Consumer complaint received 2020-12-10
Company: HYUNDAI CAPITAL AMERICA
State: FL
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Auto debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed
Sub-issue: Debt was paid

Complaint:
My husband and I purchased a XXXX XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX at the XXXX XXXX  XXXX in XXXX XXXX, FL. We took advantage of a $ XXXX discount, offered only if we financed the car through Hyundai Finance, with the intention of paying the car off in full when the first statement arrived ( copy of cancelled check with Pay Off Figure attached ). Three days later, we were called back into the Hyundai Dealership where we were told that an INCORRECT VIN ( Vehicle Identification Number ) was assigned to the initial contracts we signed and as such they were NULL and VOID. We were then asked to sign a second set of contracts with the CORRECT VIN assigned to the car we purchased. The problem was that Hyundai NEVER CANCELLED, the first contract, with the INCORRECT VIN, that was issued in error. According to Hyundai, 2 cars were purchased and they generated 2 account numbers, without ever correcting the VIN assignment. Efforts to correct this error with Hyundai Finance and the XXXX XXXX has resulted in empty promises to correct followed by unresponsiveness. For the past 3 months, we have been inundated with an escalation of phone calls from debt collectors, repossession notices, and delinquent reports to the 3 credit bureaus which has resulted in the collapse of our once excellent credit score. My husband and I are XXXX and XXXX years old respectively. We bought this car to celebrate selling our home in NJ and moving full time to Florida. We did not anticipate to have this marker in our life tainted by such unethical and unfair business practices and a level of unprofessionalism I have not encountered until now. As a result, we have not taken the car out for fear it will be repossessed and we will be stranded somewhere. We decided to take this action after going to the XXXX XXXX in person this week on XX/XX/XXXX. The man who sold us the car very clearly hid from us ( as he had not attended to our numerous messages where he promised to ( correct this problem with the manager ). We were told to sit in a waiting room, when suddenly a man, who does not introduce himself, comes up to us and asks us for a copy of the VOIDED contract and our ACTUAL contract. We were stunned. He did not sit us down, he did not allow us to show him other documentation ( and we have everything ), and he did not apologize for the error that has resulted in inappropriate and unfair attacks from Hyundai Finance. Given the lack of professionalism and the lack of unresponsiveness and accountability to our concerns, we are not confident Mr. XXXX will address these errors. I was so jarred by this encounter, that I followed Mr. XXXX to his office where I asked him for his business card and told him, that I had yet to receive a Bill of Sale for a car I purchased in full back in XXXX, XXXX. He said nothing. We have been attempting to correct this error for 5 months with very similar results. After months of phone exchanges and explanations, we received written confirmation from Hyundai that we paid off our car in full, STILL referencing the INCORRECT VIN. The first contract has not been cancelled and our account remains in default. Please take us off this merry go round.

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