Consumer complaint received 2019-10-01
Company: American First Finance, Inc.
State: WA
Product: Payday loan, title loan, or personal loan
Sub-product: Installment loan
Issue: Charged fees or interest you didn't expect

Complaint:
I was pressured into getting financing through AMERICAN FIRST FINANCE on Friday XX/XX/XXXX. My account number with them is " Acct. XXXX ''. I had taken my auto in to be repaired at XXXX XXXX GARAGE in XXXX WA and was told I needed a new radiator. I asked the price and when it was quoted I told the person on-duty that I could not afford the approximately {$450.00} to replace it. I made clear several times that I wanted to take my vehicle home until I saved enough money for the repair. The person on duty told me that they offered financing and it might be worth finding out if I was eligible. I applied and was approved a loan for {$1400.00}. Later I was told the radiator was replaced, but I also needed a new water pump. I was quoted a price slightly over {$500.00}. Again, I told the person on duty that I simply could not afford it and the repairs would end up costing more than I had paid for the car. The person at the garage kept pressuring me to have the work done. I kept resisting. He kept pressuring me. This took place over at least XXXX minutes. Finally he reminded me I had enough financing to cover it. I asked what the financing charge would be and he said " it depends on your credit ''. Both my XXXX and XXXX   scores were above XXXX. Eventually he wore me down and I saw no other option since I need a vehicle for work. There was no actual finance rates given to me until I returned to pick up my vehicle and found the finance charge on the contract would be 144 %. Yes, 144 %. I would have NEVER agreed to this because the charge for the work was {$1000.00} and the interest will be over {$1500.00}. My total bill will be over {$2500.00} and over half of it is in finance charges! 
By the time I saw the contract and it's usurious rate it was too late. All of the work had been finished and I had no other way to pay the garage. I suspect this is sort of a " bait and switch '' tactic the financial company may have in conjunction with garage. Perhaps they agree to get the shops to pressure and pressure customers to take out financing without telling the outrageous percentage rate, then doing the work and leaving the consumer with no choice but to use your financing at it's outrageous percentage rate. 

I was told my percentage would be based on my credit. My credit score ( before XXXX points being taken off of it because of applying for financing with AMERICAN FINANCE ) was over XXXX on both XXXX and XXXX. The finance reporting agency they used ( that I've never heard of ) was " XXXX XXXX XXXX. They gave me a score of XXXX ... well below my legitimate scores. The reasons given were " Not long enough at residence ''. I have lived at the same address almost XXXX years. I have owned XXXX home before this. 

" Not having the same phone number long enough '' I have had this phone number for at least XXXX years, and had my previous number for over XXXX years! 

" Not a resident long enough '' I am an American by birth and I have been a resident of the state of Washington since my birth in XXXX. 

I'm not sure there is any legal action I can take-I 'm sure these companies have done everything they can to make those they rip-off unable to fight their terms ... .and I expect the kickback to the garage makes sure their butts are also covered. 

Whether I actually have any legal recourse all I can say is these companies ( XXXXXXXX XXXX GARAGE of XXXX WA. AMERICAN FIRST FINANCEand XXXX XXXX XXXX ) have probably done everything to skirt the law, and put enormous pressure on me ( and others ) to get themselves into a precarious financial position. 
I contacted XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX who are named in my contract as offering a score. I spoke with them and asked their representative for a written explanation of their process of arriving at scores. Their phone representative was incredibly evasive and gave me several circular " answers '' that were not answers at all. I asked to get written documentation at how they arrive at numbers The representative told me to write another party they seem to be connected with called XXXX XXXX XXXX in XXXX XXXX. Their address is XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX, CA XXXX. I will write them, but based on my entire experience I don't expect a satisfactory answer. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. 
XXXX WA XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation