Consumer complaint received 2023-10-13
Company: ACIMA CREDIT, LLC
State: NC
Product: Payday loan, title loan, personal loan, or advance loan
Sub-product: Installment loan
Issue: Charged fees or interest you didn't expect

Complaint:
So I have been a customer of XXXX ( now XXXX XXXX , XXXX ) service providers ( XXXX XXXX XXXX, etc. ) for years now. I have loved there services and rarely if ever have any issues with the products and services. So they recently changed the provider of services for the XXXX website to Acima. I have never used them but looking over the application and agreements, everything looked the same as what their sister companies looked like. 

I always utilize the 90 day payment option on my account. Prior to that date I called and spoke with customer service ( XX/XX/XXXXXXXX  ) about my bill. During this call I did get disconnected from the call twice and on the third call was able to speak with someone in regards to my 90 day purchase option. I informed them that I wouldn't be able to do the 90 day purchase on that date ( XX/XX/XXXXXXXX  ) and if it would be ok to push that payment out the XXXX and still utilize that early purchase agreement. They informed me that that would be ok to do and that the company actually allows an additional 7 days in order to sill use that 90 day purchase option. I said that was great news and to setup the payment to come out on that date. The person told me they couldn't setup the payment in advance but that I can call in on that date to make the payment. They gave me the total amount due on that date would be {$860.00}. I agreed that this would be okay and was told that my account would be notated for that date and amount. A few days later I received a call from collections department in regards to my account. They told me they had no record of me speaking with anyone that day that gave me any of that information and the only conversation noted on my account was the conversation I had with one of the previous two people I spoke with on XX/XX/XXXX, only in reference to my account balance. I said that was kind of weird that only two noted and the third didn't and proceeded to give them a synopsis of my conversation with the previous person. The person told me that I can still utilize the early purchase option as previously discussed, but now that it would cost me an additional {$100.00} plus other fees. I asked why was I being charged an additional amount when I have already agreed to a set amount. They told me there was no evidence that they previous person gave me any of that information, and that I would basically need to pay the fee in order to close out my account. I asked to speak with a supervisor and have them pull the call and asked for a transcript of the call, since all calls are recorded. The supervisor told me he was unable to provide me with any assistance in this. He could not wave fees and that it would have to go to a separate department. I was told that day that they would submit a request for the call to be pulled and reviewed and to call back in a few days. During that time, I contacted someone at XXXX, to get information on policy and procedures. They informed me that there were departments that handled these types of issues and that Acima should have a way for me to speak with someone to get the issue rectified. When I called Acima customer service back to follow up on my request and to let them know the information I received from XXXX management staff, they told me that basically they don't have to follow the same protocols and procedures as other XXXX XXXX service providers. I was also informed that they previous request for the call to be pulled was never done and that it would need to be done again. At this point I was getting really frustrated because I was feeling as though they were purposefully being misleading and evasive. I told them that I was not going to pay additional fees that are not spelled out in my lease agreement. I was informed that they " do not have to list these additional fees in my lease agreement. That extensions are a service provided as a courtesy and they don't have to disclose those fees until you go to finalize your 90 day purchase. '' This was inclusive of an ADDITIONAL {$30.00} fee that was added to my bill as a processing fee, even though my lease agreement says {$0.00} under this fee amount. I was absolutely appalled. The entire point of a lease agreement is to spell out all of these fees in advance and that they are greed upon prior to signing a lease. I told them that day that I would pay the purchase amount to close out my lease with caveat that my call would be pulled in regards to the additional fee and that I would be refunded that fee since it was not a part of the previous AGREED UPON amount. This call can also be pulled. Because I repeated twice during the recorded script that I agreed '' minus the fees amount that would be refunded to me. '' They attempted to get me to just say I agree, but I repeated with my addition. I was told that day that someone would be pulling my call from the XXXX and my account would be notated. On my XX/XX/XXXX my account was charged the full amount of {$970.00}. No one had looked into my call and the amount was not refunded to my account. Days passed and still nothing. I spoke with my financial institution in regards to the issue and they informed me of my consumer rights and FTC regulations. In order to help me in getting back my refund, they sent a letter to ACIMA to dispute the additional {$100.00}. They have not yet responded to my banks inquiry. 

Today, XX/XX/XXXX, I received a notification from my bank that my account was charged again an amount of {$100.00} from ACIMA. I chat messaged Acima this time, since you can automatically get a transcript of conversations after your chat. When I asked why I was being charged still for an account that I paid off and is closed. Their response was that they had not received any payment from me. That the entire purchase was declined from my bank as a fraudulent purchase and that my lease was reinstated and that my new balance was now {$1600.00}. I informed them that the amount was not declined. That I could even provide them with proof that it was taken out of my account. They said that I would need to speak with my bank ( which I did after this chat and they informed me that the information give to me from ACIMA was incorrect, the transaction was not declined and that the banks policy is to send they a verification of the amount and they have to respond verifying the additional charge ). That I would continue to be charged. I asked if my account had been resolved and the call reviewed. I was told that It was noted on my account that when i spoke with someone on the XXXX, they attempted to run my card for the agreed upon amount of {$860.00} and my bank declined it. Then they ran it again on XX/XX/XXXX with the additional fees. There is no evidence that the card was ran on XX/XX/XXXX and this is information different from the 10+ other people I have spoken with have told me. Needless to say, the conversation confirmed the person did in fact say that the amount to be processed would be {$860.00}, yet they still proceeded to withdraw an additional fee anyways. I informed them that they were no longer allowed to auto withdrawal anything from my account. I was told that they would still attempt to pull the payment. This is where I ended the conversation. As any blatant attempt to keep withdrawing from a persons personal bank account AFTER that authorization is withdrawn is a violation of my consumer rights. 

I was told by my bank to contact CFPB and my local trade commissioner. That the company seems to have some practices that are not within laws and regulations. I have made multiple attempts to ask from someone to speak with outside of customer service department and was told that there is no one to speak to outside of customer service. I cant get a copy of the transcript. I cant get contact for a complaints department. And I cant get a contact for any management team within ACIMA. They have refused to provide me with any contacts and any resolution aside from pay them more money. 

I have reached out to my bank and they have informed me that the payment is not declined, and that they are still waiting on response back from someone at ACIMA.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation