Consumer complaint received 2015-05-30
Company: American First Finance, Inc.
State: MO
Product: Consumer Loan
Sub-product: Installment loan
Issue: Problems when you are unable to pay

Complaint:
The loan with American First Finance was started XX/XX/XXXX. I had a late payment on XXXX occasions in XXXX and XXXX and had arrangements to pay. They still called my place of employment for payment before the agreement date came. I called the main office and asked them to not call my job and reminded them they have my cell and home number and should use those. I was told they use an automated dialer and they would take measures to see that this shouldn't happen again. The same thing happened with the XXXX payment agreement. I again called and asked them to remove my work number because when they call they just ask for "XXXX" as though they are a friend or family member. I was told they would note not to call my employer. There came a time when I missed another payment and they started calling my job again several times a day. I explained I only work XXXX day a week at most and if I am not home to take the call they call my employer. On XX/XX/XXXX I received a text message saying my account was eligible for loan rehab. I spoke with representatives every day for the next few weeks who told me they would send me an email with the details of the rehab program, I explained that each person before them promised to send the email but I have never received it. I spoke with someone named XXXX later in XXXX who stated she would personally be handling my case from now on and she also never sent the email. Now I am getting calls many times a day and usually speak with XXXX people a day who say they will send the email. There was one occasion when they called my job in XXXX and I explained I was at work, a XXXX used her "XXXX" so i had to answer it. I asked the rep if I could call them back when I went on break. She continued to talk to me about my late payment. My superior was sitting near me and told me I can't have calls that disrupt my job like that and someone calls me daily at work and this had to stop. On XXXX I was at work and they called again. I asked the rep if my work number has a note or something showing they should not be calling and she stated "no" but she would be removing it from the system. I got calls XXXX @ XXXX, XXXX, XXXX. On XXXX @ XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, On XXXX @XXXX, XXXX, XXXX. These are just the times from the most recent calls. There have been days when I speak with at least XXXX people in one day. XXXX I spoke with  XXXX who informed me they don't have the loan rehab program and now they have a "fresh start" program which just starts the loan all over again. They have the loan rehab details in writing but she won't send me that because it won't help me (and they don't offer that anymore) I have to use the the fresh start and for that program they have nothing in writing. She also stated that my work number shows up in red but it is still on my account. There seems to be a lot of misinformation coming from this company I've offered to make arrangements that I know I can keep but that is not acceptable to them. My working depends on the amount of XXXX and recently it has been sparse. I ask for things in writing now since I see it is a practice of them to just say anything to get you to make a payment with no thought as to how they are treating their customers. I have written them via email to make them aware I am seeking advice and help and also to report their actions. I have also been told to speak with the store to see if they would take the merchandise back and they would remove the loan.  this was also untrue as the store doesn't do refunds. Do they not know the policy of the merchants they deal with or was this just another lie i was being told?

Company public response: Company believes complaint represents an opportunity for improvement to better serve consumers
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation