Consumer complaint received 2022-08-23
Company: Westlake Services, LLC
State: TX
Product: Vehicle loan or lease
Sub-product: Loan
Issue: Getting a loan or lease
Sub-issue: Fraudulent loan

Complaint:
Purchased vehicle from XXXX XXXX through their in-house lender XXXX XXXX XXXX XX/XX/22. Discovered that my XXXX XXXX loan was paid off on XX/XX/22 when I was attempting to make a payment. Called XXXX XXXX and could not get an explanation until XX/XX/22. XXXX XXXX stated that payoff was sent from XXXX XXXX which is XXXX XXXX On the same date I received an unauthorized hard credit inquiry on my credit report. I began calling XXXX and spoke with 4 representatives. They all stated that my vehicle was paid off but could not explain why. I decided to go to the lot. Once at the lot I was directed to to a gentleman that claimed to be the owner named XXXX XXXX. He told me that a new account was created since they had the wrong VIN # for my vehicle on the agreement. So the vehicle that I have been driving was not registered to me. The registered plates on vehicle were registered to the wrong VIN as well. He stated he fired the lady that helped me with the purchase because she caused this error and he didnt discover it until he sold the other vehicle which VIN is on my documents and loan. I told him on XX/XX/22 I received a request from the salesperson to send her a that a picture of the VIN and I did. He said that is when the VIN error was confirmed so he had to payoff my loan. When I asked why no one contacted me or why it wasnt noticed when they put on my plates back in XXXX he became very argumentative and attempted to blame me for not noticing the VIN # on the document and car differed. I then told him that they ran my credit today ( XX/XX/22 ) without my permission. He said he did it because he paid off my car loan so technically its his car and I would need to be approved by him to keep the car since the previous loan is cancelled. I told him that since my loan is cancelled and I have not filled out a new application with him it should be voided and I should be refunded and the unauthorized credit inquiry should be removed. He stated that the inquiry will be removed by next Friday. He stated that he will call the bureau on Monday and say it was a mistake. He continued to say the old loan was cancelled. He stated that I could just leave his car if I didnt want a new loan. I explained that I would happily leave the car if he reimbursed me the {$3700.00} of payments, {$500.00} a/c repairs and {$1900.00} body repair & paint job that I had invested into the vehicle. He agreed that he would. Then I placed a call to arrange a ride home because he stated that he was going to XXXX the money right then. I told him that I needed a settlement agreement or something in writing immediately showing that the loan would be undone and my account will be reported to the bureaus as paid in full or paid as agreed and he refused and told me I could leave his office. I asked about the refund and he told me no and to leave. He then proceeded to follow me out and said that he will not accept the XXXX payment and he will just pick up the car. XXXX has also advised that the payoff that he sent is pending review of possible dispute and that they can not accept any payments since loan is in paid off status. 

Please include the Seller XXXX XXXX / XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX TX XXXX

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