Consumer complaint received 2024-04-06
Product: Vehicle loan or lease — Loan
Issue: Getting a loan or lease — Problem with signing the paperwork
Company: Home Loan Center, Inc. (NE)

I had been applying for auto loans from several different institutions for the past months using the internet and phone. On Thursday, XX/XX/2024 at XXXX XXXX. I received a call from an individual who identified himself as XXXX XXXX from Lending Tree and congratulated me because my request for a loan of XXXX dollars had been approved. He continued by stating that the loan was for XXXX  months at XXXX. He then asked if I requested this loan. I stated that I had the day prior. I was elated but concerned because I had just finished dealing with a group that stated they were from another loan agency for XXXX dollars but they were asking for advanced fees and had a difficult time keeping their stories straight. I wrote down all the information from that contact and intended to report them when XXXX XXXX called. 
XXXX XXXX what I needed the loan for. I informed him that I needed the loan for a car so I could spend some valuable time with my daughters. He stated he had to get final approval and that he would call me back later. 
At XXXX XXXX ( same date ) XXXX XXXX called back to verify my information on the application. He asked for my date of birth, address, and the last XXXX numbers of my social security number. He informed me of the steps of the loan. those steps where the bank would deposit funds into my account to verify my account and then the funds would be recovered by his institution at which time the XXXX dollars would be deposited to my account. I then asked about the paperwork and my signing the paperwork. He then informed me that he would e-mail it to me and then asked me to confirm my e-mail address. This conversation was concluded. I received XXXX further phone calls requesting more information. Those calls were aXXXX XXXX XXXX and XXXXXXXX XXXX. On the latter call, he informed me he would call me tomorrow morning to inform me of the next step. 
At XXXXXXXX XXXX on the morning of XX/XX/2024, I called XXXX XXXX to ensure he didn't need any more information because I was excited about having the means to purchase a vehicle. XXXX XXXX informed me he would be in a meeting, and to call him in about an hour. At XXXX XXXX I called XXXX XXXX. He asked If My checking account was ready to receive a deposit I told him I was. My checking account was closed by me about XXXX weeks prior due to suspicious activity but I had forgotten that. After concluding this phone call I called my bank and asked to reopen the checking account and was advised to leave it closed to ensure it doesn't happen again. I agreed. 
At XXXX XXXX Friday I called XXXX XXXX and informed him of the complication with my checking account. XXXX XXXX asked if I had another checking account. I explained to him that I didn't but I had just opened a XXXX account. XXXX XXXX informed me he couldn't use XXXX because it wasn't a banking institution. I told him I had a checking account for my retirement account but it wasn't a bank. We agreed to use my savings account but he would need approval. At XXXXXXXX XXXX  XXXX XXXX called to inform me that we would use my savings account. He then asked what the answer was to one of my validation questions so They could make the deposit. With some apprehension, I gave him the answer. He told me they were having problems getting into my account. He told me to stay on the line while he tried again. When he came on again he said they were unsuccessful. and asked me to contact my bank to see if I could get this resolved. 
I contacted the bank and learned XXXX XXXX would have to use a different log in address. At XXXX I called XXXX XXXX and instructed him on how to log in to my bank. At XXXX he called me back and stated the login was affirmed and they would go ahead with the deposit. I asked him again for the paperwork and he assured me he would find out what was going on. At XXXXXXXX XXXX  XXXX XXXX called to confirm all the information I had given him previously. He further asked if we had a XXXX in XXXX. I told him we did about XXXX miles from here. He asked if I could go there. I explained that I didn't have a vehicle and asked why. He stammered around as he said that after I withdrew the deposited funds I would have to go to XXXX to XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX and send back the funds. I questioned him and asked why he couldn't just get the funds back from the bank like everyone else had in the past. He told me not to ask questions and listen. I explained to him that I wasn't about to walk out there and we had no taxi. He asked if we had a XXXX XXXX or XXXX XXXX. I stated we did but I wasn't walking there either. Very frustrated, he asked if we had a XXXX. I said we did about XXXX blocks from here. He very quickly instructed me to get up before the bank opened, ( which was at XXXX XXXX  Saturday the XXXX ) and go withdraw the {$920.00} dollars and then go to XXXX at which point I am to call him for further instructions. He asked if I understood. I said yes. Before I could ask for the paperwork he hung up. 
At XXXXXXXX XXXX Saturday, XX/XX/XXXX I woke and right away logged onto my bank account to see if {$920.00} had been deposited which I saw they had been. At XXXX XXXX 
XXXX XXXX called and asked if I was dressed and ready to go to the bank. I informed him I would be there at XXXX. At XXXXXXXX XXXX. I withdrew {$400.00} dollars from the ATM then walked up to the drive-thru to withdraw the remaining {$520.00}. At XXXX XXXX XXXX called to see if I had the funds. I informed him I had. He then told me to call him when I got to XXXX. he called again at XXXX but I didn't answer. I had stopped to rest because my back was cramping up really badly. At XXXX XXXX called again. At this time he instructed me to go purchase XXXX XXXX cards, XXXX for {$300.00} and XXXX for {$320.00}. At this time I was certain it was a scam and harshly informed XXXX of this and I hung up and headed to my apartment. At XXXX a.m. I called XXXX XXXX and asked him the purpose of the cards and they only had XXXX cards there and hung up. XXXX attempted to call me at XXXX, XXXX, and XXXX XXXX I finally called him at XXXXXXXX XXXX from my apartment and informed every intention of notifying Law Enforcement, local and Federal. By now I was in a rage and informed him of my thoughts of him and hung up. 
From XXXX XXXX to XXXX XXXX XXXX attempted to call me XXXX times. At XXXX he called and I answered and told him to quit calling me. Again at XXXX he called back and informed me I was in violation of a contract and he was going to sue me. I stated that was laughable whereas he was committing a crime and to sue me he would have to appear in court and confront me which would not be favorable for him because if he wasn't in jail then he would be. I stated I didn't want his money because it was ill-gotten gains and I would return it Monday afternoon as long as it was okay with Law Enforcement. At XXXX He called and asked about the money, I just hung up. At XXXX I called him to reiterate that I would return his funds on Monday as long as Law Enforcement agreed. He called again at XXXX and uttered something I could not understand. He was obviously angry. 
At XXXX ; XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, and XXXX XXXX. he would attempt unanswered calls. I finally blocked his number. I called my bank about XXXX Saturday and inquired about where the deposit came from and was informed it was XXXX XXXX XXXX. XXXX said he was from North Carolina but at the New York Office where the calls were from. 
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