Consumer complaint received 2025-08-16 00:00:00
Product: Vehicle loan or lease — Loan
Issue: Managing the loan or lease — Billing problem
Company: SANTANDER HOLDINGS USA, INC.
State: NJ

Complaint narrative:
Summary : I mailed a certified check on XX/XX/year>XXXX  to pay off my Santander XXXX XXXX in full. USPS tracking confirms delivery on XX/XX/year>, but Santander claims they can not locate it, refuses to process it, their portal rejects all online payment attempts, and they insist I must reissue payment with added interest caused only by their delay. 

-- - I attempted to pay off my Santander auto loan in full by mailing a check for the payoff amount on XX/XX/year>. Tracking shows the check was delivered to Santanders designated payoff address on XX/XX/year>, but Santander claims they can not locate the check. The check was delivered via certified mail so I am able to confirm receipt to the address provided by Santander. 

Since delivery, I have contacted Santander multiple times and received inconsistent and conflicting information. With the balance still not paid off, I called Santander Customer Service on XX/XX/year>XXXX  and was told that the reason my full balance was still posted is because once the check is received and delivered to them, it would take 710 business days to process and that I should call back on XX/XX/year>. On that date, the full balance was still present and not applied, so I called again. A representative told me the previous rep was wrong, and it would take 1015 days to post after I sent the mail. I confirmed with her that meant from the day I sent it ( XX/XX/XXXX ) and not the day they received it ( XX/XX/XXXX ), and she reaffirmed that. Once I told her in that case it had been 15 days since XX/XX/XXXX, she went silent for several minutes, then disconnected the call. 

I called customer service again, and the new representative said he had no idea what to do and suggested I call the mailing department. I then asked for a supervisor. The supervisor ( XXXX from the XXXX department ) told me he would create a request to search for the check and that it should take XXXX hours, after which Id receive an email. I never received any email, nor did my account update. On XX/XX/year>, I called again and asked for XXXX but was told there was no way to reach him. Instead, I was transferred to the managers department, where the manager told me XXXX was wrong and that the search actually takes 5 business days. I was told to call back on XX/XX/year>XXXX  nearly a month after delivery. 

Meanwhile, my next scheduled monthly payment is due XX/XX/year>. Santander said they can not freeze that payment and I must still pay by XX/XX/year>XXXX  ( 10 days after the due date ) if my payoff check has not been located. If the check still can not be found, I was told I must cancel it, issue a new payment, and pay additional interest that accrued only because of XXXX delay. 

When I first called on XX/XX/year>, I asked about payoff options. I was told mailing was the only way to pay off in full, though the portal would accept up to {$12000.00} per payment and I could split payments across multiple days. However, when I attempted {$12000.00}, the online portal rejected it. I tried again with {$10000.00}, and it failed again. Despite multiple attempts, the portal rejects payments at or below the stated limit, leaving me with no viable option other than mailing the payoff check. 

The original check was delivered on XX/XX/year>, yet Santander has refused to process it, failed to provide a working alternative payment method, and now seeks to charge unjustified interest for its own delay. 

-- - I am requesting : - Immediate posting of my payoff amount as of XX/XX/year>XXXX  ( the date Santander received my check ). 
- Removal of all interest or fees that accrued due to Santanders handling delays. 
- Provision of a functional, secure payment method in the event a re-payment is necessary. 

I have delivery confirmation from USPS proving Santander received the original payoff check on XX/XX/year>XXXX and I can provide documentation of my failed online payment attempts.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation