Consumer complaint received 2025-02-19 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Problem with a company's investigation into an existing problem — Problem with personal statement of dispute
Company: SANTANDER HOLDINGS USA, INC.
State: MA

Complaint narrative:
On XX/XX/XXXX I received a letter that my credit line was decreased and my credit score impacted due to " serious delinquency ''. My issue is that my score was impacted for interest charged on a paid in full statement balance. 

On XX/XX/XXXX I paid the balance due on my statement as reported by Santander. On XX/XX/XXXX I was charged interest of {$8.00} and subsequently charged further interest on the interest balance in XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX resulting in a total balance of {$9.00}. This balance was paid on XX/XX/XXXX, even though I do not believe it is owed, and after unsuccessful calls to customer service and discussion with credit card dept. 

In total I spoke to 5 Santander employees who were unable to address my 2 concerns : 1. Why was I being charged interest on a paid in full balance?

2. How do I address the reporting of delinquencies which moved my exceptional credit from XXXX to XXXX for a balance I was unaware I owed? 

XX/XX/XXXX XXXX Customer Service, Looked at the activity and the original interest charged of {$8.00} and told me 4 times that " this should never have happened ''. He also confirmed that the non-payment of this balance is what led to the change in my credit score. He offered to open a XX/XX/XXXX # XXXX requesting the removal of the {$9.00} charged and the removal of the delinquency reporting from my credit report. Even though I offered to pay the {$9.00} I was told that the refund would go hand in hand with the corrected reporting. This did not sound right to me but I went with it. He told me that I would hear from someone within 20 business days. 

I followed-up on XX/XX/XXXX as the balance due of {$9.00} was due on XX/XX/XXXX and I did not want to be falsely reported as diligent again. I spoke to XXXX about the issue and that I never heard from the Bank. XXXX communicated that the ticket had been " resolved '' and read the resolution to me which did not address the issue of the {$8.00} interest charge on a balance paid in full. He also confirmed that someone should have contacted me but no contact was reported in the system. I asked to be sent the response and he said he would email it to me and confirmed my email. I then asked to speak to a supervisor but one was not available and I agreed to be transferred to the Credit Card dept. I first spoke to XXXX # XXXX but was disconnected after explaining the issue. I called back and spoke to XXXX # XXXX. I explained the issue and my 2 questions/concerns. She re-read to me the resolution to ticket # XXXX. After pressing for an explanation on what the {$8.00} represented, she told me that even though I paid off the balance due I never closed the account so interest continues to accrue. She told me that it was my responsibility to call customer service to close the account. I told her that this made no sense and that the interest must be based on something. She said " no '' and it was because the account remained open. She also told me there was nothing she could do on the credit reporting of delinquencies as I received statements monthly and it is my obligation to pay the balance due. I acknowledged both of her comments and explained that my statements are online and as I never went back to look at the statements as I had paid the obligation in full and do not use the card. I also explained that I understand my obligation to pay what I owe which is why I have consistently had an exceptional credit score. I again challenged the response as I did not believe I owed money as I paid in full and chose not to close the account, as she explained earlier. I told her I wanted to file a complaint and she said no as my original " complaint '' was resolved. I told her that the original ticket was never intended to be a complaint as XXXX told me that it was a service request to remove the {$9.00} and reverse the delinquency reporting. I told her if that was indeed the case that only 1 complaint is allowed per event, that I felt deceived and mistreated. I ask to speak to a supervisor and was denied and demanded that a complaint be recorded. I held on the line for the complaint # XXXX. I then asked to be sent the resolution of my original service ticket and was told that the credit department does not have the ability to do that and sent me back to customer service. I then spoke to XXXX and she told me that she also can not provide the response and would add a note to the original service ticket # XXXX for an email to be sent. She then said she could not guarantee that this would happen. After pressing her on what the procedure is she confirmed that I would receive a response. To avoid any additional negative reporting I paid the {$9.00} of interest on XX/XX/XXXX, even though I do not understand what it represent nor believe it is owed. 

As this is reviewed there are a number of procedural, training and knowledge flaws within which the Bank should address. That said my issue is that my score was impacted for interest charged on a paid in full statement balance. I continue to request the resolution of my 2 concerns : 1. Why was I being charged interest on a paid in full balance?

2. How do I address the reporting of delinquencies which moved my exceptional credit from XXXX to XXXX for a balance I was unaware I owed?

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation