Consumer complaint received 2019-03-04
Company: Tower Loan of Mississippi, Inc.
State: LA
Product: Payday loan, title loan, or personal loan
Sub-product: Installment loan
Issue: Problem when making payments

Complaint:
I opened a personal loan with XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ) (XX/XX/XXXX ), who then sold the account to Tower loan ( unsure when they received the loan ). The loan was not in default with XXXX XXXX. I always paid the full amount due even if it were a few days behind. I never had an issue with debt with XXXX. In XX/XX/XXXX, me and my husband, became behind on the loan payment because both my husband and I became ill ( he having XXXX XXXX   and me having a XXXX XXXX ). Unfortunately, we were unable to make a timely payment due to medial conditions. This is when I learned of Tower Loan.

I received no notification that Tower loan had taken over the account until I became behind when sick. So, when I did get a few dollars to pay on my account this is when calls began because to tower loan the payments made were not a sufficient amount and on top of this they increased my interest and payments. Something I had no knowledge of. I explained to Tower loan my economic hardship, by letting them know this new amount was not agreed on and that I could not afford, but they didn't care. They wanted money. I remembered I had a loan insurance, so I asked about the insurance I had on the loan and if I could use it to catch up on payments. I was told yes and was given forms by the customer service rep who remains unknown. She is no longer working there. 

I was told the forms had to be filled out by a physician. I gave the forms to the XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX, who worked with XXXX XXXX XXXX ( PCP ), but at the time he was convicted of medicaid fraud and could no longer practice medicine, which is why I think the first set of forms were misplaced. I went back to tower loans and received a 2nd set of blank insurance claim forms, but still have yet to get them from XXXX XXXX. He is no longer in an office. I now see XXXX XXXX, XXXX, who worked with XXXX XXXX. I gave the forms to her, and at this moment I am still trying to get her to fill out the insurance claim forms. I don't think she want to fill them out because I was a patient of XXXX XXXX. She is also requesting {$25.00} to fill out the forms. But, while in this process dealing with getting forms filled out and approved, I have been 200 % harassed by tower loan. Here are incidents as follows ; 1. Frequently visited my home asking for payments 2. Visited the hospital while I was an inpatient to seek a {$6.00} payment 3. Left a voicemail stating he was my mother ( who is deceased which is my grandmother ) stating they are seeking payment.

4. I have filed a restraining order on XXXX @ Tower Loan. He is not longer able to visit my house. 
5. Branch Manager of tower loan is now visiting the house.

6. Threatened of Wage Garnishment Due to all that happened, I filed a restraining order, and I was served a civil law suit by Tower loan 's lawyer. In court ( which was ruled in a hallway and papers were signed ) we ( me and my husband ) received a payment extension and agreed to pay {$260.00} ( my husbands loan ) and {$160.00} ( my loan ). Since court all payments have not been missed and paid on time. I was not given a set date to make a payment as long as the payment is made by the end of the month. The original payment date with XXXX XXXX was due on 1 loan which was XXXX of the month. The 2nd loan was due the XXXX of the month. 

Now I am being told that I need to make another extension by tower loan prior to the arrangement made in court and once again. The 1st arrangement they said has expired. 

Today, Monday, XX/XX/XXXX, I went in to Tower loan to make a payment. I gave them {$400.00} for my husbands loan ( {$250.00} loan mentioned above ) and {$200.00} for my loan ( {$160.00} loan mentioned above. I gave a cash payment to the cashier totaling {$600.00}, ( they only take cash, check, or money order ) to pay on the accounts respectively of what I mentioned above, and she felt the need to take out of the {$200.00} payment, {$50.00} and apply it to the {$400.00} cash payment for my husbands loan. When I said that this is not how I wanted the account to be paid, I was told that " Louisiana is a community property state and that she has the right to take money from one account and apply it toward another account '' " Then she proceeded to confirm that we were married, by asking, but the payment was already made. So, what if we were not married I asked? With no answer relative to us being married, she told me that the money could not be reversed. And I quote. This is what she told me. I am very upset with Tower Loan. I have been experiencing XXXX XXXX, XXXX, and XXXX behind this matter. And I have now have to have another XXXX related XXXX XXXX. I can't bleeding for worrying. Pleeeeeeaaaaasssseee Help US!!!!!!!!!!!

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 explanation