Consumer complaint received 2024-01-24
Product: Vehicle loan or lease — Loan
Issue: Repossession — Account reinstatement or redemption after repossession
Company: TRUIST FINANCIAL CORPORATION (TX)

I drive a XXXX XXXX XXXX that is in my husband 's name. He XXXX XXXX in XX/XX/XXXX. My husband bought it brand new in XXXX, XXXX. This truck is financed through Truist. 

Beginning XXXX, I began to struggle financially for several reasons. In XXXX, I realized I was not going to be able to make my truck note. I went to a Truist branch to ask for an extension but was told they could not even talk to me about the account because my name was not on the loan. I had given them my husband 's XXXX XXXX about XXXX of XXXX. At that time I was told I could just leave it in his name till I paid it off. 

I was able to make XXXX, XXXX, XXXX payments. But missed XXXX and XXXX. XX/XX/XXXX, I was able to make a payment but still left me 3 months behind. A friend found out about my struggles and loaned me {$5000.00}. On XX/XX/XXXX, I took the cash to this Truist branch and told the teller I wanted to catch up and pay in advance as much as I could. I am paid through XXXX of XXXX and most of XXXX. 

At the time I was still able to get on the account online. I noticed that the past due amounts had not been corrected yet but just assumed Truist would correct the account. I did not realize the teller had put the money toward the principal. I don't understand loan stuff. 

Then on the morning of XX/XX/XXXX, I went out to go to work and my truck was gone. My gut told me it was Truist so I called their XXXX number and was transferred repeatedly with each one telling me they couldn't talk to me because my name wasn't on the account. 

When this Truist branch close to us opened, my daughter and I went inside to talk to the one man that had been nice to me. He called the corporate office and they refused to talk to him because I was sitting at his desk. He did say he'd talk to his branch manager about this. He and I talked by phone a few more times. He told me his manager was trying to get the money moved to the right place and they would pay the towing fees. Also she was trying to get the rest of the loan paid off, which is a little over {$4000.00}. I told the branch office that I needed to get my grandson 's carseat out and they kept saying they had no idea where my truck was towed to. 

On Friday morning, XX/XX/XXXX, I saw that the account had been corrected to show that I was paid up on the day that I had initially brought them my money, XX/XX/XXXX. But the repo department for Truist would not release the truck to me because my name wasn't on it. They said I had to have a court document saying I was the executor of the estate. 

I did not file for XXXX when my husband XXXX XXXX because we had nothing. The house we lived in wasn't ours. It was owned by the XXXX my husband XXXX. We had no savings or investments. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I went to see a lawyer. He said he would send a demand letter to Truist. I'm not exactly sure when it was mailed. It's dated XX/XX/XXXX. He said he sent it certified mail return receipt to the Truist branch I had been dealing with. And just regular mail to the corporate office in XXXX XXXX. He said they didn't have anyone to sign for a certified letter there. My attorney also said he had tried to call this Truist branch office and only got their voice mail. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I discovered Truist had locked me out of the online account where I had been paying my truck note all along. On Friday, XX/XX/XXXX, my attorney said he'd received the certified XXXX XXXX back. And that he would try to call corporate sometime the next week. But it is impossible to get through to corporate. Truist phone numbers available just take you in circles for customer service. 

My attorney is suggesting I file a short form XXXX to make me XXXX if he can't talk to corporate. But that will take time and money I don't have. I should not have to do this since it was their mistake. 

I desperately need my truck back. It's been over a month now since they wrongfully repossessed it because of Truist teller 's mistake. I was paid up XXXX weeks before they took my truck. Can you please help?