Consumer complaint received 2025-05-09 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Problem with a purchase shown on your statement — Credit card company isn't resolving a dispute about a purchase on your statement
Company: ALLY FINANCIAL INC.
State: CA

Complaint narrative:
In XX/XX/XXXX, while I was XXXX  out of state, I noticed the card had been rejected. This was surprising because I had just paid it off in full days before and there were more than enough funds available. When I checked online, the card had been maxed out with charges I had not made or authorized. I immediately called Ally Credit around XXXX EST and requested the fraud dept to open a claim. ( 1 ) They would not let me speak to anyone in the fraud department and said I should call back another time. I explained that this is an emergency. My card needs to be blocked there are numerous charges that are not mine. ( 2 ) They took no action and I spent hours going from person to person. ( 2 ) Finally, I spoke with someone who said they opened a claim and would block the card. I called back the next day only to find out they had not done it and finally got a manager who would follow through as promised. However, days later, when I logged into my account, I saw all of those charges on my account again under different more recent dates. I had not even received the new card yet. This was unbelievable. I immediately called them again and said how could this happen again? How is someone using my card? They admitted that they moved the charges and edited the dates claiming that they had to move the charges because the period was closing and said I would not be charged and they would come off when the investigation was completed. I have never heard of this practice of reassigning dates and times to charges and leaving them in your account just moving them around while under investigation. It actually seems corrupt to make these changes to the data. I had to again for the 3rd time go over all of the charges that are not mine, which came to {$1400.00}. Having been reassured that the issue would be resolved, I went on and made my next payment paying the card off in full again as is my normal practice ; however, to my dismay, when I logged in to look at the activity they put all of those fraudulent charges onto my account again. Unbeknownst to me I paid it off. I contacted them by phone appalled by their sneaky actions taking advantage of my trust and the manager I spoke to said it was a mistake and they would resolve it. That did not happen! Instead, I received a letter in the mail where they stated that they completed their investigation and determined that I made all the charges. I letter was dated XX/XX/XXXX just days after they initially opened the claim, although, I did not receive it for weeks after they had obviously come to their conclusion so while I was speaking with people assuring me it would be resolved and the claims that their data manipulation was normal, this was all a ruse. They had no intention of conducting a real investigation or attempting to resolve the matter. 
Furthermore, they said the charges were consistent with my credit card usage and that I performed the charges in person. This is preposterous! The letter stated the decision was based on the review of : Information or documentation applicable to the claim, Account history ( transaction or payment activity ), and Account records pertinent to the claim. The letter stated that I could request any information used to support their decision to decline my claim. 

Shocked and defenseless, I sought legal counsel. The attorney wrote a letter requesting the evidence to support this finding that I made the charges, surely there must be camera footage for them to be so confident that I had done it in person and where is the document to support that I had been to these places before and these purchases were normal for me? There is no account information supporting this. They did not respond in writing or by phone to that letter, but their reaction was made evident by my account being immediately closed without notification. They also reported me to the credit bureaus as a delinquent unpaid account. They refused to speak to me or respond to my request. I have submitted complaints and objections to the credit reporting bureaus, but they do nothing and the response is Ally claims they do not know how to reach me, but none of my contact information has changed since this incident occurred. There is ample evidence that I did not make those charges. They were not in my area of town. I have never been to any of the locations where the charges were made. The primary use of that card had been for gas, vehicle, or travel-related expenses. The person who fraudulently used the card shopped at XXXX XXXX, multiple times, and XXXX XXXX. I have never been to these places. They went to restaurants and other stores I have never been to or ever made purchases ; therefore, Ally 's claim that these are my normal spending habits is an all out lie. They have NO proof to support their claims, which is why they responded so aggressively to the evidence request by closing my account without communication or notification. I was not even in town when most of these charges occurred. I did not mention this fact to them at the time I opened the claim because the customer service was so poor and I wanted to focus the attention on getting them to take appropriate action. This company has manipulated me, betrayed my trust, falsified data, and gone out of their way to defame and slander my name and good character for their own gain. 

As you can see, I had this card for many years and always paid on time, and usually paid it in full every month. I was a very good customer and Ally had only just recently purchased the company from XXXX, where I spent most years. I have never experienced such awful and dishonest treatment from a company that should be looking out for my best financial interest. The full amount of the debt they are claiming I owe is fraud and I do not owe them anything. They owe me for damaging my credit with these contemptuous lies and slander and causing me extreme stress from this easily avoidable situation.

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