Consumer complaint received 2018-11-06
Company: Bliksum, LLC
State: NC
Product: Payday loan, title loan, or personal loan
Sub-product: Payday loan
Issue: Can't contact lender or servicer

Complaint:
Requested a small payday loan on line.after applying I received a email stating that I have been approved and to call a phone number XXXX. I called the phone number and a customer service gentleman answered the phone he asked me to verify the last 4 of my social and verify the address and phone number that I had given on the online application. He then asked to verify the banking information routing number and account number and also ask for the online ID and password he said this was to check that the account was available, open and mine. He then said that I asked for {$500.00} but my available credit line could be up to {$5000.00} I said no but I could use {$1000.00}. He then said my monthly payments would be {$85.00} a month so I said okay he told me to hold on while he transferred me to the servicing lender agent. After a few minutes a male came back on the phone, sounding just like the man from the beginning, he then said that because I had a low credit rating and not a previous customer of thiers he would have to deposit {$740.00} in my bank account, once the money was there I was to go to XXXX or XXXX or anywhere I could get a free gift card load the gift card and send the {$740.00} back. When I went to XXXX they advised me that this was an ongoing scam and to immediately go to my bank and close my account which I did when I got to the bank the gentleman called me and wanted to know why I didn't get the gift card I explained to him that I wasnt comfortable and that I would not be going through with the initial {$1000.00} loan as discussed of course he was upset I did this in the bank office along with my banker so she heard everything I said. I asked them how I could return the {$740.00} again he said that I needed to get a gift card or to do a XXXX to return the XXXX they could not get a bank wire and I could not return it by debit card. told him that I was not comfortable with the gift card but I felt like I should do the XXXX because then I would have proof that I sent the money back. he then put me on a long hold and came back to the phone and said XXXX could not be done because there was no one to pick the XXXX up. my banker and I found this very strange. I told him that a XXXX will sit there until someone is available to pick it up he gave some excuse why they couldn't be done and that I needed to go to XXXX XXXX, which is some type of money sending service and send the money that way so I deposited the money back into the account but moved all my other money out of that account I went to the XXXX  store and was going to use my bank card just holding that {$740.00} to send them back the money the lady told me they don't accept bank cards only cash. When I ask the gentleman on the phone again about XXXX he kept telling me I couldn't do the XXXX. He insisted that I should get a gift card which I did not. by this time the bank was closed I could not get the cash to do the XXXX transfer. he called me at least 35 times while I was driving and sent threatening text messages about me wanting to keep the money that did not belong to me the {$740.00} and that I needed to return it via gift card or through XXXX  I told him that because of his attitude and actions that I really felt like something is wrong would send it only by XXXX and that I needed the XXXX information which he refused to give me.when he told me to go to the XXXX  money sending place here in and send the money with a code name that I still have on my phone from the text he sent. The XXXX agent said that I could not transfer the money from my bank card they only accept cash when I told the gentleman from this so-called loan me payday loan place he was angry and said I should have just gotten a gift card like he said, he was trying to insist and be threatening that I never intended to pay the loan back I then told him it's XXXX or nothing needless to say he was angry I told him at this time the bank was closed I could not get the cash to send the XXXX and that it would have to be done in the morning he threatened me again he called at least 30 times sent texts at least 10 to 15 times threatening that I would be sued I would be have my bank account seized which I told him I intend to give the money back in the morning through XXXX at that time he told me that it has to be XXXX and call him for the information when I got to the store. He said not XXXX because no one could pick it up from the XXXX XXXX again very strange. so my problem is I am holding {$740.00} that I would like to return but I don't know who to return it to, how to return it, so that I'm covered as far as not holding money that does not belong to me I do intend to wait for your answer and or contact loanme.com to find out what I should do but I will wait for your answer because I'm really confused I am going to transfer that {$740.00} into a savings account and not touch it until I figure out how to return it to these bogus people if they are truly bogus they will not give me any return information unless it's done by this service XXXX and I want to do it through XXXX I am not going to purchase a gift card that is very strange my banker agrees that this should be done legally and a gift card is not legal also we asked about sending a wire transfer to them nothing was acceptable except XXXX  or a gift card so please help me in what I should do. Nothing was signed by me or has my signature electronically. The bank account information that the loan people sent the {$740.00} to has been closed except for the {$740.00} that is in there I plan to move that {$740.00} to a savings account until I get further instruction from the Consumer Finance complaint department. I also told the loan people they can retract the money from the same account they deposited it to. They said they could not. So please advise ASAP Thanks

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation