Consumer complaint received 2018-11-13
Company: FORD MOTOR CREDIT CO.
State: CA
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports
Sub-product: Credit reporting
Issue: Problem with a credit reporting company's investigation into an existing problem
Sub-issue: Their investigation did not fix an error on your report

Complaint:
I am writing to dispute a missed payment for the month of XX/XX/XXXX reported by Ford Motor Credit to XXXX, XXXX, and XXXX. It is my understanding that the negative reporting was made regarding what Ford considers to be a delinquent payment made towards my leased XXXX XXXX XXXX. 

These delinquent payments were caused through no fault of my own, but through the faulty Ford Credit online electronic payment system. To add insult to injury, upon not only spending a great deal of my time doing my due diligence to ensure that the payments were properly received in a timely manner, but also after receiving repeated assurances from Ford that the payments were, in fact, properly processed, I have now been made to suffer a negative credit report, which has caused my virtually perfect credit score to significantly drop. I would like to also note that I have NEVER missed a payment since the inception of my credit history. 

I addressed my concerns with the Ford Credit Dispute Department via letter on XX/XX/XXXX. However, when Ford replied with a letter dated XX/XX/XXXX, it failed to address that any payment delinquency was immediately addressed on my part and the reason for which any payments were late was due to errors with their payment system, coupled with reassurances made by Ford customer service personnel that my payments were being accepted. 

I am extremely displeased to have to be writing this letter now in connection with this seemingly never ending situation, since I have already taken every action within my control to address the issue ; as such, I would like to respectfully request that XXXX   remove the mistaken report submitted by Ford Motor Credit. 

Below, please find a timeline of events to support my dispute : XX/XX/XXXX I submitted my first timely payment via Ford Credits AutoPay online system. 

XX/XX/XXXX I submitted my second timely payment via Ford Credits AutoPay online system. At this time, I enrolled to have automatic payments withdrawn from my account, as I had done previously for my XXXX XXXX XXXX lease. Given my prior experience, I anticipated the funds would be withdrawn monthly on the XXXX of each month. 

XX/XX/XXXX My payment is reflected as processed on my Ford Credit online account. 

XX/XX/XXXX I received a voicemail on my cell phone ( XXXX XXXX XXXX requesting a return phone call. At this point, it was brought to my attention that the automatic payment had failed. I immediately addressed the issue by logging on to my Ford Credit account and submitting the payment manually. The receipt of this payment was emailed to me soon thereafter. I would like to note that at the time I had more than sufficient funds to cover this payment. Thus, the error was with the online payment system. 

XX/XX/XXXX. XXXX I received a phone call at XXXX XXXX from Ford. I immediately returned the phone call at XXXX XXXX. During this conversation, I was notified that my automatic payment had not been received. To the best of my recollection, I requested if I could pay over the phone since the system was not working properly. I was instead directed to use the online system again. I submitted payment immediately. 

XX/XX/XXXX I noticed that the payment had not yet been withdrawn from my bank account. Since the payment was submitted over six days prior, I recognized this to be unusual and contacted Ford Credit via phone. 

XX/XX/XXXX I received a confirmation email confirming receipt of my payment. 

XX/XX/XXXX I received an email notifying me that my payment had been scheduled. 

XX/XX/XXXX I called Ford customer service. The customer service representative agreed that the automatic payment system had been attempting to withdraw the funds from my account but there was an error in doing so ; I then circled back weeks later to make sure the payment had been received, it had not, failed once again. I then called in and submitted my bank account once again on XX/XX/XXXX. The payment had failed again after I was confidently told it would process. 

XX/XX/XXXX I received an email confirming that my payment had been received. 

XX/XX/XXXX I received another email confirming that my payment had been scheduled. 

XX/XX/XXXX I noticed that, once again, the automatic payment had failed. Again, I attempted to remit my payment. This time, I closely monitored both my bank account and Fords online system to ensure the payment processed. Upon viewing the portal, the balance showed {$0.00} signifying the payment had been successful. However, as I later learned, this was again incorrect, as the payment once again failed and was reversed. 

XX/XX/XXXX I received an email confirming that my automatic payment had been received. 

XX/XX/XXXX I received an email confirming that my automatic payment had been scheduled. 

XX/XX/XXXX At XXXX XXXX, I received an email notifying me that my payment had been cancelled. I immediately logged in to my online account and, again, submitted payment through the system, completing the process one minute later. I received a confirmation email at XXXX XXXX that my payment was scheduled. 

XX/XX/XXXX the online portal reflected that the automatic payment system had finally succeeded in pulling the funds and paying the delinquent bill on XX/XX/XXXX. I received a confirmation email re : same on XX/XX/XXXX. 

XX/XX/XXXX I received a notification from XXXX XXXX that a delinquent payment had been reported to the credit bureau. 

XX/XX/XXXX I wrote to Ford Credit department via letter with attached exhibits to evidence requesting that it contact the three major credit bureaus to remove the " delinquent '' 30-day late payment for the month of XXXX, given that every time I had done my due diligence, with verbal reassurance from Ford representatives. 

XX/XX/XXXX Ford Credit replied via letter declining to take any action. 

XX/XX/XXXX I wrote letters to the three major credit bureaus, explaining the situation. All three provided timely, yet vague responses as to why my request was denied.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation