Consumer complaint received 2025-04-29 00:00:00
Product: Mortgage — Other type of mortgage
Issue: Trouble during payment process — Trying to communicate with the company to fix an issue while managing or servicing your loan
Company: ACIMA CREDIT, LLC
State: NY

Complaint narrative:
b'On XXXX XXXX XXXX I entered a "lease to own" agreement with Acima. However, this was effectively a disguised high-interest finance agreement, not a genuine "lease to own." The terms and wording of their contract was vague and made it seem much more affordable than what they were offering as well. The product in question was worth XXXXXXXX, and Acima contributed XXXX while I contributed XXXX establishing me as partial owner from the outset. Acima claims said agreement was a lease to own agreement that would in effect have me pay XXXX (more than double their contribution) as rent for the part they financed, despite never fully owning the item in the first place. Acima claims total ownership of the product, but I dispute that they were ever sole legal, financial or custodial owners, and I dispute all their attempts to continue to try and extort money from me. Here is a timeline of relevant events:\n\nXXXX: Signed misleading agreement with Acima. Acima contributed XXXX financing toward a XXXX item. \n\nXXXX I paid XXXX in cash (my own funds) to merchant, completing ownership/purchase of the Property in question\n\nXXXX: Made every required lease payment totalling ATLEAST XXXX. Approximately 150% of the original financing provided by Acima.\n\nXXXX I was laid off and could make no more payments, despite having already paid off Acimas initial share of our joint ownership of the Property with 50% interest.\n\nXXXX: Randomly debited twice by Acima for an amount totaling roughly XXXX  Entered a good faith settlement for XXXX, plus applicable tax. \nThis is despite having grossly overpaid relatively to the amount Acima financed. Arrangement was that I would pay XXXX plus tax (XXXX  every XXXX  from XXXX: Acima somehow fails to properly debit scheduled payment of XXXX  from my account, despite bank statements reflecting more than sufficient funds. THERE IS NO evidence that Acima ever even attempted to actually withdraw that debit on XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX: Acima unlawfully reverts to old lease terms without proper notice or due process by law under EFTA Standards, attempting to illegally withdraw XXXX  from my account, not the XXXX agreed on XXXX  This is with no chance to cure or prior written notice. \n\nXXXX Acima engaged in a series of unauthorized debits, stop payment violations, illegal withdrawals, financial theft/harassment, and idiotic gaslight attempts by your customer service representatives.\n\nXXXX: Illegal, unauthorized successful withdrawal of XXXX by Acima from my account. I immediately called Acima regarding the unauthorized debit but was gaslighted by Acima representative, and told that I had to go through my bank to resolve the matter, and refused any responsibility. \n\nXXXX: Immediate STOP PAYMENT was issued by my bank at the cost of XXXX to me\n\nXXXX: Acima attempts an unsuccessful, unauthorized debit of XXXX from my account, despite a stop payment having been issued by me and my bank.\n\nXXXX: Acima attempts another unsuccessful, unauthorized debit of XXXX despite a stop payment having been issued by me and my bank.\n\nXXXX Acima is once again successful in fraudulently debiting unauthorized funds from my account totaling roughly XXXX. I immediately call my bank to dispute the claim, and am issued a new debit card, due to Acimas fraudulent activity. \n\nXXXX: I send my first written notice to Acima\n\nXXXX: Phone call with your representative "XXXX." Told me Acima did not care about EFTA violations, and that I would not be receiving a refund for the fraudulent activity enacted on my account by them\n\nXXXX: That same day, I am miraculously issued a refund from Acima that same day. This happens amidst my banks investigation into your fraudulence, and despite XXXX  claiming over the phone that "the illegal debits had been authorized, regardless of EFTA violations."\n\nXXXX: I receive Acima\'s response to my XXXX XXXX letter, and they fail to address just about everything I told them. They instead attempt to gaslight me into accepting more extortion on their behalf.'

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation