Consumer complaint received 2018-04-10
Company: CITIBANK, N.A.
State: FL
Product: Vehicle loan or lease
Sub-product: Loan
Issue: Problems at the end of the loan or lease
Sub-issue: Unable to receive car title or other problem after the loan is paid off

Complaint:
We purchased our XXXX XXXX XXXX, new at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX in New York on XX/XX/XXXX. ( see vehicle information in the resolution area ) The originator/financing of the loan was with XXXX XXXX XXXX, located at XXXX XXXX XXXX, in XXXX, NY XXXX. 
In XXXX we had sold our home in XXXX, NY, to move out to XXXX XXXX, Nevada. Once we were settled in Nevada we decided to pay off the remaining balance on the auto loan owed to XXXX XXXX XXXX so to cut back on monthly expenses. 
With the final payment of approximately {$6500.00}, The loan was paid in full in XX/XX/XXXX. Since then we've continued to live in Nevada, register the car each year with no issues and had never even thought about the title, up until last XX/XX/XXXX, when we decided to move down to Florida. At which point we wanted to give the car to our XXXX XXXX XXXX who lives in Arizona. It was at that time, when we went to sign over the title to our grandson, that we noticed that XXXX XXXX XXXX was still showing as lien holders on the vehicle, and realized that they never sent us the clear title when it was paid off in XXXX. My daughter in Arizona as well as myself have been trying since XX/XX/XXXX without any success, to contact someone who could resolve this issue and forward us the clear title, or at least a lien release so my grandson can get the vehicle registered in Arizona. Over these last " 6 '' months, we've exhausted our efforts after an countless amount of phone calls, several times being referred back to the same phone numbers. Many of the calls were transfers back and forth always to the wrong people all of which left us not finding any one who would take responsibility to even look into the issue, let alone try to resolve the issue. What follows is a copy of our records of attempts that we made to contact someone who could help us to obtain our clear title. Research notes and findings as follows.... 
XXXX XXXX Title/Lien Release Research Findings XX/XX/XXXX @ XXXX Tried to contact XXXX XXXX XXXX where XXXX loan was originated XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX NY. ( E.A.B. ) Located a Ph # : XXXX Called and reached an automated voicemail which answered as Citi Bank. After researching, I found out that E.A.B. was purchased by XXXX XXXX on, XX/XX/XXXX. 

I then located contact info for a live person at Citi bank and called them to try to obtain and request the lien release that should have been sent to mom and dad from XXXX when the loan had been paid off in XXXX. Citi Bank advised me that all the auto loans from XXXX were sold and taken over by XXXX Bank and that I would need to contact them. I was given a Ph # : XXXX for XXXX XXXX. 
XXXX XXXX Results >> ( No records on vehicle / Title XXXX I then called XXXX XXXX   ; explained the situation and XXXX had directed me to contact Title support @ either XXXX, or call them at : XXXX. 
After going to the web-site and having no success, I called title support and spoke to XXXX. 
XXXX advised me that I can order a lien release thru the above web site, and that the cost is {$23.00}. XXXX Results >> ( No records for vehicle / Title found ) Date : XX/XX/XXXX Placed order for lien release thru My Title XXXX. Receipt is as follows..... 
This receipt is your Invoice. 
Please keep it for your records. 
Thank you for placing a request with us. 
A confirmation email will be sent to you shortly. 
Confirmation No : XXXX ( OPEN ) Request Type : Lien Satisfaction ( Loans Only - No Leases ) Date : XX/XX/XXXX REQUEST SUMMARY Account Number : N/A Lien Satisfaction Delivery Information : Vehicle Identification Number : XXXX ( XXXX XXXX XXXX ) Name : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX 's Name : XXXX XXXX XXXX AND XXXX XXXX XXXX Borrower 's State : NV Requestor Name : XXXX XXXX XXXX Requestor Daytime Phone : XXXX Zip Code : XXXX BILLING INFORMATION Your credit card, ending in XXXX, was billed {$23.00} for the above-mentioned transaction. The company name will appear on your credit card statement as XXXX. 
Name : MyTitleSupport Address : XXXX XXXX  XXXX, XXXX, CA XXXX Phone Number : XXXX Date XX/XX/XXXX Received an update from XXXX that the Lien release request had been voided and the {$23.00} fee was refunded to the card??? No explanation, and Nothing else. 

Called XXXX again to ask them why the request was voided and they did not know. All they said was that it had come back Unknown. I asked who it was sent to and was advised XXXX XXXX I then called XXXX XXXX again and explained the title issue and the account representative at XXXX had directed me to contact XXXX XXXX due to that they bought over XXXX XXXX. I explained that XXXX XXXX had transferred all the auto financing accounts over to them and, she said that this account was not in their system or in their archived files, she went on to also say that they would have never have received the file during the transition due to that it had been paid off in XXXX. ( probably the reason for the voided lien release request and refund of {$23.00} fee XXXX XXXX Results >> ( Again, No records for vehicle or title found ) Date XX/XX/XXXX Went online to do more research and found a site that could supply a motor vehicle history report for the vehicle, so I obtained a 4-page Motor vehicle report online thru XXXX ( XXXX XXXX ) See attached Report # : XXXX In the lien information section it shows that there is NO LIEN on this vehicle. 

XX/XX/XXXX Called My title support again to attempt to obtain title/lien release or at least confirmation of the reason why the order was previously voided by XXXX XXXX for the XXXX lien release. 
Spoke to XXXX, he pulled up the previous request for the lien release in XXXX and he advised me that unfortunately XXXX XXXX is one of the institutions that do not supply the reason why they decline or void out their requests. He said that it was not declined, it was voided and my payment was returned. XXXX went on to say that he had a contact phone # for XXXX title dept. and that I should contact them to try and get the title issue resolved. I received Ph # : XXXX then select option # 1, # 3, # 3, and # 2. Results >> New contact information found ( No records on vehicle / Title ) Called XXXX yet again, this time at the given ph. # for their title dept. I spoke to a rep that took the VIN # to look up and came back and said he needed to x-fer me to title research because he didnt see it in his system. I asked well how could they void my request for a lien release and, he said that is why the request thru my title support was voided, because they did not have the vehicle/loan in the system. 
I then asked to be x-ferred to his supervisor, I spoke to XXXX, who asked for the vin # and she also confirmed with me and said that it was not coming up in their system and she also stated that they would not have ever received the account because that it had been paid off before the auto financing transition occurred from XXXX XXXX. 
XXXX said I would need to contact XXXX XXXX XXXX and was given a contact # : XXXX. 
Results >> New contact information found for title dept @ XXXX XXXX ( No records on vehicle / Title ) Called XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. Spoke to the Dept Supervisor, XXXX. I explained the whole issue again, and requested that she try to trace the file for the release of the title. I gave XXXX the full VIN and she was  unable to pull it up in their system either. XXXX suggested that I contact My title support of which I told her that I had been in contact with them a minimum of 3-x. Results >> Nothing! Dead end just going around in circles ( No records on vehicle / Title ) At this point we have hit a brick wall. There is no one in NY or AZ that can find any information in regards to a lien on this vehicle or even if one ever existed. However, on the title report done on line thru XXXX XXXX, it was verified that there is NO LIEN INFORMATION REPORTED. 

As of today, XX/XX/XXXX, the car is 22-years old. It was paid off in XXXX. 
There has been no information found by neither any of the lending institutions, or title support service companies that Ive been in contact with in NY who that even when searching by the vehicles VIN all show no outstanding Liens / Loans/ Impounds / or Auction sale reports that are now or ever have been coming up in any system on this VIN. 

XX/XX/XXXX : went to the DMV again. AZ DMV allowed a final temporary tag for 30-days to resolve title issue. Expires XX/XX/XXXX. 

XX/XX/XXXX : Temporary tag expired. Vehicle can no longer be driven until title issue is resolved XX/XX/XXXX : Contacted a division of the NY DMV who suggested that due to that it was a bank issue and them not releasing the lien on the title, that I should call the FDIC @ XXXX. 

Called the FDIC and was advised that the XXXX XXXX purchase of XXXX XXXX XXXX was not regulated, ( or something like that ) that I should call the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to file a complaint. Ph # : XXXX. 

I called the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to ask how to file a complaint, and how the process works. I was told they will send the bank the complaint and the bank will have 15 days to respond if no response the CFPB will let me know the status. I also have to submit a resolution request

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation