Consumer complaint received 2020-04-10
Company: Uplift, Inc
State: FL
Product: Payday loan, title loan, or personal loan
Sub-product: Installment loan
Issue: Problem when making payments

Complaint:
Uplift is engaging in : unfair and deceptive trade practices ; does not safeguard PII of its customers ; and gives the appearance of legal/law compliance but does not operate within compliance.

I called Uplifts customer service after my credit card that I make monthly payments on was declined, as the card was compromised and the issuing bank sent me another one. I called after several of my emails were shuffled around with no resolve and getting nowhere unable to find anyone with common sense via email. After holding on the phone to speak with someone for over an hour, I finally talked to a rep around XXXX on XX/XX/2020. I had concerns with Uplifts customer service to begin with and called to speak with someone in person. I purposely gave incorrect info when the rep asked to validate my account ; as I was considering giving them updated information, eager to see if the phone support was any better and no ... it was worse. The rep I spoke with actually didnt validate the account and proceeded to verbally give me my social security number from the system and tell me what she had on file! Seriously? In an era of rampant identity theft, their rep gives me my own social security number, especially when my account was not validated?? WOW! The incompetence of this rep was unbelievable. 

I have been trying to update my credit card number that was compromised for days. When the bank sent me a new one, I called to provide the new card info to their reps for payment. I was told I could no longer use my credit card and had to give them my bank account information or debit card info. For Uplift to assume that everyone has a bank account or debit card is idiotic. Not everyone does, regardless of income. Secondly, I have both ( despite being none of their business ) but I do not provide this info freely to anyone. Especially not now, to a company that has proven to have unsecured business practices and does not safeguard my PII by hiring idiots that do not take security seriously. Lastly, when I signed up for Uplifts services I agreed to pay with my credit card that I entered in my agreement with them. I honestly do not care what they choose to do moving forward with new customers but that is not what I was in agreement to do when I signed up with them initially. For them to arbitrarily change the policy without notice to existing clientele and expect people to just deal with it? I think not. They claim notice was sent to me on XX/XX/2020 ; however, no notice could be found on my email server or reproduced by Uplift. I would have never used their services if I had to be bound to pay by debit card or ACH. They are essentially forcing people to use a payment method that they may not  even have or feel comfortable giving you ; which could arguably be viewed as forcing some of your customers to default by no fault of their own. That is rather unfair and deceptive by many standards. My point is ... when I signed up I used a credit card and that is how I was allowed to pay Uplift ; the new terms are not reasonable and I have not been provided with such notice about their refusal to accept credit cards any longer ( regardless of what they may think or say ). 

XXXX XXXX ( the General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer of Uplift , Inc ) excuse was that some issuing banks were posting Uplifts charges as cash advances and not charging as a traditional credit card item. Although, I can note his point ; I am not concerned with what some issuing banks were doing as it was the companys job to mitigate or address those issues independently with those that were affected or think through these issues beforehand. They can paint the picture as theyd like but I know based on the complaints many have openly documented with Uplift ; the fact that Uplift was susceptible to chargebacks and risk exposure. The change in policy had nothing to do with looking out for the best interest of their customers. It was for their best interest due to customers charging back after they got pissy customer service and could get no real assistance from Uplifts customer service department ( which has proven to lack a lot ). As we all know, the safeguards and protections provided with credit card payments diminish and/or are not existent with the payment methods they are forcing their customers to use. All of their payment methods involve exposure to my personal banking information to a company that can not even safeguard my social security information. Another issue of concern is that when I attempted to raise these concerns with Uplift, I ccd their legal department a few times at XXXX and the email bounced back. How is the email address that they have listed on their site for legal/law enforcement not functional if they operate within compliance? Uplifts operations are shady and deceptive on all fronts. I strongly encourage you to see the numerous complaints about their unfair and deceptive trade practices here ( many complaints about absurd interest rates up to 98 % ) : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  Before filing my complaint with the Attorney General in all areas they do business in, I offered Uplift the opportunity to resolve this beforehand and all I received were excuses and no accountability whatsoever. Uplift has proven to engage in unfair and deceptive trade practices ; does not safeguard PII of its customers ; and gives the appearance of legal/law compliance but does not operate within compliance.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation