Consumer complaint received 2025-01-14 00:00:00
Product: Payday loan, title loan, personal loan, or advance loan — Installment loan
Issue: Charged fees or interest you didn't expect — 
Company: 1st Franklin Financial Corporation
State: LA

Complaint narrative:
I took out a loan with 1st Franklin Financial in XXXX, Louisiana 2 years ago to build my credit. While making payments, I came close to payoff. I was then pressured repeatedly to refinance the loan, as I was told by first franking this would build my credit stronger, so I caved In a refinanced. While making new payments, I suffered job loss, and had trouble maintaining payments. After a lengthy period of time of trying to work with 1st frankin to keep up payments, I was told several times I would be taken to court, which made me repeatedly feel like a criminal, and made me hate borrowing money altogether. In the beginning of last year, 1st frankin offered to modify my loan and lower the amount so that I could have more manageable payments. I was told to go into the office in XXXX la to sign new loan modification documents, which looked weird to me. When I arrived, I expressed the forms looked weird, and I was uncomfortable signing. The lady behind the desk told me to sign it or my payments wouldn't be modified and I'll be taken to court, so I signed it. I found out a few days later after sending a photo of the document to an attorney for advice, that this was infact a judgement that was from court and I was basically tricked. They have began to collect a portion of my paycheck from my job, leaving me with barely any money to have food in my house and provide for my XXXX XXXX XXXXXX/XX/XXXXSo I have switched jobs 4 times within 6 months in seek of finding better pay so that I can survive, so I eventually took a job as a XXXX 2 hours away from home, meaning I drove 2 hours to work and 2 hours home everyday, totaling 4 hours daily which wore me out so I eventually had to quit. My prior job was XXXX, and this is the first of my paychecks they had began garnishment. The garnishment started in XXXX of XX/XX/XXXX. Recently in XXXX ofXX/XX/XXXX called XXXX XXXX to enquire about the left over balance, as I thought the money garnished was being applied to my outstanding balance. I was told to contact their lawyer, which I did. He have me an amount of around XXXX dollars, but my credit report shows XXXX, so I'm unsure of the true balance. I asked him about why the balance is not decreasing and he told me that he hadn't received a dime of my money from garnishment. He laughed and told me call XXXX and ask them where my money was. So I did. I called XXXX, who told me XXXX is responsible for garnishment, so I called XXXX. The rude guy on the phone stated they need a notice to release the funds. I then called the attorney back, and he stated he has not heard of this document in over 29 years of garnishment experience. So I called the courts who issued the judgment and they was also confused and couldn't help me. As of today, I've called the courts and they still haven't had any movement, and as of yesterday, and additional amount was added to my balance on my credit report by 1st frankin. So I am basically still accruing fees and interest, even though it is the responsibility of 1st frankin, along with the courts and all to make sure my funds reach the correct place and are applied to my balance. I feel extremely helpless and this is not fair. We the people go through situations in life, in which a company should care about the customers they serve and the outcome of their situation. Now it just seems as if it's all being stalled so that the company can collect more fees from me and it will be harder for me to pay this balance off sooner. With the way our economy is moving, how expensive everything is becoming, and everything changing, these companies have go to start caring about the very people who bring them their business. The consumer matters more than the dollars. And as of today, they are still garnishing me, yet nothing is being applied to my balance. This company has made life so difficult for me over the past year and I honest prefer if they wouldn't be allowed to operate anymore.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation