Consumer complaint received 2021-10-18
Company: Experian Information Solutions Inc.
State: CO
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports
Sub-product: Credit reporting
Issue: Problem with a credit reporting company's investigation into an existing problem
Sub-issue: Investigation took more than 30 days

Complaint:
I have used the XXXX XXXX XXXX app on an XXXX device since I first purchased the car on XXXX of XXXX and had never had an issue with payment processing. On XX/XX/XXXX I tried to submit a payment in the amount of {$770.00} and received the usual message that my payment has posted successfully. A week later I received a notification email that said my payment failed. I knew the funds were available but double checked that nothing funny was happening with my bank account activity and everything was good on that end ( I typically keep 3 months worth of income available in that account ). On XX/XX/XXXX I tried to process the payment again through the app in the same amount ( {$770.00} ) and again received a notification that my payment processed successfully, only to find no activity in my bank account and another notification a couple weeks later about a failed attempt to collect the funds. On XX/XX/XXXX I tried to see if a lesser amount would process and tried to send {$600.00} and received an successful and then failed notification. This happened again on XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, and XX/XX/XXXX of XXXX. I contacted XXXX XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX and the customer service representative and the manager both said it is a " known software issue '' where the app is not connecting with their payment processing server but that it has been fixed and to try again. I did try again on XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX until I got frustrated enough to take care of the past due amount over the phone and get the account current. The manager assured me that they were unable to do anything about the negative credit report unless I contact their " credit dispute research team '' which I did in XXXX and received a letter back saying their analysis showed that their original finding was correct and the payment was late. I explained everything I just explained above and sent a copy of an amended bank account statement for XXXX and XXXX to validate my claim. The audacity of this group to say that it is a consumer issue and not theirs yet have impacted several thousands of customers who, like myself, have ALWAYS paid on time reflects on their company culture and values. They have customer service representatives who are admitting that they have heard this same issue from many customers and are aware of the issue, but it is the customers fault! Does it make sense that if you have always done payments a certain way - the way their sales representatives suggest at the dealership, and it works for over 8 months, and then lets you know your payments are successful and then fail several times, that the customer is at fault? Normal transactions that assure you something is successful, usually mean just what they say. In the case of XXXX XXXX XXXX successful means that it could be successful or that they will come after you and impact your credit when they are at fault or have a payment processing issue on their end. Everything is wrong with this! Be aware of this and consider financing elsewhere. It is like they are purposefully trying to make the consumer appear as they are making no payments- for instance, on the app for the payment in XXXX of XXXX, they do not include this in their transactions even though it has already come out of my bank account and the statement for XXXX shows a past due balance. However, when I contact their customer service, they say my account is current. They should be fined for this kind of misinformation and blatant misleading of consumers. 

ATTACHMENTS XXXX ( XXXX KB ) XXXX ( XXXX KB ) XXXX ( XXXX KB ) XXXX ( XXXX KB ) XXXX ( XXXX KB ) XXXX ( XXXX KB ) XXXX ( XXXX KB ) XXXX ( XXXX KB ) View full complaint Sent to company STATUS Sent to company on XX/XX/XXXX We've sent your complaint to the company, and we will let you know when they respond. 

Their response should include the steps they took, or will take, to address your complaint. 

Companies generally respond in 15 days. In some cases, the company will let you know their response is in progress and provide a final response in 60 days. 

Company responded STATUS Company responded on XX/XX/XXXX RESPONSE TYPE Closed with explanation Company 's Response Thank you for bringing your concerns to our attention. Our records reflect on XX/XX/XXXX, you signed a retail installment contract for the purchase of a XXXX XXXX XXXX. Pursuant to your contract, XXXX payments of {$640.00} are due on the XXXX of the month. On XX/XX/XXXX, you scheduled a payment for {$770.00}, which would have covered your XX/XX/XXXX payment, however this payment and the payments made on XX/XX/XXXX ( {$600.00} ), XX/XX/XXXX ( {$650.00} ) and XX/XX/XXXX ( {$350.00} ) were all returned for insufficient funds because your financial institution was unable to locate an account ending in XXXX. During our investigation, it was discovered that your prior payments were processed via a checking account ending in XXXX. We have confirmed that the late payment for XX/XX/XXXX resulted from your payment being returned by your financial institution as opposed to any software issues on our part. On XX/XX/XXXX, you made a payment of {$650.00} via your debit card, which covered your XX/XX/XXXX payment. Because your XX/XX/XXXX payment was received more than 30 days after the scheduled due date, the payment was reported as late to the Consumer Reporting Agencies ( CRAs ). A copy of your payment history is attached for your reference. Because we are required to accurately report your account history, we are not able to accommodate your request to remove the negative information. However, it is our understanding that you may have a 100-word statement added to your credit profile explaining the circumstances that led to the adverse reporting. Please contact the CRAs for assistance in placing the statement on your profile should you choose to do so. As a courtesy, the contact information for the CRAs is provided below. XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, GA XXXX ************ XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, PA XXXX ************ Experian XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, TX XXXX ************ XXXX Customer Service po box XXXX XXXX, PA XXXX. We appreciate you taking the time to write and provide your feedback to us. Should you have any further questions or concerns, please contact our Customer Service Center at XXXX for assistance. Thank you. 


XXXX is again failing to address their own KNOWN SOFTWARE ISSUE. Where they fraudulently report that notices of insufficient funds were received the several times Ive tried to submit payments ( see dates above ) and yet they failed to listen to their recorded conversations that I had with their representatives and managers who both knowingly admitted that XXXX XXXX XXXX has a software issue. They lie about just like XXXX XXXX and its known throughout the company. This is unacceptable. And here is the litmus test for my case- Ive NEVER CHANGED my bank account information. Their newest update in late XXXX made me re-enter my bank account information but have always maintained the same account, for why would I change my bank account number? And the lie that is so easy to be called out is that XXXX XXXX XXXX states that an account with a XXXX was not located. Oh really? But yet also notifying of insufficient funds? This is the kind of hassle you have to deal with. And they literally try to exasperate you until you just accept their answer. This is downright absurd! 

XXXX XXXX XXXX needs to come clean about their massive fraudulent cover up of their own software issue that issue wreaking havoc to consumers. And they need to make this right. For instance, if, I used my debit card attached to the same exact bank account both ending in the same numbers. How is it possible to receive an insufficient funds notice on one and not the other. As Ive stated, XXXX doesnt care that Ive provided my bank account statements showing my account balances for the weeks of my attempted payments. They dont care that on my banks end it never received a transaction attempt from XXXX XXXX And yet they blatantly lie about the insufficient funds and about this made up bank account number. They need to own up to their faults. A class action suit needs to happen so this company can be penalized for the hours and dollars they setback consumers.

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