Consumer complaint received 2021-02-19
Company: FIFTH THIRD FINANCIAL CORPORATION
State: AZ
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports
Sub-product: Credit reporting
Issue: Incorrect information on your report
Sub-issue: Account information incorrect

Complaint:
Simply speaking is that, I have been paying my mortgage loan to MB Finance since XX/XX/XXXX, because XXXX XXXX was merged with Fifth-Third Bank, my mortgage loan was transferred to Fifth-Third Bank sometime in XXXX, I dont know the exact timing, I pay my mortgage through the recurring payment from my checking account in XXXX XXXX XXXX, the name of the payee has no change from MB Finance to Fifth-Third Bank in my statements so far. 

The dispute came from an escrow increment of $ XXXX/month in my mortgage payment, it was happened in XX/XX/XXXX. The recurring payment was {$1000.00} and the new payment is {$1000.00}. Because of the small increment, although the auto-pays were withdrawn as usual to Fifth-Third Bank, my mortgage loan turned out as short payment. However, I was in XXXX during the whole year of XXXX, I planned to come back to XXXX in XXXX, but I didnt until XX/XX/XXXX because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The result was that an amount of {$1000.00} was drawn every month as usual by XXXX  XXXX from my checking account, but I am accused to pay late for 5 months. Fifth Third Bank even reported to the credit reporting agencies of my late payment only, without telling the whole story, which is the truth I did pay on time. The fact is that it is a few short payments which was caused by my absence in the US. 

More complication is that I actually all the time live in XXXX and XXXX XXXX, I purchased a house in XXXX in XX/XX/XXXX for investment only. It was rented out until XX/XX/XXXX, the time I planned to move back to the US because of the continue education of my daughter. Unfortunately after the tenant moved out in XXXX and I could not come back in XXXX, the house was empty for more than 6 months. As I was not living in the US, I have a postal mailing address from a friend of mine as any address required in the US, all the incoming mails to me were delivered to that address, where that was not my dwelling. My friend just help me to collect the mails. The incident was discovered in early XXXX when it was happened, I then tried to contact Fifth Third Bank by emails, one day a gentleman who is the customer service of 53 Bank called me when I was in XXXX, I explained to him I was aware the case, but I was in XXXX I don't know what to do and asked for his advice. Very bad was that the gentleman promised me on the phone for a solution, but he did nothing and never contact me again after the call. 

As the increment is only less than $ XXXX/month, so I considered it was not important, another key reason why I didn't follow up again was that the mortgage amount was drawn as usual from the checking account every month, it was nevere retruned back. I then didn't take care of it until I returned to US in XX/XX/XXXX. I found there were lots of mails in my mail box from 53 Bank asking me to pay for the mortgage, I didn't know that at all as I was not in US, no one was taking care the mail box for me. 

One more factory created this issue was that my friend sold his house in XX/XX/XXXX, after he moved out, my virtual mailing address has no one to collect the mails for me. Although I had informed 53 Bank my address changed, all the mails from 53 Bank went to my new address, the problem was no one there, all the mails were accumulated in the mail box. I was not aware all the warning letters from 53 Bank to me about the payments until I came back in XXXX, it was too late. 

I have explained the details of my situation and provided to Fifth-Third Bank all the printed monthly statements from XXXX XXXX & air-ticket showing I have paid on time and when I came back to the US. Unfortunately, an investigation within Fifth-Third Bank was carried out and finally, I was sentenced for delinquent payments, no one listen the reasons behind or any explanations. After that, I am not entertained at all. how come a public bank in the US would behave like this?? Fifth Third Bank treats her clients in such unfair and unreasonable! 

This is the fact of the whole story, it is actually a short payment of {$16.00} for 5 months, not late or delinquent payment of mortgage. The report to the credit bureau was not correct and it is not the fact. 

Your help on this unfair judgement is much appreciated.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation