Westlake Financial Services, Inc. Provides 'sub-prime' financing for automobiles. People who would need a sub-prime lender are people like me - poor, with little or no credit.
I purchased a 1997 Ford Escort (4-door, sedan) from Midway Ford (which is owned by the same company - the Hankey Group of Companies - as Westlake Financial) in March. Included in my monthly payments was comprehensive/collision coverage with Westlake as the beneficiary. This coverage was required by the contract that I signed with them.
During the first six months, Westlake charged what they explained were late fees and interest charges which increased the amount I would ultimately have to pay by nearly $1,000.
After six months, my monthly payments were increased without prior notice or explanation from $354.04 to $402.48. In California a finance company is required to explain completely any additions to a pre-calculated contract. After repeated telephone calls and letters, which went unanswered, I decided to sue them for the difference between the amount of money I had contracted to pay $354.04 per month for 24 months and the amount of money they wanted me to pay $402.40 per month for 18 months.
After a year of dealing with their lawyers, Molino & Associates, the case is unresolved. (Tony Molino, the head of Molino & Associates is an executive officer (Co-Counsel) for the Hankey Group of Companies.
When I fell behind in my payments, because I am disabled and on a fixed income, an unlicensed recovery company AAMES Associates (Recovery) illegally entered my closed and locked, gated garage and took the car. I have reported the recovery company to the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services, which licenses auto recovery companies and people.
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