Consumer complaint received 2022-11-02
Company: Happy Money, Inc.
State: FL
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:
I opened this account on XX/XX/XXXX, and made on-time automatically withdrawn payments every month. The monthly payment amount of {$600.00} was automatically deducted from my account every XXXX of the month with no issues. When I called the company on XX/XX/XXXX to pay off the account, my monthly payment had not been received and did not reflect on the balance of my account. The representative, XXXX XXXX  who is pictured in the email from the company, informed me that my payment had not yet been received from my bank. She could not give me a payoff amount that included that XX/XX/XXXX payment as being received and applied to my account. She suggested that I stop payment on the auto draft with my bank, otherwise, it would take 4-6 weeks for me to receive a refund of my payment. The payoff amount did not reflect my XXXX payment. The payoff amount was calculated to include the full amount due prior to my XXXX payment to close my account. 

I set up an automatic payment with Happy Money , Inc. representative, XXXX XXXX, to be deducted from my account on XX/XX/XXXX in the amount of {$13000.00}. I received an email confirmation of this amount with the statement that this amount would pay my account in full. 

This account was paid in full on XX/XX/XXXX with an ACH payment taken directly from my personal checking account. 

In XXXX, I received a phone call from Happy Money , Inc., stating that my payment is past due. I called the company and spoke with a representative to discuss this incorrect information. I provided the representative with the email confirmation, proof of payment that my account was paid in full. Furthermore, I provided confirmation that my credit report reflected that this account was paid in full. The representative apologized and said that there were notes in my account that proved the information I was providing was accurate and that my account will be updated within 6-10 business days. 

In XXXX, I received another phone call from Happy Money , Inc. stating that my payment is past due. I called the company and spoke with a representative to AGAIN, discuss this incorrect information. I provided the representative with the email confirmation, again, proof of payment that my account was paid in full again, and confirmed with the representative that an error was made by the company regarding this account. The representative apologized again and confirmed there were notes on my account that proved the information I was providing was accurate and that my account will be updated within 6-10 business days. 

Now, in XXXX, I received another call from Happy Money , Inc. stating that my payment is past due. I called the company and spoke with the representative again, to discuss this incorrect information and provide my proof of payment in full. I was on the phone for over an hour, waiting, on hold with this representative who was getting the information updated. When the representative finally got back on the phone, she said that there was an error on my account and that my XXXX payment was never received. I discussed with her the entire conversation and explained the events that happened on XX/XX/XXXX with regard to the payoff amount. I explained that my credit report reflects that the account was paid in full; had a letter of payment in full with the amount that included all monies due prior to my XXXX payment. I explained to her that XXXX XXXX, the representative, suggested that my auto draft be canceled, otherwise my refund of my payment would take 4-6 weeks to be returned. This representative then said that the amount I paid was not including my XXXX payment and that my XXXX payment was included when the payoff amount was given. I disputed that information and she said that it was a mistake on their part. I told the representative that I paid for a stop payment fee, at the suggestion of her company, as the payoff amount did not show that I made a payment in XXXX. This representative then said that she was going to reopen my account on my credit report and change the status unless I paid the {$600.00} to her that day. 

This representative refused to accept my payment in full letter, the amount that was included in my final payment and has since reopened this account on my credit report and has reported my payments for the last 2 months as late, thus, my credit score has dropped over XXXX points. 

I have a payment in full letter from this company, proof that the account was closed on my report, and confirmation that the payoff amount was received and the account is again, paid in full. 

My next step, if this is not reconciled with this complaint, is to pursue legal remedies as this is affecting my ability to gain credit. Attached are copies of my credit report, reflecting the account from Happy Money , Inc. as paid in full and a copy of my email confirmation of payment in full.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation