Consumer complaint received 2021-06-29
Company: U.S. BANCORP
State: TN
Product: Mortgage
Sub-product: FHA mortgage
Issue: Trouble during payment process

Complaint:
XX/XX/XXXX ISSUE : Discriminatory/unfair/deceptive mortgage practices by US Bank Mortgage ( hereafter called US Bank ) Based on the amount due that US Bank listed for my XXXX ( $ XXXX ) and now XXXX XXXX $ XXXX ) mortgage statement, US Bank is refusing to honor the mortgage agreement that was made based on the escrow shortage statement ( Statement 3 ) they provided to me. 
US Bank sent to me an escrow shortage statement ( statement 1 ) to pay {$590.00} shortfall, mortgage will be {$990.00} ( current mortgage $ XXXX ), otherwise it will be {$1000.00}. I contacted them in XXXX at the listed toll free number to ask about making the payment in one of their branches. I was told that I could not make the payment in the branch because the form had to be signed and that the branches did not have the form. It made no sense to me that in the age of electronic mortgage payments, the escrow shortage payment had to made by mail. So, I knew this was their way of trying to add unnecessary difficulty to the process. I told the representative that I still wanted to make the escrow shortage payment because I wanted to make sure my XXXX payment was not the increased amount. I was told that a new escrow assessment ( statement 2 ) would have to be done and I would receive another letter with the agreement and escrow amount in 3-4 days and that my mortgage would not be increased if the amount was paid by the date on the agreement.

I waited for the so called updated escrow letter/agreement and did not receive it. After about 8-10 days, I emailed US Bank about the issue from the contact us option in online banking ; I did not receive an email response or direct response. Several days later, I received in the mail the supposed updated escrow agreement letter/shortage document ( Statement 3, since statement 2 was not received ) with the stated escrow shortage amount that needed to be paid ( {$1000.00} XXXX and the amount my mortgage would be ( {$960.00} XXXX if the escrow shortage payment was made before XX/XX/XXXX. Unlike Statement 1, this was a letter only and a preaddressed return envelope. Statement 1 was a shortage coupon that contained the return address and a window envelope to display the address on the coupon.

I obtained a US Bank cashiers check from my US Bank checking account for the amount ( {$1000.00} ) stated on the Statement 3 letter/agreement. I sent the payment to US Bank via priority mail with tracking. I sent the payment to the address listed on the preaddressed envelope that was received with Statement 3 ( I kept the original preaddressed envelope for my records ). I took photographs of Statement 3 and the cashiers check, and a photo of the mailing envelopes ( the one that they provided, which I retained, and the one that I put the payment in before placing it in the priority mail envelope with the same address designated in the mailing system ). The item was delivered to the address 15 days before the XX/XX/XXXX mortgage payment date. I will attach these items if your system allows ; otherwise, please contact me for these items. 
Near the end of XXXX, I noticed that a mortgage due amount of $ XXXX was listed on my account for XX/XX/XXXX th. I called US Bank to ask why the reduced amount was not showing since they received the payment on-time. I was not provided any satisfactory answer and was even told that the payment had to be transferred to a XXXX XXXX address because it was sent to the Minnesota office, which is the wrong address. I informed the call representative that the payment was sent to the address listed on the preaddressed US Bank envelope that was received. I was told that the XX/XX/XXXX th payment of $ XXXX would be taken. I was also told some additional things that made no sense ( if I did not accidentally delete it, I should have a recording of the call ). 
In XXXX, US Bank took XXXX, from my account for the XXXX mortgage payment. I checked my account around XX/XX/XXXX th or a few days after and noticed that the XXXX payment due amount is listed as $ XXXX instead of the XXXX listed on the agreement. I emailed US Bank using the same mechanism as before to let them I was upset about their deception and to let them know I would be filing a complaint. 
Its amazing to me how signed agreements against the consumer are considered to be binding but not nothing is binding for businesses and institutions. 
The mortgage payment is on automatic payment, US Bank can take what they want, so they dont care about what the means on my end if the account is short because I am expecting the payment to be lower based on the agreement. If the account is short, US Bank is going to want to charge me late fees or place negative things against my credit standing. It appears to me that US Bank is intentionally steering me towards what can be counted as missed payments and also result in negative impacts to my credit standing. I also have a high balance credit card with US Bank ; I am now thinking they have analyzed my accounts to add difficulties that benefit them - keep me from paying the little extra that I am able to pay on the card at times, by working to keep my mortgage higher than the agreed on payment listed on the statement. I believe that my race is a prevailing factor in why I am being targeted with these deceptive practices and being steered towards a higher mortgage payment unnecessarily.

If they are doing this to me, I know there are others. All US Banks accounts, should be audited by an independent regulatory authority to determine if this type of discriminatory, bait and switch tactic is systemic nationally or if it is regionally dependent. 
I do not want to be contacted by phone. To ensure written records are generated and maintained, I want responses to be in writing, just as this complaint is in writing. I want to receive the records pertaining to this complaint and kept abreast of the status. I want the agreement that I signed to matter and my mortgage payment set to the agreed amount. 
I know what my budget can handle and I know the things that I need to do to continue to own my property. I did that when I made the payment. I need the agreement to be honored as stated.

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 monetary relief