Consumer complaint received 2018-11-08
Company: FIFTH THIRD FINANCIAL CORPORATION
State: NC
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports
Sub-product: Credit reporting
Issue: Incorrect information on your report
Sub-issue: Account status incorrect

Complaint:
XX/XX/XXXX following the catastrophic hurricane in the XXXX 's, I contacted Fifth/Third Bank and requested a deferred payment arrangement in order to give me time to get back to work and regain finances in order to satisfy my financial obligations. The representative was quite helpful and assured me that I qualified for a 2 month extension for the months of XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX. We set up arrangements to begin repayment of my auto loan on XX/XX/XXXX via my XXXX XXXX checking account. The Extension Agreement required that I pre-authorize payments for the months of XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX. ( I have copies of the pre-authorized payment schedule ). I was assured that my credit would not be negatively impacted and that NO payment would be required prior to XX/XX/XXXX in the amount of XXXX ( included a XXXX processing fee for the month of XX/XX/XXXX only ). In addition no late fees would be assessed to my account as a result of the deferment for the months in question. I was also told that I could expect an Extension Agreement to be issued within 2-3 business days and that I would be required to sign and return it either by Fax, e-mail or USPS mail. After not having received the aforementioned Extension Agreement, I called 5/3 Bank again the end of XX/XX/XXXX to inquire of its status. I was told by the CS agent at that time, that because of the large number of requests due to the Hurricane that they were " backed up, but no worries because my extension was being processed and would be mailed to me within 2-3 business days ''. I received the Extension Agreement via the USPS XX/XX/XXXX with a mail date of XX/XX/XXXX and a required return signature date of XX/XX/XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX I faxed the signed agreement to the number attached from the Fax number ( XXXX ) XXXX. I received a " Transmittal successful '' reply and also placed the same signed Agreement in the mail in the return envelope to be certain that it was received by XX/XX/XXXX. I had NO knowledge that supposedly NEITHER of these methods of return were " received ''. I did not receive any phone message. Instead, on XX/XX/XXXX an email ( which went to SPAM ) was sent from " Auto Loss Mitigation Customer Inbox.XXXX '', an entity that I had no knowledge of and therefore no reason to open it in " SPAM ''. I found this out because on XX/XX/XXXX, I retrieved a phone message from 5/3 Bank left XX/XX/XXXX informing me that my auto loan account was " past due '' and that I needed to return the call. It was upon retuning that call that I was told that they did not " receive '' the Faxed Agreement and that the mailed paperwork had conveniently been received a day late ( XX/XX/XXXX ). I do not believe either of these statements to be factual, but rather that my Agreement was not PROCESSED in time likely due to the same reason that it took nearly two weeks to send it out in the first place-the large volume of requests related to the storms. When I spoke with the CS agent on XX/XX/XXXX, I was assured that they would again offer the Extension Agreement for the months of XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX provided I make a preauthorized scheduled payment on or by XX/XX/XXXX and that I preauthorize 3 future payments which I again set up using my XXXX Checking account for the dates of ( XX/XX/XXXX ), XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, and XX/XX/XXXX. Further, I was assured that keeping this arrangement would prevent my account from being negatively reported to the Credit Reporting Agencies. Despite this obvious delay in processing on the part of Fifth/Third Bank and/or its entity -AutoLoss Mitigation , XXXX , it has come to my notice that Fifth Third reported my account " delinquent '' for the Months of XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX to the Credit Reporting Agencies effectively destroying my credit! The exact opposite of what I was assured would NOT happen and the reason for requesting the Extension Agreement in the first place! And while I have to date made the required payment ( on XX/XX/XXXX ), the response to my requesting a " Retraction '' in reporting my Account delinquent for these months, is that they " can not advise me about credit reporting issues and that I should contact FTC.gov ''.

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief