Consumer complaint received 2024-11-27 00:00:00
Product: Vehicle loan or lease — Loan
Issue: Repossession — Account reinstatement or redemption after repossession
Company: ALLY FINANCIAL INC.
State: GA

Complaint narrative:
I am writing to formally address my original complaint regarding Ally Financials actions, which I believe involve an illegal repossession of my vehicle and a failure to honor the official payment arrangement previously agreed upon. Despite my attempts to resolve this matter by requesting a refund of all fees associated with the repossession, Ally Financial has declined to address these issues appropriately. 

In their response through the CFPB site, Ally admitted fault by acknowledging that my payment arrangement was for XX/XX/year>. However, they claimed I failed to make the payment, resulting in my vehicles repossession on that same date. This statement confirms that Ally not only failed to honor the valid payment arrangement but also initiated the repossession process prematurelyprior to the agreed-upon deadline. 

To provide context, Ally Financials operating hours are from XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX. My vehicle was repossessed between XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  on XX/XX/year>, well outside of their business hours. This timing made it impossible for me to call in and make the payment as agreed. A payment arrangement for a specific date, such as XX/XX/year>, should encompass the full XXXX period of that date. 

It is reasonable to expect that I would have the opportunity to make the payment during business hours on XX/XX/year>. However, I was deprived of that opportunity because Ally repossessed my vehicle in the early morning hours, before I even had the chance to act. This failure to adhere to the agreed-upon payment terms is both deceptive and unfair. 

Furthermore, I believe there XXXX be discriminatory motives involved. As an XXXX woman, I feel that my race and identity were factors in how I was treated during this process. From my numerous phone calls with Ally, my identity as an XXXX  woman was clear, and I firmly believe that had I been a XXXX  woman, I would not have been treated in this manner. I believe Ally would have honored the full XXXX payment window under those circumstances. 

The timing of the repossessionmere hours into XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX particularly egregious. It left me unable to fulfill the payment arrangement despite my clear intention to do so, as evidenced by the fact that I retrieved my vehicle the same day it was repossessed. This demonstrates my willingness and ability to meet the agreed-upon terms, which I was unfairly denied the opportunity to fulfill. 

The Georgia Attorney Generals Consumer Protection Division exists to protect consumers and legitimate businesses from unfair and deceptive practices involving consumer transactions. Ally Financials actions in this case were both deceptive and unfair, violating those principles. 

Initially, I sought to resolve this matter amicably by simply requesting a refund of the repossession-related fees. Ally Financial has refused to comply. Therefore, I am officially requesting that this matter be reopened for further review. Additionally, I am now involving legal counsel to escalate this issue. I firmly believe that this matter should be resolved in court, where a judge can evaluate the facts and determine the appropriate outcome. 

Ally Financial serves as an unfortunate example of how large corporations exploit, mistreat, and deceive consumersoften with discriminatory undertoneswhile relying on their vast resources to avoid accountability. 

Please see below for the original complaint I submitted for your reference. 
Original Complaint : Official Complaint Against Ally Financial for Wrongful Repossession and Unethical Practices To Whom It May Concern at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ( CFPB ), I am submitting this complaint to request an official investigation into the wrongful repossession of my vehicle by Ally Financial in XX/XX/year>, despite having an approved payment arrangement in place. I am seeking recovery of funds and reimbursement for the undue hardship this incident caused. On the date of the repossession, I had a documented payment arrangement with Ally Financial, which was agreed upon due to a verified XXXX  XXXX situation that impacted my ability to meet previous payment deadlines. As proof of this hardship, I possess a state-issued restraining order. Allys representatives explicitly assured me that my vehicle would not be repossessed as long as I made the payment on the arranged date. However, at approximately XXXX XXXX  on that date, my vehicle was repossessed and damaged. Ally Financials payment center did not open until XXXX XXXX XXXX so repossessing my vehicle hours before I could make the scheduled payment was unreasonable, predatory, and in direct contradiction to our agreement. Due to this wrongful repossession, I was unable to reach my job that day, resulting in my termination and substantial financial harm. My commitment to fulfilling the payment arrangement is evidenced by the fact that I retrieved the vehicle and made the payment the same day. This incident raises serious questions about Ally Financials practices and integrity, especially given that the purpose of setting up a payment arrangement should be to prevent repossession, not to facilitate it. Furthermore, I contacted Ally to investigate this matter and requested a refund of all repossession fees. Instead of addressing the issue, Ally representatives dismissed my concerns, with one agent explicitly stating that payment arrangements mean nothing to them. This repossession and the lack of assistance I received not only ignored my documented hardship but were also unethical and entirely inconsistent with fair business practices. In addition, for the past two years, I have faced ongoing challenges related to a late fee that Ally has failed to address or resolve. I have numerous recordingsover 17 callswith Ally representatives who agreed to remove the fee, yet those agreements have not been honored. The disregard for these commitments reflects a concerning lack of accountability on Allys part. Finally, I repeatedly requested to speak with a supervisor regarding both the repossession and the unresolved fee. On multiple occasions, representatives claimed that I was already speaking with the highest level of support. This response has made it impossible to escalate my concerns or seek higher-level assistance. This lack of transparency further emphasizes Allys reluctance to resolve this situation fairly. I respectfully request that the CFPB investigate these practices. I am seeking restitution for the repossession fees, reimbursement for damages to my vehicle, compensation for the income lost due to my job termination, and the removal of the unresolved late fee. Thank you for your attention to this serious matter.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation