Consumer complaint received 2021-02-12
Company: PROVIDENT FUNDING ASSOCIATES
State: NC
Product: Mortgage
Sub-product: Conventional home mortgage
Issue: Trouble during payment process

Complaint:
On XX/XX/2021, I logged into the Provident Funding loan servicing website to make my first mortgage payment. It was my first time on the portal. It was not as user friendly as I'm accustomed to using with other banks, but eventually, I found my way around and was able to set up my first payment. 

On XX/XX/2021, I received notification that my electronic payment had been rejected. Apparently, I typed my bank account number incorrectly. I was assessed a {$25.00} rejected payment fee. 

Upon further investigation, however, I realized this was not entirely my mistake at all. 

Let me explain : - When adding a new bank to my payment options on the website, users can not copy and paste numbers into the designated account number dialogue box. Users must manually enter their checking account number, which in turn means a user may be more likely to type it incorrectly. 

- As soon as the number is entered in the dialogue box, all but the last four digits disappear. 

- The user then must retype their bank account number a second time and again, all but the last four digits disappear. 

- In fact, the user is never able to see the full account number they entered, except as it is being typed. 

- The system then verifies the two numbers match, effectively allowing the mistake to remain hidden from the user. 

- The next step takes the user to a new screen where they must verify the information they just entered is correct before the payment can be submitted. 

- AGAIN - the full account number is HIDDEN from the user so they are only verifying the last four digits of their bank account. 

- Since the last four digits were correct, I proceeded to submit the payment information, all the while never realizing I had typed the full account number incorrectly. 

Upon receiving the rejected payment letter on XX/XX/2021, I called Provident Funding Associates customer service helpline to request the fee be waived. The first agent I spoke to said this was not possible because the system is set up to allow the user to review all the information they've entered on several occasions before submitting the information for payment. I explained to the representative that this is not true and made her aware of the actual process on their website. I then asked to speak to her supervisor since she did not understand that she was wrong about how the system worked. I spoke to 3 subsequent supervisors. Two of them refused to give me the contact information of anyone that could address my concern in real-time. I was directed to snail mail or fax a letter instead. They also gave me false information about who their Executives are. The fourth manager who I spoke to also refused to waive the fee, but did give me a phone number I could contact to escalate my concern. However, at that point, I chose to email the Executive Team instead since I was already having so much trouble conveying my concern to the customer service team. 

On XX/XX/2021 XXXX XXXX from Provident Funding replied to my email that my concern would be investigated. 

On XX/XX/2021, Mr. XXXX sent me a decision letter that the fee was fair and necessary even though he corroborated the fact that the user is never able to see the account number to verify their information before submitting the payment.

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