Consumer complaint received 2018-01-26
Company: Advance America, Cash Advance Centers, Inc.
State: SC
Product: Payday loan, title loan, or personal loan
Sub-product: Payday loan
Issue: Struggling to pay your loan

Complaint:
I took out a $XXXX  payday loan advance from Advance America on XX/XX/XXXX that was due to be paid back on or before XX/XX/XXXX in the amount of $XXXX.  I called before XX/XX/XXXX to let them know I wouldn't have the money on the due date.  They said they would submit my check electronically by the end of the business date if I didn't come in to pay it.  They submitted my check and my bank charged me $XXXX NSF fee on XX/XX/XXXX.  I put a stop payment on the check to prevent future electronic deductions as I have other monthly bills that are automatically withdrawn from my account.  My bank charged me $XXXX for the stop payment on XX/XX/XXXX.  

Advance America has LITERALLY called my cell phone, my husband's cell phone and our home phone at least 3 times a day and leaving voicemails ever since the day my loan was due (except on Sundays). They've called before XXXX some days, they've called after XXXX some days and called on Saturdays!  Also, they have called my job repeatedly.  After the 4th time of calling my job, I was verbally reprimanded being reminded I'm not to have personal calls.  My position does not require me to receive calls so when the switchboard operator pages me over the intercom, the entire company hears my name being called.  

In XX/XX/XXXX, I finally told the lady who called that I was reprimanded and to please not call my job again and that I would not be able to pay the loan back until after the XX/XX/XXXX.  She asked for a specific date and I told her I couldn't give her one because I didn't know.  I didn't want to lie.  

The calls have still continued to my cell, husband's cell and home number EVERY SINGLE DAY more than once on each.  On XX/XX/XXXX they called my job AGAIN, when the call was transferred and I answered, she didn't apologize for calling me on the job and just stated who she was and to call her on my lunch break.  I said, "sure".  I did not call on my lunch break because there's nothing to say, obviously if I had the money to pay them I would do it.  2 days later, on XX/XX/XXXX they called MY JOB AGAIN but I was in a meeting.  When the operator tried to take a message, they just said they'll call back and chose not to leave a message.

We've also received correspondence from Advance America via USPS reminding us we need to pay and that they submitted the check and it was returned.  They have submitted the check for payment numerous times since XX/XX/XXXX.  I found out on XX/XX/XXXX our bank made a mistake and allowed Advance America to electronically debit $XXXX from our bank account AND my bank charged us $XXXX  for that transaction.  After we were notified online, we called customer service and the matter was resolved and the money and NSF fee were both refunded and our bank apologized saying it was their mistake.  Advance America has become more aggressive since that mistaken transaction on XX/XX/XXXX by calling repeatedly and continually attempting to debit our account for a check we've had a stop payment on since XX/XX/XXXX.  I want them to stop calling my cell, husband's cell, home and my job immediately.

Company public response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation