Consumer complaint received 2021-07-22
Company: AMERICA FIRST FEDERAL CREDIT UNION
State: AZ
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Auto debt
Issue: False statements or representation
Sub-issue: Attempted to collect wrong amount

Complaint:
Company in dispute America First Credit Union XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX UT XXXX XXXX In XXXX I purchased a XXXX XXXX XXXX financed in the amount of {$21000.00} VIN # XXXX. Within 9 months of me having the vehicle it begin to have major engine issues which caused me to put the vehicle in the shop because it was inoperable. I was not able to use the vehicle 9 months after the purchase date. The vehicle went to 3 different repair shops because the issue couldnt be identified. The vehicle sat at the 3rd and final repair shop for months because they could not identify the exact issue causing the malfunction either. The 3rd shop was XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX AZ XXXX. XXXX XXXX advised I was sold a bad car, the car was a lemon. Once the repair shop finally came to a conclusion of what the issue was I was advised it would be over {$7000.00} to fix the vehicle. I was also advised by the repair shop even with the {$7000.00} repair the vehicle would still have electrical issues. I did have a extended warranty on the vehicle at the time but because the mechanical work cost was high the extended warranty company found a loop hole to not cover the vehicle. I reached out to American First Credit Union multiple times about the vehicle and asked my options because of the situation. I was advised at the time by a representative named XXXX it was in my best opinion to return the vehicle as a voluntary repo and that she would zero out the balance, ( which she never did ). XXXX also authorized a repair in my name for the vehicle in the amount of {$4400.00} that I was unaware of, it was unauthorized and paid with a company check ending in XXXX. This charge was later added to the balance after the vehicle was sold at a private auction the charge was described as other fees/charges in the explanation of deficiency balance letter. I advised America First Credit Union to pick up the vehicle from the repair shop as is ( un repaired ). The vehicle was repossessed from the repair shop. Months later I received a letter from American First Credit Union, a notice of intend to sell letter dated XX/XX/XXXX which states the amount required to redeem the vehicle back was {$27000.00}. After the vehicle was sold I received a 2nd letter from America First Credit Union on XX/XX/XXXX that stated a different balance. This letter states my balance in full was in fact {$20000.00} and decreased to {$15000.00} after the vehicle was sold, it did not state the original balance that I was given to redeem the vehicle. There was a difference of {$6700.00}. The account was charged off/written off XX/XX/XXXX in the amount of {$15000.00} and the account was closed. I reached out to American First Credit Union via phone and spoke to XXXX XXXX in the recovery department about the inaccurate information on XX/XX/XXXX and asked for a explanation of the two different balances and why the balances were so drastically different when the circumstances did not change and no payment had been made to decrease the balance after the repo. I was not given any explanation, instead after I reached out to America First Credit Union in a dispute submitted in XX/XX/XXXX about the balances and asked them to verify the information and send my documents verifying the balance they increased the balance on my credit report by {$6800.00} making the balance in full now {$21000.00}. I have not been provided with any firm information or documentation as to why I keep getting different balances and why the balances keep changing drastically. This information is inaccurate and inconsistent. I would like this removed off my credit immediately as it violates my FCRA rights. 

Cc : Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Cc : Attorney Generals Office Cc : XXXX XXXX XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation