Consumer complaint received 2024-11-07 00:00:00
Product: Debt or credit management — Credit repair services
Issue: Confusing or misleading advertising or marketing — 
Company: Bridge IT, Inc.
State: OK

Complaint narrative:
I want to start by stating that my problem touches on all given options listed below : -Charged upfront or unexpected fees -Confusing or misleading advertising or marketing -Confusing or missing disclosures -Did n't provide services promised -Problem with customer service Submitting complaint regarding Brigit and it's undisclosed fees and charges made to my account, misleading advertising of Services about cash advances and overdraft protection, misleading disclosures fine print, and violation of my rights under FCRA in opening an authorized credit builder account. 

I initially signed up for an account with Brigit through their app on my phone to utilize the instant cash option and overdraft protection they advertised online through aggressive mini commercials off of other apps I was using. During the signup process for the overdraft protection which was advertised as part of the free service not a paid subscription, I encountered difficulties linking my checking account using my account number and routing number. In an attempt to resolve this, I tried using my debit card instead, which Brigit took it as a payment method and the OK to charge my checking account for the membership fee. Once inputted, Brigit immediately charged my XXXX  account the membership fee of {$9.00} on XX/XX/XXXX. I had no idea I was even charged. I did not receive a new membership email of this paid subscription. 

XX/XX/XXXX I went back to the app with the purpose of closing the account and requesting a refund of the {$9.00}. While on the App, I experienced login issues where my password would never work and upon requesting a new pin which was to be emailed to my XXXX account to reset the password, that email came three hours later rendering the link for the pin useless as it had expired. After six attempts I was able to log in and submitted a support ticket for the closure of my Brigit Account and the refund of {$9.00}. 

At XXXX I received the automated response confirming they received my ticket. At XXXX I received this response : " We're happy to help! 

Upon reviewing your Brigit account, we see that you currently have an active Credit Builder account open with us. Please confirm if you would like us to close your Credit Builder account so we can assist you further. '' I want to add this is the first time I have ever heard the term Credit Builder Account. I do not know what it is or mean at all. I am blissfully ignorant to this term. 

At XXXX I responded with : " Yes I would like to close it i didn't open this and I would like a refund {$9.00} and any other charges I've incurred thank you '' At XXXX I received an email stating that my request has been received. 

Then at XXXX I received this from Support : " It looks like we've lost connection to your checking account, so we'll need to reconnect! To reconnect your bank, you'll need to log back into the Brigit app and relink your checking account via XXXX. Once the connection has been restored we can review your account for anything you may need. 

Please let us know if you have any trouble reconnecting! '' First note that this small chat of merely two emails took 4 hours and 36 minutes. At this rate I choose not to add my login issues or ask what a credit builder account is, Id miss my tea time with the queen. With this I knew not much if any would get done in the time I had slated for this as I had more urgent matters to attend to. 

Second, I knew all to well that as soon as I reconnect my checking account with them that they would charge me for XXXX 's Bill while pretending to wanting to help me and hiding this predatory tactic as merely a kind innocent gesture to review the account with me after reconnecting my bank. I'm ignorant not dumb. I'm not the hot girl that ends up getting separated from the group in a horror movie. 

As pointed out, Brigit has problems with customer service let alone if they can tell time. This is only one of five parts of this complaint. 

Second would be deceptive account openings, charging upfront fees and at times unexpected with confusing and misleading disclosures with fine print so fine that I question it's atomic signature. 

Third and fourth being in their marketing and advertising of their services that at the end they did not provide. I signed up for their overdraft protection which in turn Brigit used that to charge my checking for the membership fee which was never disclosed. I saw it being part of their free account service not paid. Then since my checking account was connected I tried to request the {$250.00} cash advance. In their advertising they said that you only need a checking account and you can get {$250.00} cash advance straight into your checking account. I was denied. 

Signing up was too simple, with only just an email and phone number for verification and immediately Brigit is aggressively requesting to link your checking account to their app through XXXX. The commercial was this : NEED TO BUY GROCERIES BUT YOU HAVE NO MONEY? GOT JOB? GOT CHECKING ACCOUNT? YOU CAN {$250.00} INSTANTLY INTO YOUR CHECKING ACCOUNT. 

Last thing is this Credit Builder Account, I finally educated myself on what this is and I know there was nothing within the signup process for the app, its overdraft protection or its {$250.00} cash advance that Brigit would open credit builder account using my checking account information : My address, earnings, name of job, phone number, full name, and my social security number WITHOUT MY CONSENT. I did not sign a terms and conditions for this type of loan/account. {$750.00} credit builder loan, a loan that I cant even use. Just a fictitious loan to help with my credit. I never asked for that, I never signed up for that. No small print, not even an email confirming the opening of this unauthorized account. This is a clear violation of my rights under FCRA. Below are Sections of rights that Brigit has violated under FRCA. 

Section 1681b - Permissible Purposes of Consumer Reports - Brigit opened an account in my name without consent, they obtained and reported information without a permissible purpose.

Section 1681q - Obtaining Information Under False Pretenses - Brigit open an unauthorized credit builder account in my name without consent that involved misrepresenting information to obtain my credit report or account details. Brigit acquired this my information through a guise of a false promise through their misleading advertising of free overdraft protection and the simplistic process of getting {$250.00} easily. 

Section 1681s-2 - Responsibilities of Furnishers of Information - Brigit reported this new account opening with the three major CRA 's XXXX XXXX, XXXX, & XXXX for which I did not give consent of any kind for Brigit to do so. 

From the latest attempt I wrote a strong worded email to Brigit on XX/XX/year> requesting in tangent : A refund for both the {$9.00} and the {$10.00} charges. 
The closure of the unauthorized credit builder account. 
The closure of my entire Brigit account. 
Communication to all three credit bureaus of the removal of this illegal account off my credit profile. An account I NEVER ASKED FOR. 

Their response was of normal jibberish of their long proud standing history of helping the populace with their credit woes, remember that hot chick in the horror movie? She got slashed by todays rates of just have a normal loan. I wouldn't tall dark and dumb to sign up for a fake one. They continue on with refutes of confirmations of date stamps of me signing up and exerts from their account agreements policy which would have been nice to have one emailed to me as I never got one.

Talk about three fudge Sunday in my face, Chocolate... .The shade of what I think of Brigit . 

" These are all critical elements of demonstrating your creditworthiness and building your credit. While your Credit Builder account is now closed, it will still appear on your credit report and may remain on your credit report for up to 7 years. '' That's some brown shade thrown in my face punishing me for 7 years for an account that I never asked for, signup for, would have never consented to have opened. Because of them this illegal account that Brigit opened illegally will have a long lasting impact to my creditworthiness. Because of Brigit I will have to fight with all three CRA 's to have them remove the account. 

Vanilla ... .The shade of too cool for you " In order for us to send back your {$10.00} Credit Builder savings, you will need to reconnect a bank account! Let us know once you're reconnected and we can help send your savings back to you. Thank you for trying out the Brigit subscription, and we appreciate your understanding! '' They offered the {$10.00} back oh how nice. They would love to give it back to me, all I have to do is reconnect my checking account. That's worse then XXXX XXXX 's hair on XXXX head. 

Strawberry ... .The shade of my face They closed the account... ..All of this just for one small account. No wonder there isn't any normal people left ... .Because of XXXX  like this that we have to put up with and still live or die trying.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation