Consumer complaint received 2018-07-20
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: HSBC NORTH AMERICA HOLDINGS INC. (OH)

Complaint:
I purchased a XXXX XXXX XXXX convertible vehicle that I originally leased in the state of Ohio in XX/XX/XXXX. The original fiance company was : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX , XXXX XXXX, CA XXXX. The purchase price was {$8300.00} and the loan maturity date was : XX/XX/XXXX. 
I was mailing my payments at the end of the loan to Illinois and I believe that XXXX was purchased by HSBC? 
I received my title once the vehicle was paid off and put it in my lock box for safe keeping. 
Fast forward to XX/XX/XXXX. I sold the vehicle this week to someone and signed over the title. When this individual attempted to register the title and get plates he was told that the vehicle had a lien on it. He immediately called me. Here is the documentation and steps that took since yesterday to resolve the issue : Lien Issue : Immediately called XXXX Lease Trust who owned the vehicle and they are sending a lien release. 
( Approx. XXXX ) State of Ohio XXXX title division- XXXX- pulled up my title and said that they shouldve been a signature from XXXX  for a lien release and that I must contact XXXX XXXX to get it. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX- called number online. It is now XXXX XXXX. You must know an individual extension number to reach someone. Dialing XXXX does not work. 
Called the FDIC : they do not cover XXXX as it is a finance company and they are not monitored by the FDIC. Was told to contact one of three agencies : CA Secretary of State, CA department of motor vehicles, or the Federal Trade Commission. Gave me phone numbers to all three.

Called the CA Secretary of State re : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX CA : XXXX. Talked to a call center representative ( did not get her name as I was too upset at this point ). She told me that I have to call the Department of Motor Vehicles ( CA ) and speak to the field office. Gave me the phone number. She said that the Secretary of State does not monitor business closings and where information is transferred. 
Called : Department of Motor Vehicles- CA : XXXX ( XXXX XXXX est ) and received a recording that there were a high number of calls- was disconnected automatically. Called again. ( XXXX XXXX  est ) was on hold for 1 hour and 10 minutes before I spoke to someone in the field office they were unable to assist after attempting to pull up my VIN number as they purge every 4 years- Asked where the information is purged to and she said the ether and that it is gone for good- no information. 
XX/XX/XXXX XXXX XXXX- Called XXXX at Ohio XXXX title- said the only two options was to try to track down the lien sale or to do a court order title. She said to continue using XXXX to try to track down company that purchased titles from XXXX and ask for the Title Administration office. 
Called XXXX ( XXXX XXXX ) and was told that they only go back 6 years for information and since payments were from XX/XX/XXXX that information is gone. No one is able to retrieve it. Asked about going into the bank to get information and she said they have the same info and would not be able to pull vendor information. 
Federal Trade Commission : XXXX XXXX am XXXX, unable to help but transferred me to.. 
( XXXX XXXX ) - Consumer Protection Bureau : XXXX Talked to XXXX. 
File a complaint against XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ( consumerfinance.gov ) - upload the forms to the complaint They work to get a response to the company. It can take up to 15 days. Final response within 60 days. 
Case number : keep it handy if you need to call in and get an update. 
Filing a complaint should include : Most current company that held my title. 
I can also file with the Better Business Bureau I am seeking to find out who owns my title and the current company responsible for my title. I would also like to have my Lien release mailed out to me immediately.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation