Consumer complaint received 2020-05-26
Company: Westcreek Financial
State: MA
Product: Payday loan, title loan, or personal loan
Sub-product: Personal line of credit
Issue: Problem with the payoff process at the end of the loan

Complaint:
On XX/XX/XXXX I purchased a sofa at XXXX XXXX XXXX a furniture store near my house and a got a line of credit with WestCreek to finance the sofa. West Creek had a program that you are not charged a lot of interest if agree to pay the total amount of your purchase within 100 days and you decide how you going to pay off the total amount {$1000.00} in my case. But again, you decide if you are going to pay in 3 or 2 payments, or at once as long as you pay within 100 days. I decide that I was going to make two payments of {$500.00} on XX/XX/XXXX and another on XX/XX/XXXX. The 100 days period was going to end on XX/XX/XXXX but in the middle of XXXX my place of employment closed due to the Covid-19 Pandemic and they let me go with the promise that they would probably take me back once things go back to normal. Well, I lost my job and my income. So, I decide to call WestCreek to let them know I had lost my income and that because of that I would not be able to make my final payment on the XXXX of XXXX like we had agreed. The representative told me that they would not withdraw the {$500.00} on the XXXX and that she understood what I was going through, and that I could call them back when I had the money. 
On XXXX I started to receive government assistance and WestCreek without my permission withdrawal {$330.00} from my account on XX/XX/XXXX and today XX/XX/XXXX they did another withdrawal of {$330.00} so I decide to call them to see what was going on and to confirm with that this would be the last payment that they would be withdrawing from my account because according to my calculations it covered the total amount of {$1000.00} which was what I owed them in the beginning. Even though according to my calculations an extra {$160.00} was charged which I believed was some type of readjustment due to the extended time Ive got for being unable to make the payment on time because of the financial impact I suffered due to the Coronavirus Pandemic. But for my surprise when I called today to make no extra charges was going to be made and to confirm that my debt with them was paid off. The representative told me that todays withdraw wasn't the last XXXX. Another XXXX payments of {$330.00} was scheduled for XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX. So, I told him that I believed that whatever I owed them was already paid according to my calculation of the amounts they had already withdrawn up to this point and that whatever extra charges they intended to withdraw in the next couple of months was just not fair. Especially because I called them ahead explaining that my inability of making my payment on time last XXXX was caused by the fact that I've lost my income due to the Pandemic and that same time I've also called my credit card companies and my other creditors to let them know the pandemic had affected me, and them all waved late fees, interests etc. Because it was situation that was out of our control, and back them I recall that the finance experts and government officials even the governor of MA was advising us to do. They were all advising us to try to negotiate. 
So, today I am complaining because I believe that they are being irresponsible and abusive toward their customers. They are trying to take advantage of us in this moment of crises. What they are trying to do is disrespectful. I am pretty much being charge twice for my purchase because I delayed a payment because of a situation that I had no control. Even though I called them to notify them of what was going on. Even though I told them that I would call them back once things were better. But they didn't even wait for my call back they withdraw money from my account without caring if the money that was there were intended to meet the needs of me and my family, without my consent or anything. Their whole behavior throughout this moment of difficult that had impacted the whole nation all they care is to get money from us no matter what. They are acting money hungry toward their customers, overcharging them, not caring, not showing a bit of empathy with others. I sincerely feel so violated by them, totally disrespected. 
In resume I just want them to declare my debt paid off. Because I really believed that I no longer owe them anything since I already paid them what I owed. 
I want them to stop withdrawing money from my account whenever they want without notifying that they will do it. I was not contacted by anyone either by phone or mail or email that even though I called them to explain that I was struggling because I was being impacted financially by the Coronavirus Pandemic my agreement with them was going to change and with or without my explanation of the reason of my inability to pay the last {$500.00} I would be charged twice of what I previously owned because they just dont care. I was never notified. All I see is them withdrawing money from my account, and I have no way to stop them because they have my account information on their file. I need Help to stop this abuse. I don't even care about the {$160.00} extra that they already charged me. I just want them to stop withdrawing money from my account, and to stop the abusive charges. They can not treat their customers like that. They can not take advantage of this unfortunate situation that we are all facing because of this Pandemic. I just want to be treated fairly and with justice. 

Sincerely, XXXX XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief