Consumer complaint received 2025-03-14 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — Store credit card
Issue: Problem with a company's investigation into an existing problem — Their investigation did not fix an error on your report
Company: Kikoff Inc.
State: ME

Complaint narrative:
Case number Follow up XXXX Dear CFPB Support Team, I am writing to formally appeal the decision to close my complaint with the CFPB ( Case Number:XXXX ). While I understand the CFPB may have submitted responses or updates, I do not believe the case has been fully resolved or appropriately addressed. 

Key Points of Concern : Incorrect Late Payments : My complaint regarding late payments being reported after the account was closed has not been properly addressed. I have documentation ( screenshots ) that show late payments were reported only after the account was closed. This was a clear error and a violation of the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ). 
Unauthorized Sharing of Personal Data : I have concerns that Kikoff shared my personal data without my explicit consent, potentially violating the Maine Data Privacy Act. I did not receive sufficient clarification from Kikoff or the CFPB regarding this issue. 
Failure to Correct Information : Despite submitting evidence that Kikoffs reporting is inaccurate, the CFPB closed the case without ensuring that Kikoff corrected these errors, as required by law. 
Request : I am requesting that the CFPB reopen this case and fully investigate the violations outlined above, particularly the incorrect reporting of late payments and the possible sale of my data to third parties without consent. 
Provide a detailed explanation of why the case was closed and how Kikoffs responses are being considered sufficient despite the evidence Ive provided. 
I appreciate the CFPBs efforts in reviewing complaints and ensuring companies comply with consumer protection laws. However, I believe this matter requires further investigation and action. I look forward to your response and to ensuring this issue is properly addressed. ( Formal complaint ) To : XXXX ( Kikoff ), CFPB, and Whom It May Concern, I am writing to formally address the ongoing issues with the inaccurate reporting and handling of my account by Kikoff, as well as serious concerns regarding the sale of my data to data brokers. It is essential that this matter be rectified immediately, and I am requesting urgent attention from both Kikoff, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ( CFPB ), and any other relevant parties involved Includes Snipets of our follow up conversations. 

1. Contradictions in Reporting Late Payments : As per your email, you stated : " We reported your first payment on XX/XX/XXXX, and we reported the final payment you made on XX/XX/XXXX. The payment you allege that we reported after the account was closed was the final payment you made on XX/XX/XXXX. '' This is factually incorrect. I have screenshots and documentation that show that late payments were reported both before and after the account closure. Your assertion that no late payments were reported is inaccurate, and I demand a full correction of this data. 

Under Section 609 of the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ), inaccurate or incomplete information must be corrected promptly. Since this reporting is incorrect, I expect immediate action to correct the records. 

2. Violation of the FCRA Incorrect Reporting and Delayed Investigation : You further stated : " Regarding your claim that we reported late payments before the account was opened and after it was closed, our records confirm that you opened the account on XX/XX/XXXX, and we reported your first payment on XX/XX/XXXX. '' This is also misleading. Under FCRA Section 605 ( a ), once an account is closed with a {$0.00} balance, no additional charges or payments should be reported unless the account is reopened or there is a legitimate reason for reporting. Since the account was closed, no further reporting should have been made, and late payments should not have been included. 

Further, Section 611 of the FCRA mandates that any dispute raised by a consumer must be investigated and resolved within 30 days. Given that I have provided evidence disputing the late payments and other inaccurate data, I demand that these discrepancies be corrected immediately. 

3. Misrepresentation of the CFPB 's Role : You also stated : " This email is regarding a recent complaint we received on your behalf from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ( CFPB ). We understand the importance of resolving this matter, and we appreciate the opportunity to address your concerns. '' I want to clarify that the CFPB is not an intermediary. The CFPB is a regulatory body, not a mediator, and it is not responsible for resolving individual disputes. Your reliance on the CFPB to claim that the issue is addressed is misleading and shows a misunderstanding of the CFPB 's role in enforcement, not dispute mediation. I will be filing formal complaints with the Maines Attorney Generals Office to further investigate this matter. 

Late Payment and Auto-Pay : I have already explained that I had auto-pay They set up on my account, and therefore there should have been no missed payments. Despite this, I was charged for missed payments. Your response also falsely indicates that late payments were reported, which is not accurate. If auto-pay was on and no payment failures occurred on my end, this raises significant concerns about your system 's handling of my account. I demand that you immediately correct any false reporting on my account. 

4. Violation of Maines Data Privacy Act Sale of Personal Data** : It appears Kikoff has mishandled my personal information, potentially violating Maines Data Privacy Act. The fact that you continue to report incorrect data, including late payments after account closure, raises concerns about whether my data has been misused or sold to data brokers. 

The Maine Data Privacy Act requires explicit consent from consumers for their data to be shared or sold to third parties, including data brokers. If Kikoff has sold or used my personal data without my consent, this constitutes a serious violation of my rights under Maines Data Privacy Act. 

I am requesting that Kikoff immediately cease the sale or sharing of my personal information Or Credit information and ensure that all third-party data brokers or third-party Reporting bureauscorrect any data they may have received from your company. Please provide evidence of how my data has been handled and if it has been sold or transferred to third parties, including data brokers. If so, I expect immediate action to rectify this and remove any inaccurate information from these third parties. 

5. Violation of the Maine Consumer Protection Act : Kikoff 's actions, including misleading information about account balances, false reporting of late payments, and failure to correct discrepancies, likely fall under the Maine Consumer Protection Act ( Title 5, Chapter 10 ). The Maine Consumer Protection Act prohibits unfair trade practices and deceptive practices, including misleading consumers about financial transactions, incorrect reporting, and the handling of personal data. 

6. Request for Immediate Correction and Deletion of Inaccurate Information : As required by Section 611 of the FCRA, I demand that the inaccurate information regarding late payments and account balances be removed from my credit report within 30 days. Additionally, if Kikoff has sold or transferred my personal data, I demand that all third-party data brokers correct their records and remove any false or incomplete information based on inaccurate reports from Kikoff. 

7. Disputing Fraudulent Charges : I will also be disputing any fraudulent charges on my bank statements related to Kikoff. If charges were made to my account without my consent or knowledge after the account was closed, I will be reporting these charges as fraudulentand will notify both the Maine Attorney Generals Office and the FTC. 

Conclusion and Demand for Action : I expect Kikoff, along with the CFPB and any data brokers involved, to take the following actions immediately : Correct and delete all inaccurate information or from my credit report within 30 days as required by the FCRA. 
Provide evidence of how my data has been handled and whether it has been sold or transferred to third parties. 
Cease the sale of my personal data to data brokers and ensure that all third parties correct any inaccurate data. 
Comply with Maines Data Privacy Act and Consumer Protection Act. 
Provide a formal response within 30 days confirming that these actions have been taken Ill be follow up with All three credit bureaus. 
If these issues are not resolved within the required timeframes, I will pursue legal action and escalate the matter to the CFPB, FTC, and Maine Attorney Generals Office. 
Thank you for your immediate attention to this matter. I expect a full resolution of this issue and look forward to your prompt response. 
( End of conversation ) ( Start of Formal complaint ) I am writing to formally address multiple ongoing issues with my account with Kikoff, which remain unresolved. These include incorrect reporting of my account after it was closed, auto-payment issues, and double charges that I should not have been billed. It is imperative that these matters are resolved immediately, as they are causing significant harm to my financial standing and violate multiple consumer protection laws. 

1. Incorrect Reporting of Closed Account : Despite the fact that my account was fully paid off and closed, Kikoff continues to report late payments and other charges long after the account was closed. This is a direct violation of the Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ), particularly under Section 605, which states that no new charges or missed payments should be reported after the account is closed. The account closure must be accurately reflected on my credit report. 

It is misleading and damaging to have reports showing activity, such as late payments, long after the account was closed and fully paid off. I demand that Kikoff immediately correct these inaccuracies and remove any late payments or charges that were reported after the account closure date. 

2. Auto-Pay and Missing Payments : I have repeatedly set up auto-pay on my account to ensure all payments were made on time. However, auto-pay was not reflecting all payments correctly. Even though I made timely payments, Kikoff 's system sometimes showed missing payments, despite the fact that my auto-pay charges went through correctly. 

Other users have experienced similar issues, including double charges in the following month, despite the auto-pay functioning properly and the amounts being processed. This leads to confusion and false reporting of missed payments. Its clear that Kikoffs system is failing to properly track and reflect payments, even though the payments are being processed via auto-pay. 

This issue is causing significant harm to my credit report, as I am being inaccurately reported as having missed payments when in fact all payments were made automatically, and the double charges were processed. I demand that these discrepancies be corrected, and that the late payments reported erroneously be removed from my credit report. 

3. Violation of the FCRA : The failure to report accurate account status after closure and the issues with auto-pay fall under several provisions of the FCRA, including : Section 609, which mandates that information on consumer reports must be accurate and complete. 
Section 611, which requires that disputes raised by consumers must be resolved within 30 days. Since I have disputed these incorrect charges, I demand that Kikoff provide a resolution in the legally required timeframe. 
4. Data Privacy Violations : Given that my personal and financial and credit information appears to have been mishandled, I also have concerns about the potential sale or sharing of my personal data without my consent. As per the Maine Data Privacy Act, Kikoff is required to obtain explicit consent before sharing or selling personal information to third parties. I demand confirmation that my data has not been sold or shared with third parties, including data brokers. If Kikoff has shared my data without my consent, this would constitute a serious violation of my rights under Maines data privacy laws. 

6. Request for Immediate Action : I am requesting that Kikoff, the CFPB, and any other involved parties take the following actions immediately : Correct and delete any inaccurate reporting regarding late payments and account status from my credit report within 30 days as required by the FCRA. 
Provide evidence that my data has not been sold or transferred to third parties without my explicit consent, and if it has been, take steps to rectify this and correct any misinformation with third-party brokers. 
Cease any unauthorized charges and stop any forced renewals that were not explicitly consented to. 
Investigate and resolve the auto-pay and payment reporting issues that are leading to incorrect late payment entries and potential double charges on my account. 
7. Legal Action and Escalation : If these issues are not resolved within the required timeframes, I will escalate this matter further by filing a formal complaint with the FTC, the Maine Attorney Generals Office, and pursuing legal action to ensure that my rights are fully protected. 

8. Conclusion : I expect a formal response confirming that all actions outlined above have been taken within 30 days. Failure to address these issues will result in further legal and regulatory action. 

Best regards, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX.

Company public response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation