Consumer complaint received 2023-06-22
Product: Debt collection — Auto debt
Issue: Took or threatened to take negative or legal action — Seized or attempted to seize your property
Company: Tesla, Inc. (MA)

RE : Letter of Complaint and Demand This letter is filed as an official complaint against TESLA Payment Resolution, and its continued fraudulent, deceptive and abusive practices. It is a follow-up to a letter filed on XX/XX/XXXX, adding further evidence of Teslas abusive business practices. 

The following facts are pertinent to the complaint : XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX while being away from my home, I was unable to drive my leased Tesla vehicle, as Tesla remotely deactivation the car.

2. After spending two hours on the phone, the company finally informed me that the car was deactivated and my electronic access to my Tesla account was disabled, until and unless I transfer by wire the sum of {$12000.00} to the companys account. 
XXXX. Upon inquiring as to the nature of such a strange demand and abrupt action, I was informed by XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX who did not identify his position, and refused to transfer the call to his manager/supervisor ) that no payments on the current lease were received by Tesla.

4. I pointed out that monthly payments were made regularly for the past seven years (! ), as this was my third car leased from Tesla. Upon further investigation, XXXX XXXX confirmed that indeed payments were received, however they were deposited in the wrong account, and therefore could not be credited to the correct lease. 
XXXX. I explained that I needed the car for transportation and that my wife was XXXX and we were stranded away from home. That triggered no sympathy from XXXX XXXX, who insisted that payment had to be made in full, and only then the car would be released. He also threatened to repossess the car, unless I immediately provided proof of payment. 
XXXX. I proceeded to make an electronic transfer that Friday afternoon, and e-mailed ( following XXXX XXXX instructions ) a proof of electronic transfer. As by then it was past business hours on the XXXX XXXX, the money was drawn from the bank account but was expected to be credited to Tesla the following business day ( Monday, XX/XX/XXXX ). 
XXXX. Even though XXXX XXXX confirmed receipt of the confirmation of the transfer of funds, he ignored my pleading to release the car, claiming that until the transaction is confirmed by Teslas accounting department, the car would not be released. The car was eventually released on the morning of Tuesday, XX/XX/XXXX. 
XXXX. An investigation of the payments sent to Tesla since the beginning of the lease confirmed that : a. All payments of the correct lease payments ( {$1200.00} ) were made on time and delivered between the XXXX and XXXX of every month by bank check ( using the banks Bill Pay application ). 
b. All payments were received by Tesla and applied to the account of the car that was returned on XX/XX/XXXX between the XXXX and XXXX of the corresponding month, well ahead of the payment due date ( the XXXX of the month ). 
XXXX. Even though Tesla was aware that the payments were made in full and on time, as described in the Letter of Complaint dated XX/XX/XXXX, Tesla : a. Charged the current lease account a total of {$450.00} as Late Fee charges ( seven charges of {$64.00} ). 
b. Repossession Closing Fee of {$600.00} ( on XX/XX/XXXX ) even though there was no repossession of the car. 
In view of the above I demand : XXXX. The Tesla immediately refund the following amounts : a. {$12000.00} reflecting 10 payments of {$1200.00} received by Tesla and deposited in Account Reference Number : XXXX. These are the payments that should have been credited to the current lease, as detailed in my Letter of Complaint dated XX/XX/XXXX. 
b. {$450.00} for erroneously charged Late Fees, as explained above. 
c. {$600.00} for the Repossession Closing Fee which never happened. 
d. {$170.00} for the loss of use of the car for four days during the period the car was maliciously and unjustifiably disabled by Tesla. 
e. {$30.00} wiring fee.