Citifinancial Auto
Car Repossessed Twice Despite Deferred Payments, Harassing Calls

Citifinancial Auto has put me through 2 1/2 years of harassing calls, bloated fees, condescending representatives, and false promises. Like most people, I have been having financial difficulties over the past year.

In late June I contacted them to advise that I would be catching up my account by July 6th. At that time I was just over 90 days behind. I had a reimbursement pay coming that would enable me to pay off the past due balance and the upcoming payment. The rep stated "that is not good enough. It has to be paid by the end of the month or else" and "why are you past due, what's going on that you are so late". The guy was so condescending and rude that I just gave up and hung up the phone.

The following week, on Monday morning, I went downstairs and my car was gone. I called them up and they demanded almost $3000 to get my car back. Let's do the math: my payment is $441/mo. I was 3 payments behind, plus the one coming due for July 26th. That is about $1764. Citi charged me $500 in repo fees, and then the local company that picked up the car had its own charge of $400. It was insane. I called them about the payment and they picked up my car anyway. I managed to get some family to help with the fees and was able to get the car back.

In January I started falling behind again. This time I kept making payments for whatever I could: $300, $250, whatever I could, whenever I could. My auto insurance lapsed and they were notified. I got insurance again, but Citi started charging me $115/mo for "insurance". When I contacted them about this, they refused to remove the charges. So now my $441 payment is $556. I struggled along with the payments but managed to keep it from being more than 60 days past due.

In early September I was close to 60 days past due, and I knew the 9/26 payment was due. I contacted them because I had a large medical expense coming up and knew I would be falling behind again. They offered me a payment extension of 2 months if I paid the July and August payments that were past due. The rep told me how much to pay, I paid it, and I was told my Sept and Oct payments were deferred. So you can imagine my shock when my car was repo'd again the Wednesday before Thanksgiving.

When I spoke with the recovery department, they even admitted seeing the notes in the system from the rep about the payments being deferred. I actually had the money for the Sept and Oct payments and could have paid them, but they did not care at all. The recovery people told me I had to pay the full amount of the loan, about $22K, to get the car back. What?! So I told them to keep the car.

Trying to get my personal effects and tag from the car was a nightmare. The place is only open 10a-4p (and yes, they take a lunch break), and I had to make an appointment and pay them $85. I was able to finance another car. Folks, the other lenders know how horrible Citi is; I had no problem getting another loan. The new lender just wanted a letter from Citi stating that I truly do not have that loan or car anymore. Citi refused to fax the letter or any kind of statement saying that I do not have the car anymore. Their excuse was that they have to send the letter through the legal department. I cannot be the first person to get another car and need a letter clarifying my loan status with their company. Personally, I think they were just giving me a hard time because I said I needed it for my new car.

I hate that I now have a repo on my credit, but in some ways it was a blessing in disguise. I got a better car, with a much better payment. I had financed with this company in the past and never had issues, so I really look forward to being back with them now. While with Citi, as soon as I was 1 day late, their autodialer would ring my phone up to ten times a day, from 8:30a to 8:30p. If you answer, it hangs up. When you call back the number, it is answered by Citifinancial. Then they would call my friends and family. They would call my office. If I did not answer, they would hit 0 and tell the receptionist who they were and that "it is an urgent matter, please find her now". I found out that the Fair Credit and Collections Act states that you can specify when and where a collector contacts you.

When I called them and said the multiple calls a day and calling my office were unacceptable, they at first denied doing it, then said they have the right to do it. So I sent the FCCA information to them by mail and fax and said that if they called my job one more time, I was suing. If they called my family and friends one more time, I was suing. If they called my phone more than once per day, I was suing. Then suddenly they were able to take my work phone and reference numbers off their system. By the way, whoever you provided as references when you got the loan, they will call them when you are more than 30 days past due. They call your friends and family and tell them that they need to speak with you urgently about your car. They are in it to humiliate and harass you.

My suggestion is that if you do not intend to keep your payments paid on time, and I mean paid as soon as the bill hits the mail, then do not go with Citi. The moment you fall behind, they treat you like trash and take advantage with interest, fees, and repos.

Company: Citifinancial Auto
Country: USA
State: Texas
City: Coppell
Phone: 8004861750
Site: citifinancialauto.com

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