Consumer complaint received 2024-05-23
Product: Payday loan, title loan, personal loan, or advance loan — Installment loan
Issue: Problem when making payments — 
Company: AMERIS BANCORP (CA)

Subject : Complaint Against Ameris Bank for Discrimination and Harassment Dear CFPB, I am writing to formally lodge a complaint against Ameris Bank, specifically regarding the conduct of their loan officer, XXXX XXXX, who has been handling our XXXX loan. The purpose of this letter is to detail the issues we have encountered and to seek your intervention in resolving this matter. 

Over the past several months, I have been working with XXXX XXXX to obtain the principal loan balance so that we can pay off the loan immediately. Despite numerous requests, we have not received the necessary information. This week alone, we sent XXXX XXXX emails on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, seeking clarity on why our XX/XX/2024, payment of {$2900.00} does not reflect the principal reduction of {$840.00} on the XX/XX/2024, statement. The XX/XX/2024, statement shows a balance of {$210000.00}, while the XX/XX/2024, statement does not align. 

XXXX XXXX has been exceedingly difficult to work with. He refuses to answer my questions, ignores my emails, and has demonstrated a pattern of rude and disrespectful behavior. On XX/XX/XXXX at XXXX XXXX, during a call where I explained that we were forced to close our business due to significant sales losses, he responded with anger, yelling at me and expressing frustration over the lack of prior notice. Despite our efforts to make payments towards the loan and to show good faith, our Offer in Compromise ( OIC ) was rejected by XXXX XXXX. 

One of the most intimidating interactions I had with XXXX XXXX was when I explained that the current payment I could make was {$2900.00} since the business had closed in XX/XX/2024. He used scare tactics to force and coerce me into signing a forbearance agreement that contained several lies, primarily the false claim that I didnt provide proper notice of closing the business. While we did give short notice, it was because we were trying everything we could to keep our doors open until the very end. I personally emailed XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/2024, informing him of our plans to close the business and vacate the premises by XX/XX/XXXX. He stated that this alone constituted a delinquent loan and told me I was forced to sign the forbearance agreement or they would not accept my monthly payment. Indeed, when I mailed in the payment on XX/XX/2024, it was returned by Ameris Bank with instructions from their lawyer, XXXX XXXX, to sign the forbearance agreement, which contained false statements, or no payments would be accepted. 

This marked the beginning of an intensified period of intimidation, scare tactics, and harassment by XXXX XXXX. Despite knowing our financial struggles and having access to our balance statements and XXXX XXXX XXXX reports for the last XXXX years, XXXX XXXX has consistently demonstrated a lack of desire to work with us. Instead, his actions have been aimed at intimidating and coercing us into signing a contract we do not believe is accurate. Under duress, I signed the forbearance agreement because I was told it was the only way the bank would accept my payment. Even after that, I have been eager to pay off the loan balance, but XXXX XXXX refuses to provide an accurate principal balance that reflects my most recent payments. 

Additionally, XXXX XXXX has threatened that I would be held responsible for any legal fees incurred by the bank should he decide to involve their lawyers. Yesterday, I explained to XXXX XXXX, Counsel for Ameris Bank, that since it is the choice of Ameris Bank to seek his legal counsel and not mine, I do not feel comfortable corresponding with him as I do not want to pay their legal fees. The fact that XXXX XXXX tells me I can't correspond with the bank and must go through him demonstrates scare tactics at play, as I am not a lawyer nor am I represented by an attorney. The goal of Ameris Bank seems to be to prevent me from asking prudent questions about my loan, to keep me paying interest on a loan I desire to pay off in full immediately, and now to threaten me with their legal fees, which they chose to utilize. I do not wish to correspond with their lawyer, nor do I feel that the questions I am asking merit such correspondence. 

I request the CFPB 's assistance in addressing this situation and ensuring that Ameris Bank provides the necessary information for us to pay off our loan without further harassment or discrimination and unfair practices. 

Thank you for your attention to this matter. 

Sincerely, XXXX XXXX XXXX Attachments : 1. Email correspondence with XXXX XXXX 2. Response from Ameris Bank 's Legal Counsel XXXX XXXX