Consumer complaint received 2026-02-16 00:00:00
Product: Vehicle loan or lease — Lease
Issue: Repossession — Account reinstatement or redemption after repossession
Company: American Credit Acceptance, LLC
State: GA

Complaint narrative:
I am writing to you directly after an exhausting, emotionally devastating, and completely unacceptable experience with American Credit Acceptance, its XXXXXXXX XXXX, and its repossession department. I have attempted to resolve this matter through standard channels, through my attorney, and through previous correspondence. Every attempt was met with hostility, runaround, and outright denial of my rights as a consumer who fulfilled his financial obligations. 
THE ORDEAL Let me be clear about what happened : I paid all monies requested by American Credit Acceptance to have my XXXX XXXX XXXX released to me. Despite this, I was denied possession of my vehicle. 
The road to retrieving my vehicle was filled with turbulence, tension, and frustration. It took XXXX full days of emotional calls to the American Credit Acceptance XXXX Department, multiple calls to the XXXX phone number, and several calls to the actual tow yard holding my vehicle. 
During these calls, I was told by multiple parties that I was " hostile '' to a representative. I was informed that because of this, I would not be allowed to come to the tow yard, and my car would not be released until it went to auction. Let me emphasize : this decision was made and communicated to me AFTER I HAD ALREADY PAID ALL MONIES OWED to American Credit Acceptance to secure the release of my vehicle. 
All parties told me that I should not have been hostile and that the car was going to auction. Yet I had paid what was required. The logic defies explanation, unless the true intent was to push my vehicle to auction for a higher resale profit. 
MY ATTORNEY 'S INVOLVEMENT My attorney also called repeatedly. Not XXXX person could answer her simple question : Where is my car? Her frustration became very apparent as she instructed me to take several steps to initiate a complaint with the XXXX XXXX XXXX and to prepare for legal action. Instead of immediately pursuing litigation, I located your email address myselfinformation your customer service representatives refused to provideand I am writing to you directly as a person for your office have stepped in to help. 
THE DEMAND FOR ADDITIONAL PAYMENT To make matters worse, during this XXXX-day nightmare, your representatives informed me that another payment was due within XXXX days and that my car would not be released unless that payment was also made. My attorney advised mecorrectlythat without possession of the vehicle, I would not make that payment. 
American Credit Acceptance 's response? They reiterated that I would not get my car, and that I was " yelling at them. '' I was. Out of frustration. Out of desperation. Out of the complete helplessness of watching my own property be held XXXX by a system that seemed designed to push me toward auction rather than resolution. Any reasonable person would express frustration under these circumstances. 
THE IMPACT ON MY LIFE This experience has devastated me. Let me tell you exactly how your company 's actionsand the actions of your contractorshave affected me : XXXX. I lost my job. I was terminated because I could not get to work. I was without a car for several days due to the denial of possession of my vehicle after I had already paid what was required, and to-date I remain without a vehicle. 
XXXX. I have undergone XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX. Being sent in circles for days, being told I was at fault for expressing frustration, and being denied my own property after fulfilling my obligations has caused significant XXXX XXXX. Your representatives told me, " I should not have cursed at the XXXX, '' while ignoring the underlying issue : my car was being withheld despite payment. 
XXXX. I was denied basic information. Neither I nor my attorney could get a straight answer about where my car was located, who had authority to release it, or why payment did not secure its return. 
LEGAL VIOLATIONS AND PREDATORY PRACTICES What your company and its contractors have done violates multiple federal and state consumer protection laws : XXXX. Unfair, Deceptive, or Abusive Acts or Practices ( UDAAP ) Dodd-Frank Act, 12 U.S.C. 5531, 5536 The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has explicitly stated that " wrongful repossessions constitute an unfair act or practice ''. Specifically, the CFPB has found that repossessing vehicles when : Consumers have paid amounts to bring accounts current Consumers followed instructions the company said would prevent repossession XXXX failed to cancel repossession orders after payment All of these apply to my situation. I paid the required amount. I followed instructions. Yet your company and its agents proceeded with wrongful repossession and denial of my property. This caused substantial injury that was not reasonably avoidable and is not outweighed by any countervailing benefits. 
XXXX. Breach of Peace and Improper Repossession Courts across the country have held that repossession efforts that ignore a consumer 's explicit objections can constitute a breach of the peace. While I was not physically in the vehicle, the refusal to release my car after paymentand the threats to send it to auctiondemonstrate a complete disregard for my rights. 
XXXX. Violation of Georgia Law Regarding Personal Property Under Georgia law ( O.C.G.A. 44-14-411.1 ), a repossession company acts as an " involuntary, gratuitous, or naked depository '' of personal property found in a repossessed vehicle. The law requires specific notice procedures before disposing of personal property. Your contractors failed to provide any such notices or allow me to retrieve my belongings. 
XXXX. Federal Prohibition on Withholding Personal Property The CFPB has clearly stated that withholding consumers ' personal property unless they pay an upfront fee to recover it constitutes an unfair act or practice. By denying me access to the tow yard entirely and threatening auction, your contractors effectively held my personal property XXXX. 
WHAT I AM DEMANDING My questions remain unanswered. I need a written apology from American Credit Acceptance explaining where the breakdown occurred, what has been done to those involved, and how you will ensure this never happens again. 
Additionally, I am demanding the following : XXXX. Contractor Accountability The company that handles calls for the repossession department should be terminated The middle/intermediary company should be discharged The specific towing company involved should be fired immediately If a customer uses a curse word out of frustration, these contractors should not feel empowered to relocate a vehicle to an inaccessible area or push it to auction for higher profit. This is not the way to do business. American Credit Acceptance must get new contractors who can resolve these calls professionally without escalating situations. 
XXXX. Financial Recompense for Emotional Distress I expect to be recompensed for the severe mental and emotional distress I received from all parties. 
XXXX. Waiver of All Fees I will not pay : Any reinstatement fee Any storage fees American Credit Acceptance must " eat '' those costs. I should be able to retrieve my vehicle at the minimal pay-off amount. 
XXXX. Payment Forgiveness I expect a waiver ( forgiven ) car payments. I do not expect to make another payment until XX/XX/XXXX, this is a modest request. 
XXXX. Management Access and Accountability Your representatives refused to let me speak with a XXXX and refused to disclose any information regarding a corporate office. They had to have known that information was available online. Heads need to roll for this intentional obstruction. 
THE PATH FORWARD My attorney is ready to initiate legal paperwork to sue American Credit Acceptance. However, I am writing this letter because I want American Credit Acceptance to make changes to become a better company. I want you to understand the legal ramifications of your company 's actions. 
Nobody at your company or its contractors seemed to care about the liability they were creating. They should all be replaced. 
Let me close by saying this has been very damaging to me. I was terminated from my job because I could not get to work. My credit has been affected. I was WITHOUT A CAR for several days due to the denial I received. This has upended my life, and that should not have happened. 
I expect a response within forty-eight hours to this request. If I do not receive a satisfactory response, my attorney will proceed with litigation, and I will file formal complaints with : The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ( for UDAAP violations ) The Federal Trade Commission The XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation