Consumer complaint received 2026-06-08 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — Auto debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed — Debt was already discharged in bankruptcy and is no longer owed
Company: Westlake Services, LLC
State: CA

Complaint narrative:
This complaint concerns Westlake Services , LLC dba Westlake Financial Services, XXXX XXXX XXXX, and the later alleged assignee XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX The account involves a XXXX XXXX XXXX, VIN XXXX. The retail installment contract was originated through XXXX XXXX XXXX in XXXXXXXX XXXX and later assigned or serviced by Westlake Services , LLC. The contract listed a {$4500.00} down payment, an amount financed of {$22000.00}, a finance charge of {$15000.00}, XXXX monthly payments of {$530.00}, total payments of {$38000.00}, and a total sale price of {$43000.00}. I dispute responsibility for this account and debt because the dealership involved, XXXX XXXX XXXX, was connected to fraudulent conduct and later voluntarily dissolved after extensive fraud issues. Supporting information concerning XXXX XXXX XXXX is available through XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX records, online complaints, and lawsuits involving the dealership. In XX/XX/XXXX, my vehicle was stolen by XXXX. Westlake later repossessed the vehicle in XXXX, XXXX. I do not know the exact repossession date, but it occurred in or around XX/XX/XXXX. Westlake had notice that the account and vehicle situation were disputed, but still proceeded with repossession and collection activity. Westlake did not mail me required notices before or after repossession. I did not receive any Notice of Intent to Dispose of Vehicle, Notice of Sale, Accounting of Deficiency, or other required post-repossession documentation. Despite the lack of notice and unresolved fraud, theft, title, lien, and ownership issues, Westlake later allowed the account to be charged off, assigned, collected, sued upon, and reported negatively on my credit. There are also unresolved title, lien, and ownership issues. Westlake and any alleged assignee have not proven a valid chain of title, valid lien rights, valid assignment, or enforceable right to collect. I have not located any valid UCC filing proving their claimed secured interest, and they have not provided documentation proving a complete chain of title, assignment, sale authority, repossession authority, or deficiency balance. Westlakes alleged assignee, XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX, has filed a lawsuit against me in XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, Case No. XXXX, claiming a deficiency balance of {$21000.00}. I dispute that amount and dispute any right to collect because the account arose from a fraud-connected dealership transaction, the vehicle was stolen before Westlake repossessed it, Westlake failed to provide required repossession and deficiency notices, and Westlake and its assignee have not proven valid title, lien, assignment, repossession, sale, or collection authority. This matter also raises issues under the FTC Holder Rule, 16 C.F.R. 433.2. Any holder or assignee of this consumer credit contract is subject to claims and defenses I could assert against the seller, XXXX XXXX XXXX Westlake , XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX and any other assignee should not be allowed to avoid dealership-related fraud defenses through assignment, charge-off, sale, or collection litigation. This matter also raises Fair Credit Reporting Act issues under 15 U.S.C. 1681 et seq., including furnisher duties under 15 U.S.C. 1681s-2. Westlake continued reporting this account as charged off and derogatory even though the account was disputed, fraud-connected, unsupported by proper repossession notices, and unsupported by a complete chain of title, lien, assignment, and deficiency documentation. The reporting is inaccurate, incomplete, misleading, and damaging. This matter also raises Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act privacy and opt-out issues under 15 U.S.C. 68016805 and 16 C.F.R. Part 313, including 16 C.F.R. 313.7. I am exercising my right to opt out of nonpublic personal information sharing to the fullest extent allowed by law. I dispute any sharing, transfer, sale, assignment, furnishing, or disclosure of my nonpublic personal information where Westlake failed to provide required privacy notices, opt-out notices, or a lawful basis for transferring my information to nonaffiliated third parties, debt buyers, collectors, skip tracers, repossession agents, attorneys, credit reporting agencies, or assignees. To the extent XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX, or any other third-party collector attempted to collect this debt, this matter also raises Fair Debt Collection Practices Act concerns, including collection of a disputed debt, collection without proper validation, and collection of an amount not properly proven or legally owed. This matter has caused severe damages. I relied on the vehicle for transportation, business operations, stability, and housing-related needs. After the vehicle was taken, I had to close my businesses, lost transportation, became homeless, and remain homeless. The loss of the vehicle and the negative credit reporting caused major financial instability, emotional distress, and loss of opportunity. The Westlake account is reporting as charged off and derogatory on my credit. This reporting has harmed my credit profile and contributed to denials and barriers involving apartments, XXXX XXXX credit cards, bank accounts, XXXX XXXX, replacement vehicle financing, and other financial opportunities. I attempted to resolve this issue, but Westlake and/or its assignee have failed to correct the account, refund payments, remove negative reporting, validate the debt, prove lawful repossession authority, or provide the required notices and documentation. I am requesting a full investigation and the following relief : 1. Immediate deletion or correction of all inaccurate credit reporting related to this Westlake account ; 2. Written confirmation that I am not responsible for the alleged deficiency balance ; 3. Closure of the account with a zero balance ; 4. Withdrawal or dismissal of all collection activity and lawsuit activity connected to this account ; 5. A full accounting of every payment, fee, charge, repossession cost, sale proceed, credit, offset, and alleged balance ; 6. Refund of all payments collected from me on this disputed and fraud-connected account, including the {$4500.00} down payment and all monthly payments of {$530.00} collected, in an amount to be confirmed by Westlakes complete payment ledger ; 7. Reimbursement of repossession, towing, storage, transportation, replacement transportation, business loss, and related costs ; 8. Production of all title, lien, UCC, assignment, sale, repossession, privacy notice, opt-out notice, credit reporting, and deficiency documents ; 9. Compensation for damages caused by wrongful repossession, improper collection, inaccurate credit reporting, homelessness, loss of transportation, business closure, emotional distress, financial harm, and loss of credit opportunities.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation