Consumer complaint received 2023-12-13
Company: FIFTH THIRD FINANCIAL CORPORATION
State: NJ
Product: Payday loan, title loan, personal loan, or advance loan
Sub-product: Tax refund anticipation loan or check
Issue: Confusing or missing disclosures

Complaint:
- XX/XX/2023 : Salesperson from XXXX XXXX introduced himself and gave us a sales pitch, but when we questioned him and he did not know the answer, he decided to call Dividend for answers. Dividend representative came on the line ( rep had her on speaker phone from his cell ) and confirmed what the XXXX XXXX XXXX stated previously which was, if we were to pay the loan in it's entirety after installation was complete, it would only be {$25000.00}, but for now, we " need to sign the loan agreement with Dividend at {$42000.00} ''. Dividend was on the phone and agreed. Also, both XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX and Dividend Sales rep ( on phone ) confirmed we would receive a XXXX XXXX state tax credit. Dividend confirmed once received tax credit, it could then be paid towards the loan. 
- XX/XX/2023 : Received an email from Dividend Finance congratulating us that our panels were installed when panels were in fact not installed, along with an attached " Letter of Completion '' document. 
- XX/XX/2023 : Spoke with a Dividend representative informing them that the installation was not complete, but Dividend insisted installation was complete because they received pictures and that they have already released payment to XXXX XXXX. 
- XX/XX/2023 : Received an email from Dividend Finance stating our " financing is complete '' along with an attached " Solar Loan Guidebook '' and " Loan Statement '' documents. 
- XX/XX/2023 : Spoke with a representative expressing my anger and frustration as to why my loan was activated when the solar panel installation was not completed. The representative said " you still owe the loan '' and hung up. 
- XX/XX/2023 : Received email from Dividend accepting loan payments from XXXX XXXX without my authorization and when installment was not complete. 
- XX/XX/2023 : Called Dividend questioning why they are accepting loan payments on my behalf. They said because panels were installed when they were not. 
- XX/XX/2023 : Received email from Dividend accepting loan payments from XXXX XXXX without my authorization and when installment was not complete. 
- XX/XX/2023 : Received email from Dividend accepting loan payments from XXXX XXXX without my authorization and when installment was not complete. 
- XX/XX/2023 : Received email from Dividend accepting loan payments from XXXX XXXX without my authorization and when installment was not complete. 
- XX/XX/2023 : Received an email from Dividend confirming Dividend has been accepting loan payments on my behalf from XXXX XXXX and due to the delay in solar panel installation, my loan is being deferred for 4 months " Proactive Loan Deferment '' until a PTO ( permission to operate ) is issued. 

Why are they deferring my loan when they claimed the panels were installed? 
" installation '' implies completion in a binding contract. 

Installment was NOT completed. Roofs are leaking, defective materials were used and per XXXX XXXX employees that are coming forward, " Dividend was one of the " most lenient '' lenders for them ( XXXX XXXX ) ''. Dividend releasing payment to XXXX XXXX prior to permits being submitted, prior to inspections passing, XXXX being issued, prior to installment is Consumer Financial Fraud.

Dividend Finance committed Consumer Fraud and I have a very long list of consumers that have the same complaint and suffered the same damages. Consumers that also witnessed their sales rep call Dividend during the sales presentation. I also have a list of XXXX XXXX employees that have called me and come forward with information confirming Dividend and XXXX XXXX were indeed committing Consumer Fraud. XXXX page : " Victims of XXXX XXXX '' consumers are talking about the Lenders being involved in the sales pitch. 

Many consumers are in low income areas and XXXX consumers where Dividend Finance and XXXX XXXX targeted together. 

Dividend will benefit the tax write off and on the other end, collect from the borrower. This is Consumer Financial Fraud.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation