I am filing a complaint on Westlake Financial Services. I purchased a car in May it was financed through Westlake Financial out of Los Angeles, California. Here is the complete details concerning the transaction.
I had offered the dealership $2500.00 down to see if I could get financed.
The dealership found Westlake Financial to possibly do the financing, the dealership had asked if I could put more money down, they asked this after speaking with Westlake several times, there was a total of three instances in which they kept insisting on more money.By the time it was all done and said, I had put down a total of approximately $4000.00, including extended warranty extras.
I knew the date my first payment was to be sent in but I did not receive a payment book after that ever. I had contacted them several times concerning this and each time I spoke to someone different who would take care of sending me my payment book - to this day, I never received one, a year and a half later.
During the first 6 months of the loan, I had moved, in one of my calls concerning my payment book, I gave a representative my new address, as well as phone number. I continued to send my payment in by a certain date each month by western union or mail.
One day I receive a phone call at the personal home where I was employed, a representative from Westlake Financial called me at my employment to ask if I wanted to change my due date. I told her no, keep things as they are but I would like my payment book sent to me, she asked me for my address and phone.
This would be the fifth time I gave Westlake my personal information, as far as current address and phone. Each representative would assure me that they had my contact information correct in the computer.
I might add, each representative that I had ever dealt with was spanish and did not speak or understand english very well at all, it was quite aggravating, and to make matters worse, it was always someone different.in making my payments, I kept every money order receipt or western union receipt.
The following month, people that I put down as references were receiving phone calls concerning my car payment, although not one representative contacted me. I had found out that Westlake had changed my due date and it was making the account look like it was behind. I angrily contacted Westlake and left several messages telling them I wanted it changed back to the original date immediately. This is where the big trouble started.
Not only were my references being contacted but Westlake had somehow started contacting people that were either friends, acquaintances, or individuals I barely knew, at first I could not figure out why and how they were interfering with people, besides my listed references.
I soon found out, they were getting into old phone bills from another past residence. Due to Westlake not putting in the correct address changes and phone in their computers that I given them several times to different representatives, they were looking for me through, not only illegal means but through an old address where I had not lived in almost a year.
I decided at that point to just continue paying my car payment, and tell my references not to have any communication with them and I was going to do the same. It did no good talking to them.
From that point on, the harassing calls continue, my references have received all kinds of calls till late in the evening from Spanish speaking individuals telling my references that they are an old friend who wants to send me their wedding invitation, they want to invite me to a party, they went to school with me and they want to come and visit, they want to send me a birthday present etc. Just ridiculous tall tales, it's just harassment. My references can barely understand what the representatives are saying.
Westlake would have my current address and contact information had they done their job. The harassing calls then turned into collection calls, saying that I am behind and they want to come and pick up the car.
When I finally got fed up and called Westlake after a few months of no contact, one representative told me I was 80 some days behind, another told me that I was just a month behind. I could not get the truth out of anyone.
I was then switched over to another representative who told me that if I pay $100.00 I would be ok, I argued with her, questioning the extra $100.00 payment, then she brought up that if I pay $80.00 I would be ok. She kept lowering her figures. The lady in collections just kept trying to wheel and deal with all kinds of figures and amounts and absolutely NONE of it made any sense!
If I was 80 some days behind, how in the world would $100 get me off a repossession list when my car payment is $231.06 a month??? Then she started threatening me, with when and how it should be paid or else I would lose my car.
In the meantime, while I was on the phone with Westlake, some of my references were also receiving calls from representatives from Westlake! No communication or arrangements were EVER documented. I also stated that I needed my payment book to see where I was at, I have all money order receipts, as well as western union receipts.
The only thing that I can see from my receipts is that there were several months that the loan payment was not made on the same date each month and one month, only a half a payment was made. So, I might consider that I may have been a half a payment behind.in the last three weeks, as of today, I have sent in $693.18 just to make sure that any late fees and/or payment is taken care of.
The lady called my references again today threatening repossession again if another payment is not made. I have not received any contact from this company of any sorts and I still have no payment book!
I filed complaints with the BBB, which also has complaints against Westlake and I filed complaints with The Federal Trade Commission, who advised me to send Westlake a "cease communication" certified letter and I filed complaints with The Department of Corporations.
I also investigated the company on the internet, there are all kinds of complaints against Westlake with the same, exact, identical problems I have experienced. I have contacted other individuals who are dealing with Westlake and their inappropriate behavior and practices.
I would be very interested in being involved in a class action lawsuit, if it resumes. Some consumer agency has got to absolutely do something about this financial institution. This is not about people having trouble paying back loans, it's mafia-like business practices.
And I neglected to also mention that the representatives are rude, smartalecs, and the representatives have hung up on the references, as well as the other individuals that they have contacted through illegal means.
I want Westlake Financial investigated, that's how I want this problem resolved. When you have many, many customers who all have the exact, identical problems and experiences with this company, that should tell somebody something.
Holly
Edinburgh, Indiana
U.S.A.
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