Consumer complaint received 2021-04-25
Company: ALLY FINANCIAL INC.
State: GA
Product: Vehicle loan or lease
Sub-product: Loan
Issue: Struggling to pay your loan
Sub-issue: Denied request to lower payments

Complaint:
I filed a complaint against Ally Financial on XX/XX/XXXX and here I am again, experiencing the same issues. The initial complaint on that date was in regards to struggling to make my monthly regular payments, requesting a loan modification due to the pandemic. It was during that time, I was well over 3 months behind. I attempted on multiple occasions, prior to getting behind in XXXX, I was struggling due to a severe financial hardship. The complaint number for that report is XXXX. In that complaint, I had specific dates, times, and names of every representative I spoke with. Each representative told me something different, and I was constantly lied to that someone from the Modification Department would call me back. I know what I was told during that time. I was advised by the Modification Dept., I had to pay my entire past due amount, for a modification. I am a XXXX XXXX Veteran, and reached out to several Veterans organizations for assistance. A credit counselor with one of the organizations, advised me not to not allow the vehicle to get repossessed, even voluntarily, because it would damage my credit even more. I was able to get assistance from two Veterans organizations. A payment in the amount of {$1400.00} was made via debit card on my behalf by XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX. Another payment in the amount of {$690.00} was made on my behalf via check by XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX. This brought my account current because these payments covered the months of XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, and XX/XX/XXXX. After these were paid on my behalf, Ally Financial showed that my next payment would be due on XX/XX/XXXX, in the amount of $ {$470.00}. The Modification Department did not keep their word, because I explained that I could no longer afford {$500.00} or even $ XXXX  monthly payments. They fabricated by telling me they would modify my monthly payments, once I paid all my past due amounts. 

On XX/XX/XXXX at approximately XXXX XXXX, I contacted Ally Financial Modification Department/ECR Team ( XXXX Option # 2 ), speaking with a representative by the name of XXXX. I requested to speak with Ms. XXXX XXXX, the last representative I spoke with in the Modification Department in XXXX. XXXX inquired if he could place me on a brief hold, while he reviewed my account. I agreed as such. After several minutes, XXXX returned on the line and advised me that Specialists were all in a meeting, for the next 45 minutes. He advised me to call afteXXXX XXXX XXXX California time, informing me that Specialists are in meetings from XXXX XXXX to XXXX XXXX daily. XXXX stated he would put in a request for me to receive a call back from a Specialist in The Modification Department. Basically the same fabrications from XXXX. I did not want my account to fall behind again, after getting assistance from non-profit veterans organizations and my account finally current. I went online to Ally 's website, to pull up my account. There was an option to apply for financial assistance through Ally 's website. I took a chance to apply for assistance. It was instantly approved online. An automated message appeared for me to pay {$170.00} as soon as possible, for the plan to go into effect. This was a very comfortable payment for me, as I was able to do as such, on my own. I paid {$170.00} on the same day, XX/XX/XXXX via debit online. It showed my next payment in the amount of {$290.00}, would be due on XX/XX/XXXX. I was able to comfortably make this payment on time, via debit online. After making XX/XX/XXXX payment, it showed my next payment would be due on XX/XX/XXXX, in the amount {$170.00}. I made that payment on time as well, online via debit. It was also another comfortable payment for me. After making a payment in full without being late on XX/XX/XXXX, it showed my next payment would be due on XX/XX/XXXX, in the amount of {$410.00}. I did not understand this at all, after discussing with the Modification Department, I could not afford {$400.00} or XXXX XXXX monthly payments and being told, once I paid all my past due balances in XXXX, it would be modified. 

On XX/XX/XXXX @ approximately XXXX XXXX, I contacted Ally Financial XXXX XXXX XXXX, speaking with a female representative by the name of XXXX. I explained to her the aforementioned. She placed me on hold to pull up my account. After several minutes, she returned to the phone, informing me that she could find no record of my previous calls, even with the Modification Department. I advised her I had dates, times, and names. She informed me that she would have to forward my request to the Modification Department. I informed her, what I went through in XXXX and no one from The Modification Department ever calling me back and one fabrication after another. I was not rude to her at all because it wasn't her fault, all the lies I was told. I did request an employee ID # as proof that I spoke with her and that I am trying to not have my account fall behind like it did before. I also inquired of XXXX, what is the time frame for The Modification Department to contact me. XXXX advised to give them 5 business days. 

I contacted Ally Financial Modification/ECR Team on XX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX Option # 2 ), After the XXXX of the month, Ally Financial starts charging a late fee. A male representative by the name of XXXX, answered the phone. I informed XXXX of my previous call on XX/XX/XXXX, inquiring of him if he would like the employee 's name and ID number whom I spoke to. XXXX was very rude the entire time speaking with me. He rudely stated that it did not matter if I had a name or employee number, telling me there are lots of people that work there. When I tried to explain to him what I was told back in XXXX by several representatives in the Modification Department, he told me in a condescending and rude tone, that the Modification Department gives decisions on the same day. I respectfully inquired of him if he could review the notes from my previous calls. He refused, stating he can not pull up notes from previous calls. I then requested to speak with a supervisor. XXXX refused to do as such. As a XXXX XXXX XXXX that suffers from XXXX and XXXX, I felt myself starting to get agitated. Back on XX/XX/XXXX, I ended up in the emergency room at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, due to the same treatment by Ally Financial representatives. It was all stress related. Here again, I am getting the same rude treatment and as a result, I respectfully ended my call with XXXX. I was unable to get an employee ID number. All I know is, he  had an accent, was very rude and extremely unprofessional. This is the kind of people that Ally Financial allows to have access to customer 's personal information. 

On XX/XX/XXXX at approximately XXXX XXXX, I contacted Ally Financial Customer Service Department ( XXXX ), instead of the Modification Department. I did not want to risk speaking with XXXX again and I knew I had to get some type of resolution with my account to avoid falling behind. This time, I spoke with a female representative by the name of XXXX. I explained to her my previous call with XXXX and my call on XX/XX/XXXX with XXXX. XXXX inquired if she could place me on a brief hold to review notes and my account. I was on hold for several minutes, with XXXX never coming back to the phone after approximately 10 minutes had passed. At approximately XXXX XXXX ( this is all Eastern Standard Time ), I contacted the customer service department again ( XXXX ). The call dropped after I entered in my information through the automated system ( i.e. account number ). I immediately called back at approximately XXXX XXXX ( Eastern Standard Time ). I spoke with a female representative by the name of XXXX. She pulled up my account and informed me that {$410.00} was due, inquiring if I was prepared to pay this amount today. I explained to her, all over again, everything that transpired with The Modification Department and one fabrication after another being told to me since XXXX. XXXX stated the only thing she could do was set up a payment arrangement, inquiring as to how much I could pay. I informed her I could pay {$250.00} on Monday, XX/XX/XXXX. XXXX then inquired, when would I be able to pay the remaining {$160.00} for XXXX 's payment. I informed her that I could make that payment on XX/XX/XXXX, my next pay day. XXXX informed me that she would notate my account as such, however, she stated I would still be charged a late fee after the 10 day grace period. I inquired, if the late fees could be waived and she stated that they could not waive the late fees. I tried to plea with XXXX about the late fees but she stated there was nothing she could do to stop the late fees. 

Monday, XX/XX/XXXX, I went online to Ally Financial and made a payment in the amount of {$250.00} as agreed in the payment arrangement. As of today, XX/XX/XXXX, Ally Financial has my regular payments in the amount of {$590.00} resuming on XX/XX/XXXX. This makes no sense to me. It has been one inaccuracy after another with Ally Financial, one fabrication after another, lost notes, lost documents, and being told something different from one representative to the next. Ally Financial does not hold itself accountable for their mistakes, errors and telling customers someone will call them back. But, when you are late on your payment, they call all day, from morning to night, send emails and letters. I kept my end of the bargain by getting assistance through Veterans non-profit organizations to bring my account current ( 4 months worth of payments ). Why are my payments still set at a high {$590.00}? I have yet to hear back from Mr. XXXX XXXX, Mr. XXXX XXXX or Ms. XXXX XXXX or any other representatives in the Modification Department/ECR Team from calls to them on XXXX. I have no reason to make this all up, which is why I get names, dates, and times of whom I speak with and departments. Ally only responded on XX/XX/XXXX, through the initial consumer complaint I filed. That was only after a payment on my behalf was paid to them in the amount of {$1400.00}. Their response then still did not make sense. 

Ally Financial has proven to be a company that is misleading and mistrusting that allows employees to treat customers with rudeness and no compassion during these trying times.

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation