Consumer complaint received 2021-06-20
Company: Fleet Financial Inc.
State: AZ
Product: Vehicle loan or lease
Sub-product: Loan
Issue: Getting a loan or lease
Sub-issue: Fraudulent loan

Complaint:
I had a very unpleasant experience with ILendingDirect and I worry their marketing/sales tactics are deceitful at best, to persuade customers into signing up for products and services they don't need with no regard for customer transparency or disclosures. I initially received a mailer from this company for an auto refinance with better terms than I currently have with my auto loan. I did not check the offer when I got the mailer but rather I waited a few months because I was indecisive about wanting to apply. When I went to their website, they were advertising that you could check your rate without a hard credit pull. I submitted my information and within about a day, I had received a text asking me if my goal was the lowest payment possible or the lowest rate, and I submitted my preference. Shortly thereafter that I received a credit alert that my credit was pulled. When I spoke with the XXXX ( I think his name was XXXX ) on XX/XX/14, I raised multiple complaints. One of those was that I could not tell where I had given authorization for a credit check. I did confirm that I responded to the text providing info about my vehicle like the mileage and VIN - but I wanted him to tell me where in the process I gave permission for a hard credit pull and he said he'd look into it - but I never got an answer. This may have been an oversight on my part, but it worries me a sales XXXX can not tell me off hand how their approval process works. The sales rep had called me with an approval notification and he went into a lengthy sales pitch about their vehicle service plan and all the benefits. The fact I was being sold on the refinance set off a red flag for me because I have gone thru many refinances in my time and the banks always just lay out the term and payment details ; no one has ever put me thru a sales pitch before so I was on alert about this program. ( I'd still like an answer where I gave this credit pull permission. ) I had asked to speak to the XXXX because I had been worried about the approval documents I received via docusign. When I rec 'd all the paperwork, I was reading over the credit application that I " submitted. '' My income level was not what I make, the rent amount was incorrect and my work phone number was also inaccurate. I had asked the sales rep for a copy of my original application, to which he told me he could not provide it. And I challenged him because I said it's already loaded in the financial docx that you want me to sign. He asked why I needed it then, and I told him that the information is inaccurate and I want to review the info before we move forward, and I want a copy of the original application that was used for the approval. That's when he told me he'd have his XXXX call me back, who did later on. The XXXX explained my application was " company property '' and I was not allowed to have a copy. Again, I raised issue with this and asked how they could deny me a copy of my own application they are alleging that I submitted. He only agreed to look into it, I never received a copy of my application. He had called me back after looking into it to tell me the application is " auto filled '' and he wasn't sure where the information came from but why did it concern me so much. - I'd like to know where this info is automatically originating from, and I'd like to challenge the concept that MY application filled with MY personal info is somehow not my business when they are making credit decisions based on the info provided - which would have reflected fraud on my part had I continued with the application process and not spoke up. - This tells me they are intentionally inflating values on loan applications to garner a positive credit review and to secure more approvals, but they won't speak to the source of their info or confirm that it's concerning the applicant doesn't have to actually provide all this info themselves. ( I work in finance, I am very aware how few people actually read their contracts and I suspect this practice is intentional to generate more approvals with the hope that the applicant won't read the fine print. ) Additionally, I want their call recording practices reviewed. I had a few phone conversations with the sales rep who never once told me the call was being recorded. On my 2nd phone call with the XXXX, I asked if they were recording the conversations and he said that yes, all calls are recorded. I asked if there was a reason they aren't disclosing that and his response was, " Well I told you in this call, right? '' - And again I challenged this and said only because I asked. 

They seem to have very little regard for regulation and can not answer to any of their practices. I would like all three of my concerns answered ( 1 - Where did I provide authorization for a credit pull 2 - Where is the application info feeding from and why are you not obtaining the data directly from the applicant instead of pumping up the numbers like income and 3 - why are you listening in/recording your conversations without providing the necessary disclosures. ) I was very attracted to their offer ; however with so many red flags I had to stop the process and decide against refinancing. I do not feel comfortable providing them any more info and suggest that other applicants approach with caution.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation