Consumer complaint received 2020-08-31
Company: Freedom Mortgage Company
State: CO
Product: Mortgage
Sub-product: VA mortgage
Issue: Trouble during payment process

Complaint:
On or about XXXX XX/XX/2020 I submitted for an IRRRL on my VA home loan. I closed on my refinance loan on XXXX XX/XX/2020, with final payoff funds remitted to Freedom Mortgage ( NMLS # XXXX ) XXXX XX/XX/2020. On XXXX XX/XX/2020 Freedom Mortgage used an auto withdrawal for the usual monthly payment of {$1400.00} ( P+I+T+HOI ). They had been paid off and acknowledged it in email and in my online account statement. I called Freedom Financial customer service on or about XXXX XX/XX/2020 to inquire why they took that payment and how I was going to recover my money that they took erroneously. I was given false information about closing my account 5 business days prior to closing ( not published anywhere on their website ) and the service representative ( who didn't understand English well ) told me I had to get a statement from my bank showing that the money had been withdrawn ( a fact she already knew since she had verified via computer records, that Freedom Mortgage had the money ). Feeling frustrated I requested to speak to a supervisor ( since I was incredulous about the request for a bank statement ). After 30 minutes on hold I was told no supervisors were available and one would contact me in 24 hours. No supervisor contacted me so I called back on or about XXXX XX/XX/2020, and spoke to Freedom Mortgage customer service representative XXXX ( ID # XXXX ), re-explained the issue of the loan payoff and the erroneous payment withdrawal, and asked to get my {$1400.00} back as soon as possible. After looking through company computer system she verified all the amounts, deactivated the automatic withdrawal ( which I had requested during the first phone call and had not been done ) and told me no bank statement was required for further verification. She guaranteed me that the money would be returned to my checking account not later than XXXX XX/XX/2020 ( I asked twice about that date ). Again I requested to speak to a supervisor, again none were available but she promised one would contact me in 48 hours. No one contacted me. I then contacted my bank on or about XX/XX/XXXX, ( XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ) to dispute the charge and to prevent Freedom Mortgage from withdrawing any additional funds from my bank accounts. On or about XXXX XX/XX/2020 I received a letter, dated XXXX XX/XX/2020, congratulating me that my mortgage was closed, and that further documents would be mailed to my releasing the lien/loan, no mention of any refunds due and no refund deposit was received in my bank account ( I checked online ). I attempted to contact Freedom Mortgage but failed to reach a representative after being on hold for 30-45 minutes. I continued to monitor my bank account for the refund amount. On XXXX XX/XX/2020 I received two ( 2 ) documents from Freedom Mortgage. One document dated XXXX XX/XX/2020 was a letter acknowledging ( again, since I already had emails to this effect ) my mortgage payoff and a check for " funds due to you from the recent payoff of your mortgage loan. '' ( I have not cashed this check ). It is itemized as " escrow refund '' but this doesn't match my escrow balance as of payoff. The second document, dated XXXX XX/XX/2020, was a notarized copy of the Release of Deed, filed with my county Clerk 's Office. I again called Freedom Mortgage customer service today, XXXX XX/XX/2020 to request resolution of my refund. I spoke with XXXX ( employee ID # XXXX ) who initially informed me that an electronic refund had been sent to my bank on XXXX XX/XX/2020. I told him that I had received no deposits to any of my back accounts on that date or up to today. He insisted that the refund had been paid and the refund " may not show in my account for up to 30 days. '' I asked to speak to a supervisor because I suspected that XXXX was lying, and told again that no supervisors were available. I then called my bank ( keeping XXXX on the line ) explained to them I was looking for any refunds and/or deposits from Freedom Mortgage either being held or otherwise. The XXXX XXXX employee ( XXXX ) stated that as of that time NO funds had been received from Freedom Mortgage or were being withheld or on hold. Hearing this XXXX stated that the " funds may have been sent to the wrong account, '' and asked if I had switched accounts. I informed him that I had the same accounts with XXXX for the past 20+ years and had not recent switched anything, which was verified by the XXXX representative. XXXX then implied that the payment was sent to my new mortgage company, to which I responded " How? since you have no information on my new loan or accounts. '' The XXXX suddenly changed his statement again claiming that he had been on " chat '' with a supervisor, named XXXX ( employee ID # XXXX ) who informed him that " I was going to be mailed a check sometime in the next week. '' I responded that was not acceptable, since I had been told before that the refund was on it's way and I wanted to speak to XXXX. I was told XXXX was " unavailable '' to speak to me. Again promised that he would call me as soon as he could ... ..that was 3 1/2 hours ago. Besides the fact that their customer service reps were dishonest, clueless, and uninformed, the company has had my money, which it should have not taken to begin with, for a month.

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