Consumer complaint received 2023-12-09
Company: VYSTAR CREDIT UNION
State: FL
Product: Credit reporting or other personal consumer reports
Sub-product: Credit reporting
Issue: Incorrect information on your report
Sub-issue: Account status incorrect

Complaint:
On my credit reports, regarding a VyStarCU loan it shows as, " Closed ; was 60 days past due date< '' I spoke with Vystar and confirmed there was 0 % indication of a past due balance on my end ( it just said no payment due ) & 0 % way to take further action to resolve any unknown issues. 

After my checking was frozen this was discovered when I called in, and I eagerly satisfied the small amount that was remaining from " loan discharge ''. The web and mobile interface presented errors when trying to satisfy this, and demonstrated that this appeared to be a technical issue due to error messages when I tried to pay it. It was not reflective of a high-priority *need* for the customer to proactively take action and call in, at the risk of credit destruction ( my current situation ). 

When speaking with Vystar on XX/XX/XXXX to " close out '' the loan the representative confirmed I was 100 % good to go, there was and would be absolutely no negative credit report. I left my feedback that it was inconvenient/ unusual that it froze my whole account and wouldn't give any sort of customer-facing assistance or message a reasonable user would be able to parse that there was this type of threat due to an apparent technical problem. The website and app are riddled with such failures, and have been for years. I expressed I was otherwise satisfied with the gentleman 's help, and considered the issue 100 % resolved with satisfaction on XX/XX/XXXX. 

Fast forward to present : my credit report was hit by over XXXX points when Vystar broke the expectations set and did leave a deleterious remark regarding the perfect payment history. This was highly deceptive. I spoke with Vystar on XX/XX/XXXX and gained agreement that this was not the resolution I expected, and that I was disputing any negative remarks on the credit report as these do not reflect reality. The XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX was very kind and professional, although all I know is he would escalate this for review to a special team. I'd like to lock in a fair resolution, the one that was promised, with haste. 

Again highly deceptive, as there was 0 % indication of a " past due '' balance and means of resolution on any customer-facing space. The representative said that " it said to call in '' - and I would add that an error message about calling in about a loan that headlines with " {$0.00} minimum due! '' intermixed with tons of error messages is not a satisfactory or appropriate interface for a financial product. I have resolved the account, the account is closed, and I request the negative remarks about " past due '' - both inaccurate and extremely harmful - be removed immediately as next steps in making the situation correct. 

Actionable feedback ideas for the Vystar & team : - Include a *simple* message like, " ALERT : Call us. '' Mixed messaging financial jargon and literal code ( errors ) spilling on the screens of iPhones and computers doesn't pass the reasonability test for what a consumer *must* seemingly due at the end of a loan, right? 
-Make the call to the customer. Send an email. Leave a voicemail. Tell them what's going on specifically before the card is locked and their credit is tanked, if the web interface lacks the ability to intelligibly alert the reasonable consumer as to the risk of not self-solving Vystars communication deficiencies. 
-Resolve the ubiquitous error messages and glitches in the web interface and mobile apps. This has been a staple of the experience since the " new app '' transition incident a few years ago, where customers were unable to mobile bank for over a week. 
-Include logic that removes the *high deceptive* " {$0.00} minimum due '' alert if someone is in a status where they must (? ) call in, but don't know to do so. Seeing alerts about no minimum payment due implies what? It implies all 's well, all 's in good standing- to a reasonable consumer. If it's not all well, or there's a risk it will not, we need a good faith alert regarding this in an appropriate interface or communication. Not a " front and center '' red herring " good standing '' indicator that suggests no risk, while Vystar is prepping to freeze their checking accounts and erroneously report them to credit bureaus. 
- Upskill agents on setting appropriate customer expectations about credit reporting. There was a major breakdown here when incorrect information was provided by Vystar that was false on XX/XX/XXXX.

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation