Consumer complaint received 2018-03-21
Company: CITIZENS FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.
State: PA
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports
Sub-product: Credit reporting
Issue: Problem with a credit reporting company's investigation into an existing problem
Sub-issue: Their investigation did not fix an error on your report

Complaint:
In XX/XX/XXXX, the president put a federal hold on religious/ non-profit/ federal government funds. I was a XXXX  employee of a XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ) named XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. Due to the government hold XXXX  around the country were unable to meet payroll. I was not paid for the months of XX/XX/XXXX -XX/XX/XXXX. I contacted all creditors and lenders regarding the delay in payments. Despite talking to them over the phone, I receive calls from the Repossession Department at Citizens Bank. I walked into Citizen Bank, XXXX XXXX  Branch. I met with a bank officer named XXXX along with my payroll administrator from the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. The XXXX cut a check to stop the impending repossession. The bank officer advised due to bank policy, Citizens could not accept the third party payment for the car loan. I had to get a new check, deposit the funds into my Citizens bank account and wait 10 days for the check to clear before forwarding the funds to the loan department. We made agreements with Citizens to pay the balance within the next 15 days. To my surprise, I received a call from Citizens Repossession department that evening. I gave detail on the meeting that morning with the bank, the staff member said she would confirm the agreement. The next morning, my car was missing. I contacted the police, XXXX  notified police that the car was repossessed and in a nearby town.

I contacted Citizens repossession department again. I was rudely advised that the person I spoke to the evening before did not make a notation on the account regarding the agreement/payment arrangement made. After many phone calls and paperwork the car was released in 2 business days. I was escorted by XXXX XXXX  to Citizens Bank, XXXX branch where we completed documents and payment. Though it was circumstance and human error, the bank listed this on my credit report as a remedied repossession.

In XX/XX/XXXX, I began credit counseling with XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, in XXXX, PA to ready for home purchase and graduate school. We contacted Citizens Bank ( now XXXX XXXX  ) by phone with request for early removal of the remedy repossession code on the credit report. We were transferred to the repossession department. We spoke to a woman by the name of XXXX  or XXXX ( I believe ). We explained the above, my pending mortgage application and enrollment into college. She looked up the account information and said they could remove the code as I was in good standing.

The following week during Credit Counseling we reviewed my credit reports and found that instead of removing the Remedy Repossession statement with the Repossession code, Citizens updated the account, as if the vehicle was repossessed that day, adding another 7 years before its removal. I again sent disputes to all the credit reporting agencies. At this point I was believing this was racially motivated. It seemed totally unbelievable that these errors could continue to occur, feeling totally helpless as to what to do next. I received a notice for last payment and submitted the payment that very day.

In XX/XX/XXXX, I contacted Citizens Bank for a copy of the car title. The title department never released the vehicle title due to the belief the car was not in my possession. A Citizen rep reported the last payment was not received, however the payment was submitted and cashed in XX/XX/XXXX. I explained I had paid the loan in full over a year ago and had not had any correspondence from the bank for over a year in half. They have never notified me regarding a payment.

The loan account was marked for removal XX/XX/XXXX but was never removed. I have made multiple calls, wrote multiple letters and disputes. Citizens reported to XXXX XXXX that the repossession information on the account should have been removed inXX/XX/XXXX. XXXX XXXX continues to show incorrect date/ information.

I am a XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX   and maintain the same vehicle.

This error has led to the inability to receive government student loan forgiveness for XXXX   employees and XXXX. Unable to obtain graduate student loans and loans for my children who are in college. I have been unable to purchase a new vehicle. Unable to establish credit being turned down for credit cards. I have never been able to qualify for a mortgage or purchase a home due to this negative report on my credit report.

Each time I make inquiry regarding this account the date is updated by XXXX. This is my last resort. I am requesting that this remedied repossession be removed from all three credit reports as it was intended.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation