Consumer complaint received 2025-06-19 00:00:00
Product: Vehicle loan or lease — Loan
Issue: Getting a loan or lease — Problem with signing the paperwork
Company: SANTANDER HOLDINGS USA, INC.
State: CA

Complaint narrative:
XX/XX/XXXX came from out of state to Ohio buy XXXX truck @ agreed online price of {$22000.00}. get there, bait/switch price by {$2600.00} ( {$610.00} turned out to be unlisted/unauthorized Theft warranty ). Added warranties not authorized or signed or even received. Pre-arrival Had dealer throw in XXXX ( only did XXXX of XXXX requested ), as wouldn't lower ad. price. He Agreed. XXXX used distraction techniques during signing process & was leaning arm across top of papers pointing where to sign & only going over payment amount & length & would quickly remove when signed & were talking like old friends. XXXX XXXX XXXX back trans overheats & grinding gears up down, then sticks in XXXX, pull over & leaking trans fluid. text XXXX rep as highly upset. Manage to get home, took to XXXX XXXX says XXXX Qt still overfilled & damaged gears after found chunks metal in drained fluid. Overfilling trans is what caused the breakdown & is well documented for vehicle or any trans really. left multiple emails/calls/texts w/dealer that wanted contract price fixed & warranties cancelled & wouldn't respond until XXXX & then says " use the VSC '' I don't have any paperwork & you gave me a XX/XX/XXXX % Powertrain warranty. Says will get the {$2000.00} " signed off '' & send me papers for warranty claim & their XXXX pt inspection, XXXX report XXXX XXXX work order, as now claiming that's what the {$610.00} was for. I hear nothing for 4 days after many messages until I file XXXX & that afternoon I get XXXX of XXXX w/forged unauthorized electronic signature on it. Reviewing it I notice it's not the same Company listed on my contract. None of them were correct, XXXX isn't even a XXXX company after investigating. XXXX the claim XXXX & they sent me ALL XXXX pgs of contract they received & NONE have my signature on them. I sent them one I had. They were shocked. I got copies from EVERY correct warranty company & NOT XXXX has my signature on it. I was able to cancel all warranties & get refunded & off my contract. XX/XX/XXXX XXXX called & denied claim as dealer gave me a XX/XX/XXXX % powertrain warranty, XXXX XXXX & that has to come XXXX as still valid. Informed dealer, no response, left messages even for XXXX, emails requesting XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX the {$2000.00} & no response. Informed them I would file XXXX if they kept ignoring issues. XX/XX/XXXX they responded to BBB saying {$2000.00} was fair, yet NEVER produced a check or even confirmed XXXX was coming after XXXX. Wont acknowledge responsibility for their warranty. XXXX communication from dealer personally after this & I have all records, until XXXX. XXXX I received copy of Ohio title/cover page stating a 6 % sales tax was pd to Ohio & XXXX total sales price was different from my contract as I'm titling in Oregon & has no sales tax. After the " fraud '' issue this finance person already had done I was concerned so called XXXX to see what their copy of contract had on it. They hadn't received from XXXX so requested it XXXX & on XXXX they sent me what they received ( XXXX ). I immediately called & told them it was a forgery & NOT the contract I have in my possession & signed at the dealership. I sent them that contract & XXXX pieces of evidence w/my actual signature. It is being investigated by their fraud dept. at this time. After finding this out, on XXXX sent dealer a Demand letter for {$42000.00} = {$2000.00} overcharge + {$8600.00} ( full trans repair as their tech overfilling caused it ) XXXX XXXX Treble damages for TILA, XXXX & Magnuson-Moss warranty Act violations. ONLY after that XXXX did XXXX try to call me & I wouldn't respond until heard back from Ohio XXXX as filed report w/them as well XXXX. Again responses in XXXX file from dealer I can prove are lies & not even correct info in it, I have all documentation to contradict. Again not acknowledging their warranty responsibility. Repeatedly asked in writing & text & phone messages for paperwork to file claim, the XXXX report, XXXX XXXX XXXX they said they do, flushings work order if I'm supposedly suppose to pay for it yet it's not listed anywhere. NOTHING, last XXXX response XX/XX/XXXX says " verbally '' offered to buy truck back & pay shipping, no {$10000.00} reimbursement, or payments made or cost of trip there. I can prove this is a lie as well! XXXX was sent every piece of communication/phone logs/texts/emails/contracts & warranties etc, w/dealer & these warranty companies & lender. They kept file as I'm asking for more reimbursement so can't do much individually she said. Filed Police report XX/XX/XXXX for forgery & sent them all documents, wont put resources to it as calling it a civil matter. Dealer denied to them it is happening there, of course. This dealer was informed in mid XXXX I would pursue XXXX if they didn't honor their commitments. I believe this is why they altered the contract, ( well XXXX pgs not the others ), not realizing I was the one the XXXX was requesting a copy of contract for. Trying to cover their deceitful business practices, I XXXX XXXX  believe. XX/XX/XXXX I filed for Arbitration seeking {$75000.00} in total damages, the Demand letter amount {$42000.00} + {$32000.00} for punitive damages of Undue emotional & financial stress, Interest on CC charge, Travel to/from Ohio & XXXX XXXX XXXX committing fraud. I've hired a private forensics forgery expert as well for XXXX. I have a complete XXXX of events from day I called XX/XX/XXXX, w/documents attached ready for my XXXX case. This only let me add XXXX doc 's. The Ohio XXXX has all of this as well.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation