " pre-qualified '' auto refi loan rates as low as 3 %. I have attached screenshots of our email conversation below. 

After several phone calls with XXXX and her team, they haggled me into misrepresenting me with a refinance rate variance of 3 % to 5 %, based on my XXXXXXXX XXXX  score, low debt-to-income ratio, and XXXX vehicle lease buyout with a fair down payment. 

XXXX ran a hard inquiry on my credit report and sent my application to multiple sources, including XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX XXXX. However, all of the rates I received back were higher than 6.75 % to 8 %. I declined these absurd rates and informed XXXX that I was no longer interested in their services. 

Despite my decision, XXXX continued to badger me week after week to take their offer. It took them over 60 days to finally give up. 

My credit report still shows a hard inquiry for this misleading and misrepresented offer that I never accepted. I have reached out to both XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX and XXXX, but they have both refused to remove the hard inquiry. 

I am submitting this complaint because XXXX is still misleading consumers about the potential " lowest '' unrealistic rates out there as low as 3 %. These deceptive practices need to be rectified. I understand that advertised rates may not always be exact, but there is a big difference between a plausible variance and a complete scam with more than double the rate advertised, even for supreme prime consumers with over XXXXXXXX XXXX  scores, very low debt-to-income ratios, and extremely low monthly carry-over debt with over 20 years of managing optimal credit. 

I can't even imagine what other lower-tier credit consumers are being misled with much higher rates than falsely advertised. 

All I am asking for is to formally remove the hard inquiry from my credit report from XX/XX/XXXX. XXXX has refused to work with me on this, even after several attempts and call escalations with different representatives. 

There needs to be more regulation on these scammers and falsely advertised marketing. A hard inquiry should be able to be removed from a credit report if the deal was never a finalized transaction. 

I am requesting that you investigate this matter and take appropriate action against XXXX. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation