Consumer complaint received 2017-05-03
Company: FIFTH THIRD FINANCIAL CORPORATION
State: RI
Product: Mortgage
Sub-product: VA mortgage
Issue: Struggling to pay mortgage

Complaint:
I am XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. I have honorably and dutifully served my country for the past 12 years as an XXXX XXXX XXXX. I have served in XXXX XXXX XXXX including XXXX XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX XXXX and have willingly made great personal sacrifices for my country. I am currently in the process of soliciting assistance from Congress for retaliation I experienced following a formal report of gender discrimination. As a result of reporting corrupt actions of others, I was subjected to a pattern of retaliation which continues unabated to this day. These acts of retaliation should not be countenanced and have caused me and my family great financial as well as emotional harm. I have given much to this country and I would expect that this country in return owes me respect and that I be treated with common decency due to any citizen.
This letter is to address a substantial prolonged financial hardship I have experienced as a result of military service and seek assistance with the potential predatory lending practices of Fifth Third Bank. Around XX/XX/XXXX, I contacted Fifth Third to seek assistance with my financial hardship which resulted from my execution of military relocation orders. In response to my solicitation for assistance I was offered a forbearance plan by a 5/3 representative named XXXX who explained that using this option of forbearance meant I could defer 3 months worth of payments without penalty. She informed me that she would send documentation to validate the forbearance plan closer to the end of the month, as I had just missed the window for their supposed reconciliation date. I accepted her suggested forbearance plan and waited for her to contact me, which never occurred. After waiting several weeks, I called Fifth Third and attempted to reach XXXX, who never returned my calls, messages or emails. Fifth Third claims there is no evidence or history of this conversation occurring and is now trying to penalize me for deferring payments as advised by their representative.
After several calls requesting information and complaining about the evasion of various customer service representatives, I was finally put into contact with a customer care specialist named XXXX XXXX. He informed me I would have to submit another hardship package because my first one had been closed. I did not receive assistance for the first package, or a follow-up to explain the outcome of its submission. XXXX XXXX gave me a long list of documents I would need to submit for the second package, which were not required for my first package and even more demanding in terms of detailed account information. He requested that I give him full bank account numbers to ALL of my accounts, or he could not help me. I attempted several times to ascertain from XXXX XXXX why all of the additional account details were required for the second package when they were not needed for the first package and he could not provide the answer.
After several weeks of asking him for an explanation for the additional documents, I relented because of desperation and gave him access to all of my accounts. Many of my questions have remained unanswered, such as does Fifth Third participate in the Making Homes Affordable Program or other Federal aid programs for XXXX XXXX  service members who are forced to relocate. I have gotten conflicting information from multiple 5/3 representatives as to the status of my original hardship package, which include that it was closed, never opened or did not have enough documentation.
OnXX/XX/XXXX, I was contacted by a XXXX XXXX via phone, who is allegedly a contracted VA appraiser requesting access to my XXXX XXXX home on behalf of 5/3 Bank. I requested that XXXX XXXX provide professional validation of her job status as an appraiser in which she could not provide. I asked her how she found my contact information and she stated 5/3 Bank had given it to her to request access to my home for the purpose of an appraisal. 5/3 Bank did not inform me of an appraisal service and gave the alleged VA appraiser partially incorrect contact information through an erroneous email address I have never been associated with. Not only does 5/3 refuse to correct my contact information despite numerous requests, they also released my personal information without my consent.
On XX/XX/XXXX I called 5/3 and requested to speak to a manager in regards all of the issues stated in this letter, and also to request the notes detailed on my 5/3 account with the many representatives I had previously spoken to. I realized after the first incident with XXXX and her failing to keep her promise that it would be wise to request that each person I speak with write out a summary of our conversation. During this call, I was referred to a ( Customer Care Specialist ) in the Loss Mitigation Department named XXXX, to whom I requested an electronic copy of the notes previously recorded, which she refused to provide. Due to the conflicting statements of representatives as to the status of my plea, I wanted a copy of my account notes so that I could determine who is constraining my request for aid. I asked her why she could not provide it and was informed that customers are not privy to them. The fact that I am not privy to notes on my account is a concern to me, as it presents the perception that 5/3 is operating in a less than straightforward or honest way.
After I determined that XXXX had no intention of hearing my issues or assistance, I requested to escalate this call to the next supervisor, which she begrudgingly did. The next person I spoke with was Loss Mitigation Supervisor XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ). XXXX XXXX was not able to give me an answer as to what had occurred with my account and assured me he would call me back on XX/XX/XXXX. He informed me that the status of my was at a standstill because I had not responded to the paperwork mailed to me. I did not respond because 5/3 has continued to send my mail to the property address of the mortgage. Another concern with this is the fact that 5/3 has been able to send mail that pertains to bill collection to the correct address, but not documents that will assist in the severe hardship I am enduring because of serving my country.
I have invested several hours worth of phone calls with 5/3 Bank to get assistance and information on my mortgage options in order to avoid foreclosure or short sell options. It is my belief that 5/3 Bank is : 1. Utilizing intentional evasive measures in order to perpetrate predatory lending tactics to force my home into foreclosure for their benefit.
2. They are exploiting my inability to physically go into a bank because of military service, thus controlling this situation to their advantage. 3. They are intentionally sending important documents to a location I do not reside knowingly, despite my efforts to correct the mailing address on file so they can argue that I never responded to strengthen their foreclosure plan. 4. They are presenting false aid options, such as the fo
rbearance plan I was offered, in order to collect late fees and create a misleading case in their favor for foreclosure.
5. This lender has demanded my birth certificate and all of the information to access my accounts, yet have produced no assistance or explanation as to what it will be utilized for. 6. 5/3 Bank has illegally abused my personal info
rmation that I have submitted for the hardship package to others without consent, yet withheld information about my account that could help me determine what is really occurring with my account.
7. They are omitting key details to my account notes and other responses for the purpose deniability of aid. 8. The representatives have outright lied by denying discussions and have avoided answering my questions about other Federal assistance programs available to me to prevent resolution. 5/3 Bank has been intentional, illegal and exploitative in their business practices and further compromised my very difficult situation by preying on my desperate solicitation for help. I am currently in the process of submitting a Congressional Complaint
for the negligent business practices of companies I have been forced to interact with because of military relocation orders, and 5/3 Bank is one of them. Below is a brief outline of the current struggle I am engaged in and need help with.
Background : The issue with Fifth Third Bank is but one component of the financial devastation I am currently enduring. As outlined below the issues that I am addressing to Congress covers an unfortunate period in my career that is still heavily injuring my life. All of the problems that are impacting me currently have stemmed from adhering to directives for reporting violations of gender discrimination during that period which have led to insurmountable financial hardship. SinceXX/XX/XXXX when I first reported the hostile work environment, I have paid well over {$150000.00} in additional and unnecessary mandatory relocation expenses not reimbursed by the government. In the collective 3-year span since that complaint, I have only earned {$98000.00} according to my pay stubs, leaving me at an astounding deficit of {$56000.00} in relocation associated costs ( this is a conservative estimation and only items I have receipts or evidence of have been included ).
To provide real magnitude to this issue the only way to recover financially from the current deterioration I am experiencing would be for me to declare bankruptcy or dedicate the next three years pay towards the repayment of various pay methods I had to use to cover the shortage without paying any cost of living expenses. While the pains of being in debt are certainly stressful, this financial concern is much more significant because in order to maintain my job specialty in the XXXX XXXX, I must maintain a job clearance which requires financial health and stability. By declaring bankruptcy, or having substantial debt I can not afford to pay off, I am at risk of losing my clearance eligibility which would result in losing my job and negating the 12 years of technical experience. 5/3s efforts are further compromising my financial hardship and have delivered the very clear message that service members will not be treated fairly or with respect and care.
SinceXX/XX/XXXX my relocation costs have reached nearly exceeded {$160000.00} to which only a small portion has been reimbursed to me as travel costs. There have been numerous ripple effects for the short period in my career including : 1. Eventual dissolution of my marriage 2. The devastating cross-country child custody commitment ( due to a legally binding separation agreement, I have had to pay out of pocket for travel arrangements for my daughter to visit her father. ) 3. The decline in my physical health caused by ceaseless stress over my financial situation.
4. Significant damages to my XXXX XXXX residence caused by Hurricane XXXX.
5. The destruction, theft and frequent relocation of my household goods by the negligent, underinsured moving companies contracted by Department of Defense in excess of {$60000.00}.
6. The disruption in my familys wellbeing and quality of life caused by broken household goods.
7. The cost of damages, extortion, repair and rental vehicle fees caused by vehicle transport services related to relocation for nearly {$10000.00}.
It is understood that military service comes with sacrifice, but the word sacrifice does not summarize the emotional cost of service. The truth behind military members endeavors is this : We expose ourselves to unrelenting danger and incur a laundry list of medical conditions that impact our quality of life in substantially painful and permanent ways, a burden we carry long after departure from XXXX XXXX. Mentally, we are forced to compartmentalize loneliness every time we leave our loved ones and forgo comfort and opting to [ choke down ] crippling stress to continue, unsure at times how to put the next foot in front of the other. This unnecessary hardship lends to the skyrocketing diagnoses of XXXX and veteran XXXX  rates ( even more prevalent in women veterans than men ).
Add to the decline in physical and mental health the fact that we miss the milestones that bring positive mature perspective, wisdom and gratitude. I have sacrificed countless of these priceless moments so I could serve and be exploited for my efforts. The exploitation is a necessity when related to deploying, because we are freedom fighters and tasked with the exhausting job of protecting our country, but exploitation through malicious reprisal, by contracted moving companies, or Headquarters XXXX XXXX by denial of financial aid is an abuse that is unfair to exact.
The failure of marriages due to long separations and the overwhelming stress of service.
Truthfully, I do not know what options are available to me in rectifying the concerns expressed in this letter. It is my desire that 5/3 bank honor the forbearance plan by removing those allegedly delinquent missed payments from my account, reducing my overall mortgage as if those 3 payments had been mad. I believe that this would be a fair effort on their part in light of the incredibly unprofessional predatory efforts of their customer service representatives. I also want 5/3 bank to reconsider loan modification for my mortgage because of these issues.
In the face of all the trauma, grief, stress, terror and sadness associated with military service, at the very least we should be able to avoid financial ruin or bankruptcy. I am currently experiencing the strain of institutional abuse by gender discrimination and financial exploitation by the very country and XXXX I have faithfully served. I can provide any documentation proof you require to validate my efforts and concerns upon request. Please let my loyalty to my country count for something during this very difficult period for my family and I.
Thank you for your service, support and concern to this matter.
XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX  Address : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief