Consumer complaint received 2026-02-21 00:00:00
Product: Mortgage — FHA mortgage
Issue: Trouble during payment process — Trying to communicate with the company to fix an issue while managing or servicing your loan
Company: FIRSTBANK PUERTO RICO
State: PR

Complaint narrative:
This complaint concerns a specific and distinct issue and must be investigated and responded to independently. 

Please do not consolidate this complaint with any other pending complaint. Each matter involves separate facts, separate violations, and requires a separate written response. 

I am filing this complaint against FirstBank Puerto Rico ( XXXX XXXX. XXXX ) regarding the retaliatory blocking of my digital account access following the filing of my appeal with the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX. 

BACKGROUND In their response to CFPB complaints XXXX and XXXX, FirstBank stated that the account 's digital access restrictions were due to an " Active Foreclosure '' coding that was automatically removed on XX/XX/XXXX, when the foreclosure judgment was received. The Bank represented that the blocking was a purely technical and automatic process. 

This representation is contradicted by the following facts : XXXX. ACCOUNT IS CURRENT AND LOAN IS MODIFIED The loan modification was signed on XX/XX/XXXX. As of XX/XX/XXXX, the Bank 's own response confirms the account was current. There is no legitimate basis to block digital access to a current, modified account. 

XXXX. BLOCKING RESUMED IMMEDIATELY AFTER APPEAL FILING On XX/XX/XXXX, I filed an appeal with the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX challenging the dismissal of my counterclaim for damages against FirstBank. That same day, XX/XX/XXXX, FirstBank blocked my access to the XXXX XXXX XXXX again, preventing me from making payments online and from viewing any account information. 

This is the same retaliatory pattern previously documented : XX/XX/XXXX Access blocked while counterclaim was active. 
XX/XX/XXXX FirstBank employee XXXX XXXX, Loss Mitigation Department, explicitly told me the account would not be unblocked until I withdrew my counterclaim. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX  Access restored after counterclaim was dismissed without prejudice. 
XX/XX/XXXX Access in branch was not blocked, automatic payment and was applied same date. 
XX/XX/XXXX Access blocked again the same day I filed my appeal. 

XXXX. THE BANK 'S OWN RESPONSE CONTRADICTS ITSELF FirstBank claims the blocking was automatic and technical. However, the statement made by employee XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX that the account would not be unblocked until I withdrew my counterclaim proves the blocking was deliberate and conditional on my waiving legal rights. A purely automatic technical process does not get conditionally lifted upon withdrawal of a lawsuit. 

XXXX. CURRENT IMPACT As a result of this new blocking, I am unable to view any account information. I am forced to appear in person at a branch location for every payment, where I must instruct a different employee each time on how to process a manual payment ticket because the system blocks normal processing. This occurs despite my account being current and my loan being fully modified and in compliance. The stress and humiliating experience this creates with every payment cycle constitutes ongoing harm directly caused by FirstBank 's retaliatory conduct. 

XXXX. THIS IS RETALIATION FOR PROTECTED LEGAL ACTIVITY The pattern of blocking digital access correlated directly and exclusively with my litigation activity constitutes retaliation for exercising my legal right to seek judicial relief. 

This may violate RESPA, the Consumer Financial Protection Act 's prohibition on unfair, deceptive, or abusive acts or practices ( UDAAP ), and FirstBank 's own obligations as an FHA servicer.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation