Consumer complaint received 2024-03-23
Product: Vehicle loan or lease — Loan
Issue: Problems at the end of the loan or lease — Unable to receive car title or other problem after the loan is paid off
Company: Bridgecrest Acceptance Corporation (GA)

I was let go from my job during the pandemic and notified my lender ( Bridgecrest ) about the need for deferral of payments until I could get unemployment or find a new job. 

Once I received unemployment beginning in XX/XX/XXXX, I became current on my account, but soon after going back to work, my employer folded and I was forced to go back on unemployment in XX/XX/XXXX -- Bridgecrest notified XX/XX/XXXX. 

I began having health issues soon after this suffering from XXXX, in XX/XX/XXXX I was admitted to the XXXX for XXXX XXXX to help find the issue. The cause/source could not be identified, and I was given medication to manage the issue. 

By XX/XX/XXXX my unemployment benefits were starting to dry up, and I began to rely on my parents to pay Bridgecrest each month until I could get back up on my feet. I began to feel ill again, and spent another XXXX XXXX  in the XXXX 

The toll of not having decent employment and looming threat of losing my home took a toll on my health and family. I took myself off the medication for XXXX since it was affecting my XXXX and causing them to fail. 

The XXXX XXXX began to correct itself after stopping the medication, but since I was still unemployed, and needed medical assistance, I went on XXXX, and informed Bridgecrest about this financial hardship in XX/XX/XXXX. 

By XX/XX/XXXX, the XXXX were becoming more prevalent and intensifying with each passing XXXX. The worst XXXX XXXX came back to back with a new best friend, the XXXX, on XX/XX/XXXX & XXXX, XXXX, causing me to be admitted to the XXXX and XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  for XXXX XXXX to alleviate the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX and allow my XXXX to heal. 

By XX/XX/XXXX my parents began making health decisions for me based upon my healthcare directive, as well as obtaining a power of attorney with fiduciary responsibility. While I was in the XXXX, Bridgecrest would call my phone up to XXXX times an hour, every other hour. My mother answered the phone XXXX off because of the frequency of the calls, when the representative disclosed account information she was not authorized to receive without my permission ( that my account was up for repossession ). In realizing her error, the rep stated she was looking at an old account on her screen and the proceeded to disconnect my mother, making it seem as if it were her phone having the issue. The disconnected phone line was done to update and change notes on the account, and then issue a writ of repossession after the fact. This galvanized my parents to expedite the request for the POA. Once obtained, my parents reached out to Bridgecrest to update them on my situation and question the salacious information uttered by the poorly trained employees at Bridgecrest. 

The POA was sent by my retained counsel XX/XX/XXXX. When attempting to get the payoff amount from Bridgecrest, no one would comply with the request, and would only state what the total past due amount was. My counsel had to then go ahead and light a torch under them to finally get a payoff amount of {$7100.00} ; the total payoff amount was not disclosed because Bridgecrest would then lose money on my account since I was paying the car note twice each month once for the total amount ( {$250.00} ), and another marked as 'FOR PRINCIPAL ONLY ' in the amount of half of the total due each month ( {$120.00} ) in effort to amortize the interest at a faster rate, cutting the loan length from XXXX to XXXX  months. No one would give a payoff total because that would open the door for the loan to be paid much faster than it already was, and thus would deprive Bridgecrest of additional profit ... on paper, they've yet to turn an actual profit based on their SEC filings after paying lenders and employees. 

My parents paid the vehicle in full on XX/XX/XXXX because it was evident to them in XXXX phone conversation with the untrained employees at Bridgecrest that they're the XXXX XXXX XXXX type of business they wouldn't want any of their family and friends doing business with. 

Bridgecrest claims they repossessed the vehicle although they'd have a seriously tough time in doing so since I live in a gated community with a security guard ( all of whom are current and retired police officers and sheriff 's deputies ) and would rely on their on-job training ( something missing at Bridgecrest and XXXX ) to verify the validity of the writ before providing access into the community. Even if access were provided, it would be difficult for them to retrieve the vehicle since the garage only has a XXXX ' clearance. 

Since they've refused to comply with my request for phone records and transcripts ( " legal analyst '' XXXX XXXX states I'm not entitled to my own records -- the same records that wouldn't provide the indemnification they believe they're entitled to ), or produce a writ of repossession, or even the name of the supposed recovery service used by them, it's evident that there are questionable actions going on behind the scenes at Bridgecrest and XXXX to cover their rears. Funny part is that when you talk to me, all my calls are recorded on my end for record keeping and employee training purposes. 

Since the vehicle was paid off in XX/XX/XXXX I was hoping to receive the letter of secured interest release along with my title within the time frame and expectations set forth by Bridgecrest ; those expectations were XXXX days. Those days quickly came and went without nary a word from Bridgecrest regarding any possible issues. By XX/XX/XXXX I was getting annoyed that I hadn't received the paperwork and getting anxious because my vehicle 's plates were set to retired after XXXX years ( transferred from old vehicle since they prestige/personalized/vanity plate ) and needed to be replaced come XX/XX/XXXX when I renewed my registration. I was hoping to renew my registration and request a new title at the same time since I was on XXXX XXXXXXXX a week, and my days off were the only days I had energy to do things, not that Bridgecrest cared. Because if they cared, I would have had my correct paperwork sent in the window of expectation set forth to me. If they cared, I wouldn't have had my vehicle impounded XXXX over the course of the summer and fall for no registration and sunsetted plates. 

I fear for my life when I get into my car, I pray that I don't become another statistic, but based on Bridgecrest XXXX XXXX 's prior actions, what problem of it is theirs if there's one less XXXX man? What problem of it is theirs if said XXXX man was XXXX  by the police over something as simple as an expired tag and registration? Viewed from my perspective, they would rather I be shot, ran over or strangled at the hands of the police since they clearly welcome and entertain that thought after being told by myself and counsel the inherent risks a XXXX man faces while driving and attempting to survive in America. 

When I reached out to Bridgecrest in XX/XX/XXXX, I was informed that the information given to me was incorrect, and given by a " contract employee ''. In fact the paperwork was never submitted to the queue as a request from me on my behalf. I was floored, as I've paid off XXXX other vehicles, and have NEVER been told I need to request my release letter, as it's something that's automatically done since I fulfilled my end of the bargain, so you must do yours and that's clearing my title. This obviously XXXX me off because it was clear the words they utter have as much value as the world largest XXXX diamond -- it XXXX be the biggest, but it's still made of XXXX, so it's worthless. 

The new meaningless expectation set for me was XXXX to XXXX days from acknowledgement and acceptance by the titling team queue, which itself can take up to XXXX days from the submission date, went in XXXX ear and out the other, since I'm not going to listen to a team of XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  while they read from the the book of XXXX 

Finally when it got around to the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX didn't consist on 100 % lies got around to doing a XXXX  version of their job, not only did they do it incorrect, it bewilders me that they weren't a wildebeest because it only took until XX/XX/XXXX to receive the letter and title, an incorrect title. It's abundantly evident that Bridgecrest likes to XXXX on my chest after XXXX all over my eyes and ears and into my mouth since they not only didn't list me as the owner of the vehicle, they said it's XXXX, they issued the title on a XXXX of Virginia title. My vehicle has not left the state since pre-pandemic and prior to that, it hadn't been out of the state except for the time I rescued it from it's oppressor that kept it locked away in a XXXX  vending machine in XXXX. The same type of vending machine that are in XXXX and XXXX, and have maybe XXXX or XXXX cars in them -- super classy, and evident of a company struggling to stay afloat and purchase cars to stock them with! 

Struggling to keep myself from XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, I calmly took the paperwork down to the XXXX knowing they were going to XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, and they sure did recreate the holiday musical of the XXXX. It's abundantly clear that Bridgecrest and XXXX live in a state of perpetual " XXXX XXXX XXXX  '' mode and are always finding ways to outdo themselves to the chagrin of their customers, as much as you tell them they're wrong. They're not going to listen to you, just like your dog isn't going to listen to you when you tell it to XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. 

Once I get to the XXXX, I was informed by the rules set forth by the Office of the XXXX 's office, and that the state views my transaction as an out of state vehicle transfer, thus is subject to taxation that I already paid in the tune of {$4200.00}, even though I have my original title and no receipt or bill of sale indicating that the vehicle was purchased in the XXXX XXXX Virginia, in addition to the XXXX of XXXX " repossession '' records found in the national titling system that ALL accredited lenders must update and adhere to the rules set forth if there was a sale/removal/repossession/disposal/transfer for all vehicle titles, and since it's intrastate all vehicles are able to be traced and identified. 

After being told I have no other options but to pay the taxes all over again in a country founded on the principal of no double taxation, I have little recourse I can take aside not being able XXXX XXXX my car to church or from paying it and asking WHY DO BRIDGECREST, XXXX AND XXXX XXXX ( XXXX & XXXX ) HATE XXXX AND IT'S FOUNDING IDEATIONS?