Consumer complaint received 2022-04-23
Product: Mortgage — VA mortgage
Issue: Trouble during payment process — 
Company: CMG MORTGAGE, INC (VA)

BLUF : Attempting to pay mortgage via certified checks. Mortgage company lost 2x internally but continued to charge late fees and report me to the credit bureau. 

This XXXX I was the victim of identity theft which required me to close all of my bank accounts and open new ones ( XXXX Virginia Police Department Report # XXXX ). I called my mortgage company, CMG Financial, to update my bank account and inform them that due to the theft my mortgage would be a few days late. The customer service agent was unable to update my auto-pay to my new bank account. I updated my information online and submitted a one time payment and received confirmation. However, I later learned there was an error processing this payment. 

Due to world events ( the war in XXXX ), I then departed on an unscheduled XXXX as part of an emergency command element stationed on XXXX XXXX XXXX ( XXXX XXXX ) in the XXXX XXXX. Upon getting to my first port visit in XXXX, XXXX, I was informed by my wife that our payment was rejected and I needed to pay by certified check to get our account back to good standing. We immediately sent a certified check for the month of XXXX and included the next month 's payment, XXXX. ( Check XXXX ) CMG claimed never to receive this check and upon my next port visit I, was informed that I was due for XXXX, XXXX and XXXX. I asked them to search for the check, giving the serial number and date sent, however they were unable to find it. Upon agreeing with CMG that the check for XXXX and XXXX had been lost, it was decided that the check for these two months would be voided and re-issued. ( After voiding this first check, CMG later located it, attempted to cash and subsequently claimed I had written them a bad check. They then added a bad check fee to my account. ) The second cashiers check for XXXX and XXXX was sent to CMG directly from my financial institution, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ( Check XXXX ). It was received by CMG on XXXX ( XXXX Tracking # XXXX, received and signed for by XXXX XXXX ). CMG claimed they did not receive the check despite the fact that I provided them with the XXXX tracking number and confirmation of the receipt and who at their company signed for it. It was again agreed upon that the check for XXXX and XXXX would be voided for the second time and a third cashiers check for XXXX, XXXX and now XXXX payment would be issued. ( Check XXXX ) In the meantime, I sent a cashiers check for XXXX mortgage on time, it was received and cashed. ( Check XXXX ) At this point, I contacted The Department of Veterans Affairs and the XXXX XXXX XXXX to file a complaint and ask for assistance dealing with CMG since I was getting nowhere on my own. The VA contacted CMG and XXXX XXXX advised me to file this claim. 

After the VA contacted CMG, CMG located lost check # 2 for XXXX and XXXX the same day and cashed it despite the fact that we had already agreed that this check would be voided and a new one issued for XXXX, XXXX and XXXX. My wife ( who was handling this while I was on XXXX ) had to rush to the bank and void the check for XXXX, XXXX and XXXX before our account overdrafted and reissue a check for just XXXX. 

The check for XXXX 's mortgage was received and cashed same day. 

My account is now in good standing. However, because I was " late '' on my payment for three months I am now required to submit certified checks for my payment for the rest of the year. I have no confidence my mortgage payments will be received since CMG regularly loses my certified checks and claims they are not sent. CMG will continue to damage my credit and charge late fees if this is how they do business. 

At no point during this time-frame was I in financial trouble or unable to pay my mortgage.This is all due to ( 1 ) identity theft and ( 2 ) CMG losing my certified checks.

From the moment I reported the identity theft to CMG, I worked closely with them to pay my mortgage as soon as possible. There should be considerable notes on my account showing I regularly called and attempted to resolve these issues. I can not tell you how many times I was hung-up on when I asked to speak to a manager.