Consumer complaint received 2023-12-05
Company: Block, Inc.
State: GA
Product: Payday loan, title loan, personal loan, or advance loan
Sub-product: Installment loan
Issue: Problem when making payments

Complaint:
XXXX. I am an Afterpay customer. 
XXXX. I made XXXX purchases with XXXX via Afterpay on XXXX XXXX, 2023. 
XXXX. " Purchase # XXXX '' - XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Order # XXXX - Afterpay In-App # XXXX - {$91.00} - a first payment of {$22.00} was charged to my card ending in XXXX - XXXX XXXX, 2023. 
XXXX. For some reason, the Afterpay order for XXXX # XXXX is showing as {$89.00}, a discrepancy of {$2.00}. XXXX XXXX, Mgr. in charge w. XXXX XXXX XXXX stated that XXXX is aware of ongoing discrepancies involving order amounts with Afterpay. XXXX claims that Afterpay " reconciles the amounts within thirty days. '' XXXX. " Purchase # XXXX '' - XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX - XXXX Order # XXXX - Afterpay In-App # XXXX - {$120.00} - a first payment of {$31.00} was charged to my card ending in XXXX - XXXX XXXX, 2023. 
XXXX. For some reason, the Afterpay order for XXXX # XXXX is showing as {$120.00}, a discrepancy of {$4.00}. XXXX XXXX, Mgr. in charge w. XXXX XXXX XXXX stated that XXXX is aware of ongoing discrepancies involving order amounts with Afterpay. XXXX claims that Afterpay " reconciles the amounts within thirty days. '' XXXX. On XXXX XXXX, 2023, I returned both items to XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, Missouri store location. They processed the return of {$91.00} for XXXX # XXXX and {$120.00} for XXXX # XXXX, on a single receipt, for a total of {$220.00} being refunded to Afterpay on my behalf. 
XXXX. On XXXX XXXX, 2023, I received an email from Afterpay notifying me that on " XXXX # XXXX '' I would be receiving a refund of {$31.00}. This is the amount of the first installment that I was charged on XXXX XXXX, 2023. " Purchase # XXXX '' was updated on Afterpay to show that no more money was due, and that the {$31.00} had been refunded. 
XXXX. I received no email from Afterpay acknowledging the return of " Purchase # XXXX '' to XXXX, even though I returned the item to XXXX on XXXX XXXX, 2023 and even though XXXX refunded the funds to Afterpay. 
XXXX. I received the refund of {$31.00} to my card ending in XXXX for " XXXX # XXXX '' on XXXX XXXX, 2023. 
XXXX. On XXXX XXXX, 2023, I received an email from Afterpay stating : " Hi XXXX XXXX We have processed your refund request. The following refund will take up to 10 days to be paid back to your card, depending on your financial institution. 
Refund Amount- {$96.00} USD Refund payment method XXXX card ending in XXXX '' However, the email did not identity an order number with which it was intended to relate. 
XXXX. It is absolutely unclear to what the {$96.00} is referring. 
XXXX. To date, I have not received the {$96.00} XXXX. To date, Purchase # XXXX is still showing as due and owing on Afterpay, and Afterpay has not refunded my first installment, and Afterpay is demanding I continue to make the remaining installment payments on a purchase that has been returned to XXXX and refunded by XXXX to Afterpay in full. 
XXXX. On XXXX XXXX, 2023, I notified the XXXX store location that I had only received a refund on XXXX # XXXX, but not XXXX # XXXX. They said to contact Afterpay. 
XXXX. On XXXX XXXX, 2023, I called XXXX XXXX customer service, seeing as how the items were originally purchased online through XXXX XXXX. I originally spoke with XXXX. XXXX said the XXXX returns were processed as XXXX return by XXXX, and that I should get the excess amount from Afterpay. She said I needed to contact Afterpay. I asked for her supervisor. 
XXXX. On XXXX XXXX, 2023, I spoke with XXXX XXXX supervisor XXXX. XXXX revealed XXXX was wrong. She said the store was supposed to process the XXXX returns separately. 
" That is absolutely going to cause issues. Need to reach out to store to have those issues resolved. They have to be done separately for refunds to be done successfully. '' XXXX contacted the store and spoke XXXX, who XXXX claimed to be a Store Mgr., however, XXXX is not a Store Mgr. XXXX said the store needs to void the initial transaction - the refund from XXXX XXXX, 2023, and reissue it. I asked if that meant Afterpay would reverse my refund on XXXX # XXXX, re-charge me on XXXX # XXXX, and then refund it again? XXXX said she did not know and I would have to ask Afterpay. 
XXXX. I asked XXXX to participate in a three way call with Afterpay ; however, Afterpay does not have a phone number. Afterpay should have a phone number. 
XXXX. I asked for XXXX 's supervisor and she put me no the phone with XXXX, XXXX. in charge w. XXXX XXXX XXXX. I asked XXXX to call Afterpay on my behalf and they said they have no way to communicate with Afterpay about a customer 's account ( although apparently merchants may also fill out the Afterpay help form, despite XXXX 's statement otherwise ). Afterpay should be able to speak with merchants. XXXX said I would have to call Afterpay myself, although again no one can apparently call Afterpay. 
XXXX. XXXX said the store manager of the XXXX XXXX XXXX would be calling me about re-processing my refund. To date, I have not heard from them. 
XXXX. XXXX should not have to void and re-process a refund in order to prevent Afterpay from stealing my money. If Afterpay receives excess funds on an order due to a merchant error, they should return the funds to the merchant or the customer and should communicate transparently with the customer and merchant. Or Afterpay should apply the excess funds to the correct order. 
XXXX. I attempted to call ( XXXX ) XXXX, but Afterpay says they do not offer phone support any longer. 
XXXX. I began to complete a form on the Afterpay website seeking help with Refund/Return. I noted that I had made the return but not received the refund. I selected an option from the drop-down menu stating that " The refund was added to the wrong order '' Afterpay requested documentation. 
XXXX. I contacted XXXX at XXXX to request documentation for Afterpay. She re-sent the original order confirmation emails and sent me an email confirming the XXXX returns and the refund to Afterpay : " Hello XXXX XXXX XXXX, Per our conversation, I am confirming the return transaction details for your XXXX order numbers XXXX and XXXX. Both items/orders were returned in the same transaction and refunded to Afterpay per the below details : Store # XXXX Date : XX/XX/2023 Register : XXXX Transaction : XXXX As discussed, the Store Manager from our XXXX store XXXX XXXX ( XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX should be following up with you by phone at around XXXX XXXX CST today. He will be able to assist you in providing any further details you need. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX, MO XXXX XXXX Store # XXXX XXXX XXXX, Store Manager XXXX Thank you, XXXX Customer CARE Manager-in-Charge XXXX XXXX " XXXX. The fact that Afterpay has a drop-down help option that says " The refund was added to the wrong order '' confirms that this is an ongoing, repeat, systemic issue involving many customers of which Afterpay is aware. 
XXXX. About to submit Afterpay help form attaching extensive documentation. 

( Had to delete a total of XXXX documents in order to submit because Afterpay would not accept the form submittal with all the documents. ) XXXX. I have yet to hear back from Afterpay and I have yet to receive my refund and I have yet to hear back from XXXX XXXX XXXX.

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief