Consumer complaint received 2016-04-27
Company: Populus Financial Group, Inc. (F/K/A Ace Cash Express)
State: TX
Product: Payday loan
Issue: Charged fees or interest I didn't expect

Complaint:
On XXXX XXXX, 2016 I applied and received a payday loan from Ace Cash Express ( # XXXX - XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX, TX XXXX ) in the amount of {$1400.00}. On XXXX XXXX, 2016, I realized that I missed my due date ( XXXX XXXX, 2016 ) which coincides with my payday. I called early in the morning from work on XXXX XXXX to let them know I would be stopping by after work. On XXXX XXXX, XXXX, I renewed the loan amount of {$1400.00} by paying the fees and interest in the amount of {$290.00}. Upon leaving, I assumed my due date would be on my next payday ( XXXX XXXX, 2016 ) as I had been accustomed to. Although I did receive a copy of an agreement for the loan ( which is not an original copy of the signed agreement since the originals bear my signature and the copies they gave me do not ) the information/details were not communicated verbally. On around XXXX XXXX, 2016 I went to the store and spoke to XXXX that I had found my agreement of XXXX XXXX, 2016 and pointed out that the due date was not until XXXX XXXX, 2016. She was unable to help and stated she would let the manager know. I spoke to the store manager XXXX several times and she stated she " could n't do anything '' about it. She suggested that I try their customer service number. I called customer service twice, on XXXX XXXX at XXXX and on XXXX XXXX at XXXX ( reference # XXXX ). Both times I was told that this would be escalated to the DM and RVP and that they would be contacting me within 24-48 hours. I was not contacted within the time I was told nor by the DM or RVP. The only person to contact me was the store manager XXXX stating that the DM had said they called me several times and that basically they could n't do anything about it. On XXXX XXXX, 2016, I went in to make the full payment, but XXXX asked if I could wait until XXXX XXXX to see if I would get a phone call from the DM. On XXXX XXXX I went and made the full payment. Later that afternoon when I was on a third call with customer service, the DM XXXX calls me. We spoke for 23 minutes. After explaining and expressing my concern, he seemed to understand and agree that it was unfair that I ended up paying double the fees and interest on the same loan within the same period of time. He said he could not promise anything but regardless of the answer he would call me on Tuesday, XXXX XXXX, 2016. I called XXXX on Tuesday at XXXX and left him a message reminding him that he stated that he would call. XXXX did not call. The main issue is that within the period of XXXX XXXX, 2016 - XXXX XXXX, 2016 I ended up paying twice the fees and interest on the same loan when I should have been allowed to NOT renew the agreement on XXXX XXXX, 2016. Instead it was deceitfully extended and the company ended up double dipping into the fees for the same time period. The manager XXXX clearly stated that it was a business process to tell and verify with the customer the due date more specifically if they were early. XXXX even agreed that it did n't make since that I would have extended the loan 3 weeks early.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation