Consumer complaint received 2024-04-25 00:00:00
Product: Vehicle loan or lease — Loan
Issue: Managing the loan or lease — Problem with additional products or services purchased with the loan
Company: Westlake Services, LLC
State: FL

Complaint narrative:
I am filing a formal dispute regarding the purchase and financing of a XXXX XXXX XXXX from XXXX XXXX XXXX in XXXX, FL, which was financed through Westlake Financial Services. This transaction has been fraught with misrepresentations, negligence, and outright fraud that have caused significant personal and financial distress. 

The vehicle, purchased online on XX/XX/XXXX, for a negotiated price of {$21000.00}, was picked up by an associate as I reside in XXXX. Immediately upon its collection, it was clear that the vehicle suffered from numerous defects including a critical steering issue that caused the vehicle to veer dangerously, along with non-functional AC, radio, and windows. The dealer committed verbally and in subsequent communications to repair all these issues. However, when my associates returned to pick up the vehicle on XX/XX/XXXX, after being falsely informed that all repairs had been completed, the defects were still present. During their drive back to XXXX, the steering malfunction became so severe that they were forced to reduce their speed to XXXX MPH to avoid a potential accident. 

Further attempts to resolve these issues with the dealer were met with unresponsiveness ; he only engaged when contacted from a different phone number and dismissed the concerns by incorrectly stating that the warranty would cover them. Subsequent inspection by a XXXX dealer indicated that repairs would cost an additional {$6800.00} plus tax, none of which would be covered by the warranty as suggested by the dealer. 

Adding to the deceit, upon reviewing the financial paperwork recently, I discovered discrepancies in the vehicle pricing and deposit amount. The vehicle, initially listed at {$23000.00} and negotiated down to {$21000.00}, was marked up in the contract to {$25000.00} with a {$4000.00} deposit, highlighting deceptive practices in the financing agreement facilitated by Westlake Financial.

This series of events not only represents a breach of consumer trust and failure to uphold promised repairs but also exposes potential violations of consumer protection laws by both the dealership and the financier. The dealer has further compromised my safety and privacy by publicly disclosing my personal information on social media, leading to widespread defamation and harassment. Just because I left a XXXX star review on XXXX about that situation that I have not driven the car even for a week and the car had to be returned. The owner of the company XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ) used interstate auto center 's XXXX page to destroy my social media influencer career. He called all types of names destroying my confidence ; I went crazy for a whole week and had to see a therapist, he told people not to do business with me. WHY? Just because I left a XXXX review. 

Instead of addressing my concerns through proper customer service channels, the dealership owner ( XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX began a defamatory campaign against me on social media. As I am a social media influencer, he exploited XXXX Lives every XXXX daily to tarnish my reputation by falsely accusing me of being a thief and that I stole a Jeep from him, and urging people not to do business with me. To destroy my Career, while gaining new sales off destroying me online. He disclosed my full legal name and credit reports information, my location in XXXX " XXXX '' FL ; live on XXXX, a clear violation of the national consumer privacy act. He also threatened to display my ID so that viewers could obtain my address. These actions have not only damaged my reputation but have also led to harassment from the public. People are calling me name from left to right, my credit reports informations are on the streets, my bank account financial informations all being verbally shared online on XXXX like. And I have all the video recorded from various people watching. 

His daily livestreams, which he uses as a marketing tool, have seen a significant increase in viewership as he continues to slander my character. He even made threats involving harmful traditional practices, all because I voiced my dissatisfaction with his service on XXXX reviews. I am currently not fine mentally I am currently following with doctors because I am XXXX mentally and physically, I am a social media influencer. 

I have documented evidence of these livestreams, which were conducted on his business page. This ongoing attack stems simply from my decision to share my adverse experience publicly. I believe his preemptive strike on social media was a strategic move to discredit me before I could expose his deceitful practices to a broader audience. If you listen to these videos ; he never mentioned a day that I purchased a car from him that has an expensive problem that was returned the 3rd day which was sitting there at his dealership for almost 3 months and was not fixed after he reported to me that it was fixed which is a pure lie. If you listen to these lives, you would cry and feel hurt for me. Sometimes I don't know what to do with my life anymore after all these. Lives a car dealership owner whom I trusted with my confidential informations. All I did was left a review. I don't even talk about that the car was listed for {$23000.00} and we negotiated it to {$21000.00} and in the document it was yesterday I see the car is marked over {$25000.00} ; I didn't even mention that the interest rate was supposed to be 10 % but on the document I see it is more than 14 %, because I know I didn't read the contract much that day. Everyone on BBB experience the same issues. And if you check their XXXX star XXXX profile, you will see that they use the Haitians phone to post their own XXXX stars reviews. And you will see some reviews about that. 

Given these circumstances, I am requesting the CFPBs immediate intervention to : Investigate the deceptive and fraudulent practices of XXXX XXXX XXXX. 
XXXX Westlake Financial Services accountable for their oversight in partnering with a dealership that engages in such unethical practices. 
Ensure the removal and protection of my personal data from both the dealership and XXXX XXXX records. 
I have attached all relevant documentation to support this dispute and am prepared to provide any additional information required. 
And I need a full REFUND from interstate auto center ; and XXXX XXXX needs to play a big role in that REFUND. I dont want to deal with this evil. 

This ordeal has left me in a state of considerable distress. I am in urgent need of resolution and reparation for the financial discrepancies, personal harassment, and reputational damage I have suffered. Attached to this letter are all relevant documents and evidence supporting my claims, including video recordings and financial statements. 
I trust in your commitment to uphold justice and consumer rights and look forward to your swift action on this matter. 

Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter. I look forward to your swift response and assistance. 

Sincerely, XXXX XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation