Consumer complaint received 2023-08-24
Company: TRUIST FINANCIAL CORPORATION
State: GA
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports
Sub-product: Credit reporting
Issue: Incorrect information on your report
Sub-issue: Account status incorrect

Complaint:
XX/XX/XXXX : I became aware of a charge on a credit card with Truist. I do not use this card and it is on paperless billing, so I do not receive statements. On XX/XX/XXXX while logged into online banking, I saw a balance of {$10.00} on this card. Upon further review, this was an unrecognized {$5.00} charge dated XX/XX/XXXX from " XXXX XXXX XXXX '', {$5.00} late fee and {$0.00} finance charge. I contacted Truist and initiated an investigation disputing the charge as fraudulent. 

XX/XX/XXXX : I double checked my XXXX purchase history and did not find a {$5.00} charge from XX/XX/XXXX for {$5.00}. After initiating dispute with Truist, I called XXXX. The agent searched extensively and was able to locate the charge. He said it was a charge related to an XXXX item trade in, but did not have additional details. I told him I did not generate this charge and that my XXXX credit card is my default payment method for all XXXX purchases. He confirmed this and told me he did not understand why this charge was applied to the Truist credit card. He apologized and said he would make a note on my account that the {$5.00} charge was in error, so it would be apparent when the Truist dispute was received. He was supposed to email confirmation of this, but I did not receive an email. 

I subsequently received two sets of paperwork in the mail from Truist dated XX/XX/XXXX confirming the dispute and asking me to provide additional information and return the forms to them. These letters confirmed, as I was told by the telephone agent, that " the disputed transaction as well as any accrued finance charges and/or fees if applicable, will be removed from your credit card account balance ''. The sets of paperwork had different claim numbers on them ( XXXX and XXXX ) which I did not understand, but dismissed as redundant paperwork. 

XX/XX/XXXX I completed and returned the requested form to Truist using the form with XXXX I received two letters from Truist dated XX/XX/XXXX confirming a dispute with case numbers XXXX and XXXX, otherwise identical to the letters dated XX/XX/XXXX. 

I received letter in the mail from Truist dated XX/XX/XXXX indicating they did not receive a payment by the due date on the credit card in question. The only balance on the account was a result of the erroneous charge that is in dispute. I did not take action on this letter because I thought maybe there was lag time between the dispute and the letter. 

XX/XX/XXXX I received a letter in the mail from Truist dated XX/XX/XXXX notifying me of " delinquent credit obligations '', and a {$27.00} balance with {$11.00} past due on the credit card with the disputed charge. This balance was a result of the {$5.00} charge, and associated late fees, and finance charges. 

I called Truist regarding this and was transferred to a " supervisor XXXX XXXX '' who told me my account is past due and that I am responsible for the disputed balance until the dispute is completed. This is in direct contradiction with what the first Truist agent told me on XX/XX/XXXX, the multiple letters I received from Truist, and the Fair Credit Billing Act. I paid the balance of {$27.00} to mitigate damage to my credit since Truist chose to violate these federal regulations. 

" XXXX XXXX '' told me claim XXXX which was a fraud claim was closed XX/XX/XXXX because Truist determined that I had a business relationship with XXXX. XXXX XXXX was opened XX/XX/XXXX as a non-fraud claim. He also told me he did not know why the account was reporting " closed by credit grantor '' and insisted that I must have closed it during my call to dispute the charge. 

My credit score that was well over XXXX went down nearly XXXX points as a result of Truist reporting this account as delinquent. Truist also closed the account reporting it " closed by creditor '' which is also detrimental to my credit. " XXXX XXXX '' told me that when the claim is completed, I need to call Truist, speak to the Escalation Team and request reimbursement of the {$27.00} I paid. He also told me the dispute should be completed within 45 days of the dispute date, but additional time is allowed for the vendor ( XXXX ) to respond, for a total of 90 days from date of initial dispute. 

XX/XX/XXXX I disputed this erroneous account information with each of the three credit reporting agencies. Truist confirmed the delinquent payment information was accurate and did not make corrections. 

XX/XX/XXXX I disputed this incorrect information with the credit reporting agencies ( not sure if all or only XXXX this time ) again and Truist, once again, responded to the dispute confirming the delinquencies as accurate and continued to report a balance despite me paying the balance in full on XX/XX/XXXX. 

XX/XX/XXXX I went to a local Truist branch XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX, GA XXXX and spoke with Senior Relationship Banker XXXX XXXX. I explained this entire painful experience and took all the supporting documentation I had. She indicated that she recognized that the balance and delinquent status of the account was incorrect, and called the Truist call center for guidance on how to correct this information on my credit files. She was also frustrated by the incompetence and lack of knowledge displayed by the call center agents. She eventually spoke to a " credit card specialist '' XXXX who instructed her to complete a " credit card dispute '' form and send it to the credit card department so they could make the appropriate corrections with the three credit reporting agencies. 

I received a letter from Truist dated XX/XX/XXXX case number XXXX that confirmed that the charge is in dispute. This letter is identical to the one I received dated XX/XX/XXXX with case number XXXX. I don't know why this letter was generated. 

As of today, this account continues to be incorrectly reported to the credit reporting agencies and is severely impacting my credit rating. In the midst of all this, my employer obtained my credit file while doing a routine random credit check and noted the delinquency. Additionally, on XX/XX/XXXX I applied for pre-approval for an automobile loan with XXXX XXXX, and was denied due to this incorrectly reported information. My income, payment history, credit score, and credit balance ratio is impeccable except for this derogatory account. 

I posted abbreviated complaints in response to Truist XXXX posts in the hopes of gaining attention to the situation and have gotten no response. 

As you can see from the above provided information, I have invested a significant amount of time and effort in an attempt to have this corrected. There appear to be at least four cases with Truist regarding this charge, which I believe to be a result of the improper handling of the initial dispute, I am utterly dismayed and appalled by the absolute incompetence of the Truist banking organization. They are willfully and wantonly reporting this derogatory information to the credit reporting agencies. It seems there is nothing else I can do to get this corrected, aside from filing this complaint. I am desperate to have this information corrected, as I have worked very hard to establish my credit profile and would certainly not have compromised it by not paying a {$5.00} charge. I even paid for this charge and all associated fees and charges in an attempt to stop further credit damage. I am in the process of moving all my banking business to a local credit union. I find it hard to believe it is possible for something like this to happen.

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 monetary relief