Consumer complaint received 2017-06-15
Company: STATE FARM BANK, FSB
State: VA
Product: Vehicle loan or lease
Sub-product: Loan
Issue: Struggling to pay your loan
Sub-issue: Lender trying to repossess or disable the vehicle

Complaint:
This complaint is in regard to State Farm Bank. I had a financial arrangement to pay a remaining balance of {$710.00} by XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX for a vehicle that had a repossession hold as of XX/XX/XXXX with first half of the payment {$800.00}. They informed me I could go and make a payment with XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX and send it to : Code City SFB, Code State IL, Company Name/Attn to State Farm Bank, speed of service URGENT and use my loan # as the customer acct # and then call back after 5 minutes with the tracking number and that would make my car loan completely current. I held up my end of the agreement and paid that amount on the evening of XX/XX/XXXX and was able to call State Farm Bank on the morning of XX/XX/XXXX and confirm that via tracking number and that I would be able to pay online at state farm again for our XXXX payment since I was completely up to date now. On Saturday, XX/XX/XXXX, I logged in to make our XXXX  payment which was due that day and it said I could not. I called in and they explained that it was still with the repossession department and I would have to called them Monday morning as they were closed. Monday, XX/XX/XXXX I called @ XXXX and spoke to someone who confirmed everything had cleared but that it was still in their system and he would have it removed and I would be able to pay online in a day or two. He told me not to worry since I was now only a few days late on our XXXX payment, I asked him to please make a note I had been trying to pay my payment since it 's due date, he said he would. On Wednesday,XX/XX/XXXX, my car was disabled and repossessed from my property/home sometime between the hours of XXXX and XXXX. I called again and asked if they had wrongfully taken my car or should I call police and report it stolen, I was placed on hold and not given a direct answer for 18 minutes. When they returned from hold initially they said they were sorry, it was " picked up in error '' by Vendor : XXXX XXXX XXXX. They contacted XXXX and they would agree to return it but they were unable to provide a return time or if it would even be the same day. I asked for a supervisor because I have XXXX small children and all XXXX car seats were in that car, my youngest 's car seat was the only 1 we have for her. I was again placed on hold, the same person returned and said that a supervisor could not be found, they were either in a meeting or not at their desk and that the direct supervisor was off today but I could be transferred to leave a voicemail for them and they 'd call me back the next day. I refused and said that was not acceptable, XXXX forbid something happened, I had no way to safely transport my children and that I would hold until a supervisor or someone who could help me was available. I was again placed on hold. Forty minutes into my phone call a supervisor who " was new to repossession '' got on the phone and I explained the events, that my car was wrongfully repossessed, my child 's lack of a car seat/safety, that I was due to meet family and friends for my birthday dinner and had no way to get there together and that I have to take my children to daycare early in the morning and go to work. I explained my profession is one where I am the only 'supervisor ' available and that if I was n't able to get their and unlock/open on time I could be fired. At this point he placed me on hold to see " what all of his options are '', 10 minutes later he came back saying he was still on hold/figuring it out. About 55 minutes into the call, supervisor came back and connected us on a 3 way call with another vendor who was willing to bring my car to me that evening. I was pleased with this information and then asked about the repossession being reported on my credit incorrectly, they told me " they could not answer that ''. We finished our call 1 hour and 16 minutes later. The return vendor was extremely nice and accommodating and even returned it where my birthday dinner was since my husband and family were already making 50 minute drive/return passes to take my children and I in batches since we could n't all ride in the car together due to lack of enough car seats. When this vendor ( not the same vendor that removed my car ) arrived they had a piece of paper State Farm Bank had asked them to have me sign. It stated my information, the vehicle information, and that XXXX was to be billed for this " Redemption Release ''. At the bottom it stated " ***I hearby release XXXX XXXX XXXX , its Clients, subsidiaries, affiliates, and subcontractor, ( collectively " XXXX '' ) from any claims, demands, charges or rights of action which I have against XXXX relating to the above listed vehicle. *** '' I explained that I did not want to sign this piece of paper since I was not 10 days past due and according to Code section 18.2-102, any person who take, drives or uses ... vehicle ... without consent of the owner thereof and in the absence of the owner, and with the intent temporarily to deprive the owner thereof of his possession thereof, without intent to steal the same, shall be guilty of a Class 6 felony '' provided it is valued greater than {$200.00}. This information was provided to me by a police officer. The vendor agreed to leave my car with me if I could sign at least that they had returned the vehicle to me, and he even reconnected it so that it was drivable. Due to the way it was disabled, my screen/radio/GPS will not work without a passcode which I have been informed I have to now go to the dealership at some point to have this fixed and most likely charge me for this, unfortunately I have to work during their hours today, tomorrow as well as work Saturday and Sunday. I was extremely humiliated by this entire event. My neighbors most likely saw when it was removed from my property, I had to explain to family why we were late, why we were arriving all separately and why my car was being returned by a " Recovery '' tow truck in front of many other neighbors. I am even more concerned that they could not provide me any answers in regard to my credit report and tried to get me to sign away on this incredibly hurtful mistake they made without even so much as an apology other than an insincere " sorry ''. We have our second vehicle loan with State Farm Bank and I am extremely concerned about this error and the potential for this mistake, they could have wrongfully taken both of our cars.

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief