Consumer complaint received 2018-10-10
Company: TRANSWORLD SYSTEMS INC
State: CA
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports
Sub-product: Credit reporting
Issue: Credit monitoring or identity theft protection services
Sub-issue: Billing dispute for services

Complaint:
XXXX XXXX XXXX, the servicer on my XXXX College Loan, updated to a new online borrower portal called XXXX XXXX  in XXXX and XXXX of XXXX. I have been repaying this loan since XXXX ( with autopay for the last several years ) without incident until the switch to XXXX XXXX took place. A problem with my autopay on or around XX/XX/XXXX set off a series of events I will detail below that culminated in 2 late payments and a negative effect on my credit score - this all despite my extensive and well-documented efforts to pay my loan and re-set up my autopay via email and phone. I think that there was an internal problem on the part of XXXX  when they switched over to the XXXX   XXXX system, and that this problem was compounded by an inability or unwillingness on their part to help me fix it. I would like ( 1 ) for my credit to be restored, and ( 2 ) for the two recent missed payments to be removed from my record. 

All attachments are labeled A through I and referenced as such below. 

In XX/XX/XXXX I received an email ( A ) that XXXX  was anticipating system down time while they upgraded to the XXXX XXXX online borrower portal. I was informed that no late fees would be assessed in the month of XX/XX/XXXX, and there was no indication that action needed to be taken on my part to continue my recurring payments ( that had been set up and working well for years ). 

On XX/XX/XXXX I received an email that the switch to XXXX  XXXX was complete and that my account was active ( B ). 

On XX/XX/XXXX I received an email that I had a new document on the XXXX  XXXX system to review ( C ). This document showed that as of XX/XX/XXXX my account was current, with an automatic debit of {$140.00} ( my usual amount ) to take place on XX/XX/XXXX. Great. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I received another email that I had a document to look at. This document, dated XX/XX/XXXX, stated that my account was PAST DUE in the amount of {$180.00} ( D ). This was a surprise to me. I logged on to the website and viewed my payment history ( E ) and indeed, the status of the XX/XX/XXXX autopayment was " failed ( unapplied ) ''. I tried to pay online then and there but there was a problem with the system and I was unable to make the payment ( as happened to me again, on XX/XX/XXXX ). I tried to call, but it was after business hours. I was able to try to establish that my autopay was still set up, and received an email confirmation that autopay was indeed set up on my account ( F ). 

On XX/XX/XXXX, the date my autopay was set to debit from my account, I received an email that " due to my request '' my autopay had been cancelled ( G ). As the loan was due that date, this resulted in my account now being TWO MONTHS OVERDUE. I did not request for my autopay to be cancelled at any time. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I called XXXX XXXX customer service to sort out why my autopayments were failing ( on XX/XX/XXXX ) and being cancelled without my knowledge ( on XX/XX/XXXX ). Importantly, I also had my credit card out and was about to pay the balance of the bill, but the representative STOPPED ME, saying she " saw two different due amounts listed '' and that she would refer me to their account specialists to see how much I owed, and would follow up with me. She never followed up. There should be a quality assurance recording of this phone call. I could have paid my bill that day, but she advised me against it. I am sorry I followed her advise. I told her of my concern that my credit could be affected by my unpaid balance, she told me the account specialists would look into it. Notably, she asked if I was using a XXXX Bank account to pay my bill, which I thought was strange. I have an old XXXX Bank account that I closed years ago, and have used my XXXX XXXX XXXX account to make payments on this loan for years. I have a suspicion that when the switch to XXXX  XXXX  took place, the XXXX Bank account was erroneously used for my autopay and this is why my autopayments began to fail at the exact same time they switched their system. Just my hunch. Not my fault, and I shouldn't have to pay for their mistakes with my own credit score. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I received an email that again I had a document available on the XXXX   XXXX website. I viewed it and to my horror, it showed that my account was still {$360.00} past due ( H ). I thought at least the status would be suspended due to my recent phone call and active case with customer service. I immediately tried to pay the account online but there was an error. I wrote an email to customer service detailing that I had just tried to pay online but couldn't, and requested that they fix this problem right away, and was met with the response " we will refer this to our account specialists. '' ( my email not attached but available ). 

On XX/XX/XXXX I called customer service again. I was able to pay the balance this time over the phone, bringing my account current. I also set up autopay over the phone yet AGAIN and thought the issue was resolved. I again asked her to ask about fixing my credit and again she said she would refer me to their account specialists. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I received an email ( H ) that again, my recurring payments had been cancelled, again without my knowledge. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I went online and just paid the balance that was due XX/XX/XXXX ahead of time as I just wanted to feel secure that I was not going to be late on any more payments. 

The status of my account now is that it is current, and my next payment is due XX/XX/XXXX, supposedly as an automatic debit. I will, of course, be checking that day to make sure the payments go through and will pay it manually if there is ( again ) a problem. 

Throughout this ordeal the customer service has been lacking. Clearly, there was some kind of hiccup with my account when they changed their systems and the end result is that after trying to do the right thing at every turn and work with their customer service time and time again, I now have registered late payments for XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX that are affecting my credit. I'm trying to buy a house and this is really affecting me. They don't seem to be willing or able to set up my autopay correctly and work on reversing the damage they've done to my otherwise super stellar credit. My last recourse is to file a complaint with this agency.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation