Consumer complaint received 2022-03-21
Company: Affirm Holdings, Inc
State: DC
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports
Sub-product: Credit reporting
Issue: Incorrect information on your report
Sub-issue: Account information incorrect

Complaint:
Affirm is currently reporting information on my credit report for disputed debt. A timeline below details what's been happening with my dispute and supports my request to have Affirm resolve this issue in my favor. Please see the timeline of events below as well as supporting documentation. 

XXXX - Made purchase with vendor, XXXX XXXX, using Affirm as a payment option XXXX - Received equipment from XXXX XXXX, equipment was defective. Item was left outside front door by XXXX, no notification of shipment from vendor received. Was not aware the item was from vendor until box was opened. 
XXXX - Sent email to XXXX XXXX requesting exchange for defective system XXXX - Received response from XXXX XXXX requesting additional information XXXX - Provided additional details the unit suction works, however, the needed dont appear to be working properly. 
XXXX - Received confirmation of item being shipped ( 5 days after item was received ) XXXX - Response received from XXXX XXXX, requested Shoot a small video showing us the parts that are not working so our technician could examine and get back to you with the solution. Make sure in the video to show the plugins, fixed. Request for video contradicts with vendors return policy. 
XXXX - Responded to vendor The needle won't come out of the cartridge when you hit the power button XXXX - Response from vendor Would you please shoot a small video of the process you have questions on, we need to see so we can understand and reply XXXX - No longer felt comfortable dealing with vendor as they were operating outside of their return policy. Contacted Affirm, expressed my concerns and opened a dispute. Returned unit to address listed on website via XXXX  and insured the property for {$1500.00}. 
XXXX - Received email from affirm stating vendors return policy for damaged or incorrect products. If you receive a damaged item you must notify us within 3 days of receipt XXXX a replacement item or a refund to be issued. Also send photos of damaged items and packaging it arrived in. ( USPS requires this to file a claim ). It is the customers ' responsibility to inspect all deliveries within 3 business days of receipt. Any damages resulting in customer cutting package with scissors will not be replaced. Accidents happen! If you have received an incorrect item in your order please contact us XXXX we can get a replacement package out to you as soon as possible! 
XXXX - Took screenshots of contact us information on website and XXXX. Address listed on website includes the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX, VA XXXX XXXX - Contacted vendor and let them know I returned the item to address listed on the companys website and requested a refund for the purchase XXXX - Vendor responded You did not wait for our feedback, you have returned the machine to the wrong address, and opened a dispute!!!!! 
Why open a dispute, we can not issue a return before we check the returned merchandise and you have to inform us first as this is not the return address XXXX - Responded to vendor The guidance provided to me ( troubleshooting ) was the outside companys return policy for damaged items. As a result, I no longer felt comfortabledealing with the support team, returned the item ( to the business address listed on the website ) in the original package and opened a dispute. Please note, only one of the needle packets wasopened. My original request was to exchange the item, I would now like a refund. Please let me know, I look forward to hearing from you XXXX. XXXX- Vendor  responded Hi, We have tried to help and the support team was ready to examine and get back to you with a solution, anywayswe will check the package if we received it, and get back to you, however, that's not the return address, you should send it to our warehouse, and you did not even ask! 
XXXX - Requested status of update from vendor, no response XXXX - Requested status of update from vendor XXXX- Vendor responded with You have opened a dispute, and that makes the case, not with the returning department. We will check with Affirm too XXXX - Requested status of update from vendor, no response XXXX - Requested status of update from vendor, no response XXXX - Requested status of update from vendor, no response XXXX - Requested status of update from vendor, no response XXXX - Requested status of update from vendor, no response XXXX - Requested status of update from vendor, no response XXXX - Received decision of dispute on, Affirm response As the evidence we received indicates that you did not follow the merchant 's proper return procedure, and we did not receive any documentation that a refund is due or that the package was returned to the proper facility, we have closed this dispute in the favor of the merchant XXXX - Responded with the merchant didnt follow its own return/exchange policy, which is why I opened the dispute and why the returned the items XXXX. XXXX - Reviewed vendors website which is now updated to Address : XXXX XXXX  XXXX XXXX, # XXXX, XXXX, MD, XXXX ( https : XXXX ) and XXXX XXXX  XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, VA, XXXX ( https : //markalpha.com/pages/contact-us ). Please NOTE the subject line of the vendor includes location as XXXX, VA XXXX - Spoke with Virginia Office of Attorney General and they are unable to verify the vendors exist in the state of Virginia. 

No where in the vendors return policy does it state troubleshoot with vendor. If I had decided to troubleshoot the equipment and then two weeks late it stopped working, where would I be? The equipment was defective/damaged and it should be up the the vendor to troubleshoot via video. The vendor stepped outside of their own return policy. A return policy which was stated to me with the email I received from affirm on XX/XX/21. I was provided a link to the return policy as well. If they vendor isnt following its own own return policy, why am I being held to another standard??!? THIS started with with the vendor. I did what I was supposed to do by reaching out to the vendor within the allotted time. 

In addition, the vendors website does not provide accurate information if a consumer wanted take action against the vendor. Ive search the Virginia Secretary of States website and could not find a vendor listed under XXXX XXXX, but yet there are multiple instances in which XXXX, VA is listed on the vendors website. Is Affirm verifying the accuracy of information especially when it is telling its consumer to take their dispute with the vendor? As a consumer, Im looking to Affirm to do its due diligence with the vendors they allow to use their platform. As of today, the Virginia Office of Attorney General can not find the vendor XXXX in their system. If the state of Virginia is unable to find the vendor, how will I be able to find and reconcile the challenges Im having?

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation