Consumer complaint received 2021-03-26
Company: VW Credit
State: RI
Product: Vehicle loan or lease
Sub-product: Lease
Issue: Managing the loan or lease
Sub-issue: Problem with fees charged

Complaint:
I sent the following shown below and did receive a response from Audi Financial Services. They lost check ( s ) the dealer sent to them via XXXX. They finally sent me a plate relinquish letter for my new vehicle. They refused to pay me the {$2400.00} due to them stating that their automated response said it was a XXXX XXXXr payoff amount. I told them that there were XXXX different payoff amounts and the payoff amount given to me was misleading as it doesn't tell the consumer that tax is not included in the payoff. They told me their systems aren't made for XXXX and they need to upgrade their system. I told them I will contact the appropriate parties to ensure I am reimbursed the {$2400.00}. 
In addition, unfortunately theres only a few correspondences via email, as XXXX the woman who spoke with me who represents the XXXX office of Audi Financial Services ( AFS ) always called me via my cellphone. 

Any help would be greatly appreciated. 

Kind Regards, XXXX XXXX Letter sent on : XX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX 
XXXX, VA XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX  XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXt of Volkswagen Group of America XXXX Inc. and head of XXXX XXXX in XXXX XXXX XXXX CC : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX at Volkswagen of America , Inc XXXX CC : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX : Audi Financial Services Account # XXXX VIN : XXXX XXXX : Sent via email and Certified Mail Dear XXXX XXXX, On XX/XX/XXXX I sold my vehicle to a private non-XXXX  dealership. When doing so, the amount I was given by an automated system when calling Audi Financial Services, was {$28000.00}. Mind you, I tried several different times prior to that day in order to ensure the amount being told to me was accurate. Many different times, due to the unprecedented times of the COVID-19 pandemic, I was unable to speak with someone. 
The purchasing dealership XXXX XXXX sent XXXX different checks to Audi Financial Services in the amount of XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX dollars ( {$28000.00} XXXX, yet it was never received. I then tried to pay off my vehicle via my XXXX XXXX credit card, but the representative said they only accepted a check or money order. I then had XXXX XXXX send out a XXXX  check in the amount of {$28000.00} via XXXX XXXX XXXX to XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX, XXXX, IL XXXX ( tracking # XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. This was sent on Wednesday, XX/XX/XXXX and was delivered on Thursday, XX/XX/XXXX and signed by XXXX XXXX at XXXX XXXX. 
Let me rewind for a moment to the time prior to me sending out the {$28000.00} check via XXXX. You see, I was told that the payoff was not in fact the {$28000.00} I was given, but {$30000.00}. This was an additional {$2400.00}. Since the buying dealership for my vehicle already sent XXXX checks for {$28000.00} and it wasnt received yet by XXXX, we were told by the representative to send the additional shortage due, to pay off the vehicle and have the title released. The buying dealership did this by sending an additional check via XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, in the amount of {$2400.00}, XXXX tracking # XXXX XXXX XXXX ). The address it was sent to was XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX, Chicago, IL XXXX. It was received on Wednesday, XX/XX/XXXX2021 at XXXX CST and signed by XXXX XXXX XXXX 
I have contacted Audi Financial Services at least XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX different times since the checks were received, since the checks werent cashed. I had to ensure the checks were processed and attached to the proper account mentioned above. Still, today on XXXX XXXX, 2021, XXXX ( XXXX XXXX days later, the account is still showing not paid in full. After speaking to both supervisors XXXX on Friday, XXXX XXXX, 2021 and XXXX, today XX/XX/XXXX 2021, I was told they cant find the check in the amount of {$2400.00} XXXX check # XXXX XXXX. XXXX told me she wasnt sure how long this would take since its another department she needs to reach out to. Her lack of wanting to help is not what XXXX is known for and the customer service or lack thereof, is unacceptable. She asked about having me send her via fax, the front and back of the cashed check in the amount of {$2400.00}. I explained it was never cashed and XXXX needs to locate the XXXX  piece of mail and process it in a timely and professional manner. 
I explained that I am not able to register my new XXXX since my XXXX XXXX  is attached to the XXXX and XXXX will not release the relinquish plate letter, until the car is paid in full. XXXX weeks ago, I was told as a courtesy theyll waive the late fee since the payment wasnt processed and I never had a missed payment. I also was assured that my account would not be sent to collections. In reality, should I have received such late fee and/or sent to collections, I would take the appropriate steps to ensure that was rectified as it was in error due to XXXX and not cashing the several different checks sent to them. 
Now that I have mentioned all the above, I encourage you to pull all the tapes of correspondences I have had with the many different representatives with regards to my vehicle being paid off and the payoff amount being told to me and the dealership. There never was consistency and I was rarely able to speak to a live person. Legitimately I had to call back forty ( XXXX XXXX times, if not more, until I at least could be placed in the queue to speak with someone, on several different occurrences. 
I am requesting that Audi Financial Services ensure that the check in the amount of {$2400.00} is actually cashed and processed to the account. I also would appreciate a plate relinquish letter sent to me in order to register my new vehicle with my XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. My in-transit or temp plate expired on XX/XX/XXXX and I have an additional XXXX  days after that for my vehicle to be properly registered. I also would like to ensure that my title of my vehicle is sent in timely manner to XXXX XXXX, the purchasing dealer to my vehicle. 
Furthermore, I would like XXXX to pay me back the monies of {$2400.00} due to being misled and given multiple different quotes within the same time period, and then not being able to speak to a live individual to confirm the actual price. This was completely out of my control and no fault of my own. The automated system gave me an amount and never said there were XXXX other amounts, which included a private dealer payoff quote and an XXXX dealership payoff quote. If that is not done, I will take Audi Financial Services, XXXX XXXX XXXX and its affiliates to court, to ensure I am being treated fairly and equal. In addition to the {$2400.00} owed to me, I will also seek additional damages as appropriate including attorneys fees. 
I also will be requesting any fines, if any, that I incur after XX/XX/XXXX2021, to be paid by XXXX. This is due to XXXX not processing checks sent to them in a timely manner and not allowing me to register my new XXXX vehicle. 
You may reach me during the day at XXXX or in the evenings at the same number. Please keep in mind that I do travel for a living and therefore should I not be able to answer your call, I will respond to you as soon as I am able to. I am also available via email at XXXX. I eagerly await your response and I appreciate you time and attention to the matters mentioned above. 

Their XXXX  response : XXXX Good Afternoon, Your email contact to XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX has been received. After review each has requested we ensure the proper parties are engaged towards your concern. 

Since our team does not have access to your personal financial account information, we have forwarded your email to the Audi Financial Services XXXX team for further handling. Please expect contact from XXXX directly regarding your email. 

While we regret the circumstances that have prompted your contact, we appreciate this opportunity to get your contact into the correct hands and provide acknowledgement of your contact. 



Warmest regards, XXXX XXXX XXXX Case XXXX, XXXX XXXX My Response XX/XX/XXXX : Good afternoon XXXX, I appreciate your email and I look forward to hearing from the XXXX offices of XXXX. 

I sent XXXX separate certified letters to XXXX, XXXX and XXXX as well, as I mentioned in the email. 

Again, thank you for contacting me and I look forward to a prompt resolution. 

Kind Regards, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ) XXXX My response XXXX : XXXX, XXXX called me and told me I am in jeopardy of losing my XXXX XXXX  since XXXX still hasnt released the plate. 

I havent spoke to anyone from the XXXX XXXX office, either. 

Please ensure this is done in a timely manner. 

Very truly yours, XXXX XXXX XXXX My response XX/XX/XXXX : Good afternoon, on XX/XX/XXXX I was contacted by XXXX who works in the XXXX office of XXXX. During this call she told me that there is a rigorous process when it comes to being investigated when an email is given to the XXXX office. I was told that she was going to call me yesterday XX/XX/XXXX but unfortunately I never received a phone call. 

Today I did leave a message for XXXX via voicemail as I do not have her email. I explained that the state of Rhode Island has been more than kind and patient and allowed me to keep my XXXX play on a vehicle that is no longer insured with the state of Rhode Island. 

I need my plate relinquish letter from XXXX sent to me immediately so that I can put the plate that was previously on my XXXX now on the XXXX. 

It is mind-boggling to me that a company such as XXXX lost a check that was priority overnighted via XXXX  and to no fault of my own, are holding me responsible and holding my plate so that I cant get my new vehicle registered properly. 

I request that this is done in a timely and professional manner and the plate relinquish letter is immediately sent out. 

Kind Regards, XXXX XXXX XXXX My response XX/XX/XXXX21 : Good morning, as an update I have been given a plate relinquish letter so that I can register my new vehicle. I still have not heard as to if the transaction between the buying dealership and my vehicle has been done. I do know that the vehicle still was not paid off as of last Friday and the XXXX for the dealership called me and told me that they didnt cash the {$2400.00} check and therefore he sent them another check. 

It is mind-boggling to me that such a company like XXXX to lose a check that was XXXX XXXX  XXXX  and signed. 

The last time I spoke to XXXX was XXXX weeks ago, yet I havent heard from her since, and I did leave a detailed voicemail asking for her to call me but she never did. 

Im still requesting the {$2400.00} be refunded to me due to lack of availability to speak to a representative and being told over the phone something different in price versus what the actual price of the payoff was. XXXX did tell me that the automated system does say that it is a different amount and the amount being given is the lease holders price to payoff the vehicle, the the third party dealer or XXXX dealer. Although I dont agree with that, the amount I was given still wouldnt equal the true amount because it doesnt include taxes for the state for where the car is registered, which is misleading. 

I would like to come to an amicable solution as soon as possible as this has taken long enough. 

I look forward to hearing from the XXXX office of Audi Financial Services in a timely and professional manner. 

Kind Regards, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation