Consumer complaint received 2023-05-21
Company: Albert Corporation
State: FL
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: Mobile or digital wallet
Issue: Unauthorized transactions or other transaction problem

Complaint:
I am writing to file a formal complaint against the Albert app regarding their financial services, which have caused me immense distress and financial hardship. I kindly request the CFPD to conduct an urgent investigation into this matter and take immediate action to protect consumers like myself.

Over the past few weeks, I have experienced a series of issues with the Albert app that have severely impacted my financial well-being. Initially, the app itself provided me with information stating that I was eligible for an advance in the amount of {$60.00}. Relying on this information, I carefully budgeted and made plans for this advance. However, when I attempted to request the advance, the app suddenly informed me that they needed to verify my pay before granting it. This was highly perplexing and frustrating since the app had already indicated my eligibility and provided the dollar amount. When I questioned their customer service regarding these discrepancies, I was informed that the information displayed in the app was outdated, and that the verification of my pay would take a couple of days, despite my direct deposit having already been processed through their company the day prior. 

More recently, I discovered fraudulent charges on my account on XX/XX/2023 in the amount of {$99.00}, as well as duplicate debits from XXXX creditor on the same day in the same amount. I have made several attempts to resolve these issuea with their customer support over the last 48 hours. I have been met with delays, unhelpful responses, and a lack of transparency. They informed me that it would take several days to investigate these matters and potentially return the funds, causing further financial stress and uncertainty. 

I reached out to the company who the Fraudulent charge was from, XXXX XXXX, and they apologized and offered a refund, however upon further review they were unable to provide it to me as they had not yet received payment from Albert. I began investigating further and found that in addition to XXXX XXXX, whose charge was not accurate, several of my creditors have not received payments that were deducted from my account by Albert. This includes duplicate debits from one of my creditors on the same day in the same amount and I was informed that I would need to wait to be able to file any kind of claim to have this corrected. When I questioned Alberts customer service team they were unable to tell me where my funds are. As of this complaint I still do not know where the funds for the payments are as I nor the payee have them and albert just gives me a runaround. It appears that my money has gone missing within their system, leading to financial difficulties and the inability to fulfill my obligations. 

Throughout this ordeal, the Albert app has demonstrated incompetence, poor customer service, and a disregard for resolving issues promptly. Their flawed verification process, mishandling of funds, and failure to communicate transparently have left me in a vulnerable position.

I implore the CFPD to intervene urgently and thoroughly investigate the practices of the Albert app. It is crucial to hold them accountable for their mismanagement of funds, failure to provide satisfactory resolutions, and potential violations of consumer protection regulations. 

I kindly request that you take swift action to protect consumers ' interests, ensure compliance with regulatory standards, and provide a resolution for the grievances experienced by myself and potentially others. It is vital that financial service providers uphold their obligations and prioritize the well-being of their customers. 

Thank you for your immediate attention to this matter. I trust that you will thoroughly investigate this complaint and take the necessary steps to rectify the situation. I look forward to a swift and satisfactory resolution.

Company public response: Company believes the complaint provided an opportunity to answer consumer's questions
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation