Consumer complaint received 2023-03-31
Product: Vehicle loan or lease — Lease
Issue: Managing the loan or lease — Billing problem
Company: ALLY FINANCIAL INC. (IN)

I leased a new vehicle on XX/XX/XXXX. The first payment was due at signing and was paid/completed by the dealer on XX/XX/XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX I set up an online account with the company in order to make the monthly lease payments. While trying to make the XXXX payment, the online payment system would not accept my 14-digit checking account number, a pop-up stated it looked like I was entering a credit card number. I double checked the number and tried again, but to no avail. I tried again by reducing the number of digits in the account number and scheduled a payment for XX/XX/XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX I received a text that my payment was returned. I called the customer service number and inquired why the payment was returned. I explained what I experienced on XX/XX/XXXX, and the rep thought there might be an issue because the dealer made the first payment. The rep said they were going to send an urgent request to check/revise the system and to wait a couple days to try to make the payment. On XX/XX/XXXX I attempted to make another payment, the system still would not accept the 14-digit account number, so I shortened the number again and submitted the payment. On XX/XX/XXXX I received a text that my payment was returned again. On XX/XX/XXXX I called customer service again to inquire what was going on and explain the issue with the account number. They initially tried to blame me for entering an incorrect number and to try again. By now I started to insist on speaking with someone with higher authority. I was forwarded to the escalation team where a rep there said they had run into the number issue before. They instructed me to reduce the account number by dropping the last two digits in the number. They also said to wait two days before trying again so they could address late fees that were being assessed. By now I was getting concerned because the XXXX payment was late. I waited until XX/XX/XXXX to make another payment, per the rep 's instructions. On XX/XX/XXXX I received a text that my payment was returned. At this time I was getting very concerned and upset. I called the customer service line again, insisting to speak with someone in authority, but to no avail. I finally spoke with a rep who helped calm me down and they asked me to inquire with my financial institution about the account number. I then immediately called my financial institution and inquired about the 14-digit account number. I was informed that the account number was valid and a standard numbering scheme, and that the number could not be altered or the payment request would be rejected. My financial institution suggested using a different account, such as savings, which has fewer digits. I took the advice and returned to my account on the company website, and I set-up my savings account for payment and made a one-time payment for XXXX and XXXX, which was successful. The payment cleared my financial institution on XX/XX/XXXX. On or about XX/XX/XXXX I received a letter dated XX/XX/XXXX stating that a restriction had been placed on my account and the company would only accept payments in certified funds. I would have to make 6 consecutive payments via certified funds, and then I could call to have the restriction removed. My frustration level reached a limit and I was very upset. I again called the company customer service line again on or about XX/XX/XXXX to get the restriction removed, but to no avail. I then called my dealer to inquire if they had heard of my issues with the company. I asked if the dealer had another number for the company. From this exchange I did call a different number which allowed me to reach a U.S. representative. FYI, the company uses a call center in XXXX ( I assume ) and all customer service calls go to them, and I had to request to speak with an american representative. When I reached an american rep, I ended up requesting to speak with a manager/supervisor. I was informed the supervisor was on another call and would have to call me back. I received no callback. I called the company again on XX/XX/XXXX, reached an american rep and supervisor, and I was told that there was no one in the company that could remove the restriction on my account.