Consumer complaint received 2023-08-16
Company: TRUIST FINANCIAL CORPORATION
State: DC
Product: Vehicle loan or lease
Sub-product: Loan
Issue: Managing the loan or lease
Sub-issue: Problem with fees charged

Complaint:
I received a call on Saturday, XX/XX/2023 at XXXX XXXX on my cell phone from XXXX. I did not recognize the number and earlier in the week had received several fraudulent calls attempting to sell me unneeded services and products. The number left a voice mail ( robo caller ) and left a case number and call back number ( which was cut off. ). I found this to be suspicious as it was a Saturday and they indicated they were from Truist regarding my loan and being in collections. I thougth this was odd since I had requsetd payment relief for personal hardship on my auto loan in XX/XX/2023 when I took medical leave from work to care for my serious medical condition and was experiencing financial hardship too since I was not receiving any incoming from my employer beginning in XXXX. Up to this point, I thought my payment relief was granted because my application was approved. So I waiting till the next business day to call back ( I called the XXXX number on Truist website v the number that called me ), XX/XX/2023. After I was able to verify this was a legit call, I was transferred to another department. I asked how my account could be in collections at this time and they did not provide a clear answer but indicated I had a past due principal balance of a {$27.00} and that if I could take care of it over the phone, my account would be in good standing. Again I thought this was odd given I had applied for payment relief but they explained that they sent me an email regarding it, which I do not recall receiving, and because I did not sign that, I was not granted the payment relief. At no point from XXXX to XXXX, did I ever get a courtesy call or reminder from Truist that my account was supposedly past due. Up until that point, I have made payments every single month, on time, but it wasnt until my medical leave which I was under medical care and supervision that this all occurred. And it was just recently I realized that on that they charged me {$220.00} in interest on the principal amount of {$27.00}. Claiming that my account was overdue since XXXX and this was the interest applied per diem. The interest they collected on this is equivalent to my monthly principle payments. This debt collecting arm of Truist, called me illegally on a Saturday, to try and collect a debt in which according to their records was more than 90 days past due. My auto payments had paused since XXXX 2023 and the claim was that because I had " not signed off '' on something, that the payment relief was never granted and conveniently now that link has expired and there is no documentation regarding the request and approval I received through Truist website that payment relief was granted. My question if my account was past due, then why did I not receive any calls or emails in XXXX, XXXX or XXXX, indicated I had a past due balance or a courtesy call that there was a pending action item on my part that was preventing the processing of the payment relief for 6 months. Keep in mind, I was experience personal, medical and financial hardship during this time. I needed relief temporarily of payments till I recovered. I ended up paying almost {$450.00} in XXXX towards my auto loan payment. My monthly payments that I had asked relief of was {$210.00}.

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