Consumer complaint received 2025-09-28 00:00:00
Product: Vehicle loan or lease — Loan
Issue: Repossession — Lender trying to repossess or disable the vehicle
Company: SANTANDER HOLDINGS USA, INC.
State: FL

Complaint narrative:
XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Date : XX/XX/year> To : Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ( CFPB ) XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX Subject : Formal Complaint Wrongful Repossession, Spoliation of Evidence, and Misconduct by Santander Consumer USA Dear Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, I am submitting a formal complaint against Santander Consumer USA regarding its handling of my vehicle after an accident on XX/XX/year>. Santander engaged in a pattern of obstruction and unfair practices that culminated in the wrongful repossession and sale of my vehicle under misleading pretenses, while also destroying critical evidence needed in another open claim with XXXX XXXX. 

Key Issues 1. Misrepresentation of repossession cause Santanders Executive Office confirmed to me that repossession occurred due to impound fees. Yet in a letter dated XX/XX/year>, Santander claimed the cause was 152 days past due. This is inconsistent and misleading. 

2. Failure to secure vehicle/ notify me On XX/XX/XXXX, Santander told me the vehicle would be removed from XXXX XXXX within one week. Instead, it remained there for over six weeks while impound fees ballooned. XXXX informed Santander about the rising costs, but Santander never informed me by letter, phone, or email. 

3. Denial of redemption rights On XX/XX/XXXX, Santander sent me a notice stating I had until XX/XX/XXXX to redeem the vehicle. However, I was not given the payoff/fee breakdown in time. Santander staff verbally acknowledged the amounts on XX/XX/XXXX, yet redemption was simultaneously denied. The written breakdown did not arrive until XX/XX/XXXX two weeks after the deadline. This made redemption impossible.

4. Improper total-loss designation Santander declared my vehicle a total loss even though it was drivable. A professional familiar with vehicle repair ( though not a licensed appraiser ) estimated repairs at {$4000.00} {$6000.00}, far below the vehicles fair market value of {$21000.00}. I believe Santander labeled the vehicle a total loss to facilitate repossession rather than based on its true condition.

5. Spoliation of evidence & interference with XXXX claim On XX/XX/year>, I emailed Santander a spoliation notice demanding that the vehicle be preserved as evidence. Santander called me later that day, proving they received the notice. Despite this, they sold the vehicle the same day for {$5800.00}. This destroyed critical evidence.

I also have an open claim with XXXX XXXX regarding a potential vehicle malfunction. XXXX was informed on XX/XX/year>, and needed to inspect and appraise the vehicle. Santanders actions prevented this inspection, blocking XXXX  investigation and depriving me of key evidence in a separate matter. 

Legal Concerns Santanders actions raise serious concerns under : Florida UCC 679.611 failure to provide reasonable notice of redemption rights.

credit bureaus.

Fair Credit Reporting Act ( FCRA ) misleading reporting of repossession cause to credit bureaus.

FTC Act & Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act ( FDUTPA ) unfair and deceptive practices.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. I am prepared to provide Santanders XX/XX/XXXX letter, my XX/XX/XXXX spoliation email, and other supporting documentation upon request.

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief