Consumer complaint received 2020-11-03
Company: BANK OF THE WEST
State: FL
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports
Sub-product: Credit reporting
Issue: Incorrect information on your report
Sub-issue: Account status incorrect

Complaint:
To whomever can help me receive results. 
I have not been able to make any headway with Bank of the West in regards to how they have derogatorily reported a lease I financed. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I obtained a lease from the Bank of the West auto division for a XXXX XXXX truck. 
On XX/XX/XXXX, I unfortunately was struck by a vehicle whose driver ran a red light. My truck was considered a total loss. 
On XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX made a payment to Bank of the West in the amount of {$54000.00}. 
On XX/XX/XXXX, I continued making the lease payment of {$850.00} to Bank of the West. 
On XX/XX/XXXX, I was called by Bank of the West to Pay-by-Phone, my FINAL PAYMENT. As you are likely aware, this was on a recorded line where I was told to repeat language back to the Bank of the West representative stating that this was in fact my Final Payment. During this call, I did in fact make what was explained to me as my final payment of {$900.00}. 
A month or so later, I was contacted by Bank of the West claiming that I owed the bank more money. My response was, I do not owe your bank more money, please refer to your recorded call which clearly demonstrates that the Final Payment had been made.

A month or so later, I noticed my credit score plummeted. It turns out that Bank of the West reported this as a Charge-Off. 
I then gave power of attorney to a colleague of mine to handle this matter. Shortly thereafter, this errant reporting was corrected. My scores shot back up. 
Fast forward, in XX/XX/XXXX ( pre Covid ) all three Credit Bureaus gave me a credit score of XXXX or higher. 
On XX/XX/XXXX, my wife and I entered escrow to buy a new home. 
On XX/XX/XXXX, the lender asked me to explain the Bank of the West Charge-Offs. This account was NEVER a charge off, let alone in XXXX since the vehicle had been paid off years prior. 
On XX/XX/XXXX, I disputed this error through the XXXX website in a limited submission format. 
The result was that XXXX could not prove my claim in such a limited submission format. 
The Bank of the West debt was then submitted to all three Bureaus once again. Every score dropped into the high 600s. 
Worse yet, XXXX now lists this as a {$62000.00} Charge-Off, not once, but twice ( attached ). 
Needless to say, we lost the home. 
Again, I gave power of attorney to the same colleague, mentioned above, to deal with and resolve this ever frustrating issue that Bank of the West has created. 
Its my understanding that after spinning her wheels with Bank of the West representatives ( XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ) XXXX/ ( XXXX ) XXXX XXXX ) for months now, my colleague has filed a complaint with the FTC. Never any responses or correction results from all correspondence we followed through with for years now. 

Lastly and more recent XX/XX/XXXX I reached out to a XXXX Washington at Bank of the West who is suppose to be a hirer up and NO RESPONSE once again ( see attached ) via an email ( XXXX ). 

A few things about me. No t one of my 7 companies carries any form of debt. The only debt that my wife and I carry are car leases. 
The amount Bank of the West claims that I owe them in error is roughly {$1100.00}. Does it make sense that I would destroy my credit for {$1100.00}?. 

I politely request your earliest attention to this matter, as this Bank of the West error has haunted me for three years now and held me back from receiving the best financing/ lending well deserved. Look forward to your follow up and some positive results. If you all or they ( Bank of the West ) would listen to the original recorded messages that I approved for completion/ XXXX balance/ positive credit reporting ... this issue would have been taken care of years ago. 

Again, I truly appreciate your time and feedback to this most urgent issue especially during a time when we all need positive economic now and for our futures. 

All the best

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation