Consumer complaint received 2022-06-15
Company: CITIZENS FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.
State: GA
Product: Payday loan, title loan, or personal loan
Sub-product: Personal line of credit
Issue: Problem with the payoff process at the end of the loan

Complaint:
XX/XX/2022, I decided to make a purchase for a new laptop ( college purpose ) Ive applied for credit thru the XXXX website thru citizens pay, since they were offering 18 months 0 % interest, if I made a purchase of 900s or more, which I did a total of 1500+, that same day I applied I received a message that citizen pay needed to identify my identity and will contact me within 72 business hours. I decided to call them on Monday XX/XX/XXXX to find out what May have happened since I never had this sort of trouble when I applied for credit. Citizens pay informed me that someone should get back to me no later than Wednesday XX/XX/XXXX, I waited till later afternoon that day for that phone call, upon my conversation with the representative that Wednesday XX/XX/XXXX they inform me that there was a hold on the account. So I told them that I havent received any call or had any miss calls from XXXX XXXX XXXX. So they decided to release the hold and go ahead and reapply on the XXXX website which again and I shouldnt have any more issues, unfortunately it did have me the same message as it gave me on XX/XX/XXXX. I called Citizen pay and they said go ahead again and I can be on the line for you while you re-apply, then everything when thru but as my surprise when it got approved the XXXX website told me that loan was 12 months, so I asked the Citizen Representative and she informed me that there should be an error because on their end they show 18 months, I should not worry about it and I can make my purchase. While making the purchase and choosing the form of payment as Citizen pay it was also giving me trouble as if I had never applied for credit. After a little while I received a confirmation of my new account number and decided to register the account, finally I made the purchase after XXXX attempts. I decided then to log in and I dont recall if it was that day or next just to make sure that it will show me the 18 months as per the Representative confirming the 18 months on their end Wed XX/XX/XXXX, but it didnt. So I called Citizen pay again to tell them and as per their information again they said No it is not 12 months because I can see in our end its 18 months, so she/he told me to check back on the website and see if it should reset and give me the 18 months no interest. Long story short now 1XXXX I had made several calls following up in this matter every 2 days or XXXX because I also inform them that if its 12 months then I will have to cancel the sale or return the product without opening it up since this computer is for my college purposes and I cant afford 12 months payment due to my financial situation which its very tight. 
2- I believe I called on XX/XX/XXXX and ask them the same question, I believe at that point they said we dont offer 12 months or 18 months but our offer is 24 months so I dont know where you are getting that information then I replied you Representative not 1 or 2 but more than 3 had confirmed me that they could see on their screen as 18 months and upon one of those calls they had placed me on a hold since they needed to speak to one of their higher up, came back to me and reassured me that because this is a new account they cant do anything but it should settle automatically and if for some reason its still gives me the 12 months to call back again and they will fix the problem 3- On XX/XX/XXXX I received my purchase, ( computer ) I called Citizen pay on XX/XX/XXXX if I am not mistaken, and at that point again they put me on a hold, came back and reassure me that the problem will be fixed, before I hung up I asked them if they were sure because I am on a time line that I need a computer because my schools starts on XX/XX/XXXX and if not then Ill go somewhere else to get my self a cheaper computer using my other line of credit who doesnt have an option but only 12 months that will fit better on my budget since this is a big investment that I wanted to last me for at least 7 years. Again they said yes meam dont worry it should be fixed to 24 months I replied back to them I dont know why you are saying 24 months and I am not expecting the 24 months and please go back to the previous calls Ive made as I know you keep the recordings and your notations, all I am asking that the amount of months should reflect as 18 months as per the past conversations and confirmations from several Representatives, there was never mention on XXXX website that they offer 24 months so they replied dont worry you can call back next week in case its still it reflecting. 

4- I called back Citizens Pay the following week and I cant tell you how many other calls I have made, at that point I already open the product since I needed to use it for my school. At that point Citizen not only treated me as if I lying to them, even I repeatedly request them to hear the previous calls this is what they told me in the next few calls With different reps made after XX/XX/2022 Meam we dont offer 18 months but 24 months. We offer 18 months but your purchase has to be more than {$1700.00}. We dont know who told you 18 months because we can see your approval only got for 12 months. You have to call XXXX since they have to fix it to 18 months. ( Upon requesting to look at their notes and recorder phone call conversations ) We can not help you, sorry, your payment are 12 months and we can not do anything about it. 

5 - I have call XXXX and explained my situation how Citizen pay had treated me and giving me the run around. I had also told them to stop giving business to Citizens Pay and find a better lender who will really have respect for XXXX Costumers. Never in my life I been treated this poorly and Citizen Pay Representatives are very poorly train and dont know how to talk to their costumers as some sound as they just woke up from their bed or being bother, I also told XXXXt that from more than 7 calls I made only 2 or 3 knew how to talk to their costumer and with happy voice. XXXX are profesional and have a great costumer service as per my experience. I only regret that I had to return their product as full refund. 

One thing that XXXX told me that once the product gets return Citizens Pay should give me back the credit and that I should call them Citizens and provide the tracking number of the return product ( which label was created by XXXX it self and emailed to me ) which I am doing today and I hope they dont give me more headaches or lies. NEVER DO OR GIVE BUSINESS TO CITIZEN PAY THEY HAVE NO BUSINESS ETHICS AT ALL, they should be Shut down and be penalized. I had so many credit cards in past and lenders and never like this I ever been treated. If I need to down load my calls records so you all can see how many attempts I made with this Business. Not only I should get rewarded as form of CEO Employee pay for the amount of time I wasted, frustration for the running around they gave me and treating me as if I a fool. Also my credit report should be fixed as well as if I never applied with this business which as soon I get my credit back from this lender I am closing the account.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation