Consumer complaint received 2022-12-26
Company: Continental Finance Company, LLC
State: OH
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Other features, terms, or problems
Sub-issue: Problem with customer service

Complaint:
In XXXX 2022, I was having financial hardship and was looking to help my situation since I was behind on a credit card payment for two cards with Continental Finance. I contacted customer service on XXXX XXXX to make a payment arrangement with them. The customer service representative offered a financial hardship program in which the payments for two of my cards, XXXX and XXXX, to be split into three smaller payments. If i pay on time, the accounts would not be going into the default and remain in good standing. I thought that was a great idea and the payments were reasonable for both cards. I agreed to the arrangement on the phone that same day. One card ( XXXX ) had arrangement of payments of {$68.00} for three months the other card ( XXXX ) had arrangement for {$38.00} for three months. I made the very first payments for both cards over the phone with the customer representative the same day. 
Over the next month, I lost my job and still made the payments on time, I obtained a new job at the end of XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX, I called Continental Finance to get an update on my cards since now I had a brand new job. The customer service representative looked and saw that all that the payments than me for {$68.00} on the XXXX card were not applied to the past due balance. The payment problem was sent to a manager. The manager also looked at the arrangement and saw it was not done correctly and a work order was being placed to correct. I was told by the manager to contact the company again on XX/XX/XXXX since it takes 36 hours to go into effect. 
I called back on XX/XX/XXXX to which was the due date of the XXXX card 's payment. Customer service said the order was still being processed. I do not want to make a payment without knowing what the payment amount was. I was transferred to customer solutions in which a manager named XXXX also told me to wait and she would contact me in a few days to provide an update. 
I called again on Wednesday, XX/XX/XXXX and was told that the account was sent to collections and I needed to talk to them. I was given the number and tried to call but they did not answer. I called customer service and they said they were closed. The service rep implied that i should have known about it and I told him that the previous service rep said they were still open. I was told to contact them the next day. 
On Thursday morning, I called and the rep named XXXX ( XXXX XXXX XXXX looked at my information. He saw as well as the payment arrangement was not applied and passed me up to customer service, who didn't do anything but demanded payment. 
I did receive a letter from my XXXX card that said the account was in good standing with the payment arrangement. My frustration is that both cards are with Continental Finance and the rep from XXXX only applied one hardship payment arrangement and didn't set the other one and put my account and credit in jepaordy. I have done my part and should not be hurt for this.

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