Chrysler's debt collection department engages in harrassment techniques in their attempts to collect money.
My husband worked as a third party CDL (commercial drivers licence) examiner in the State of Florida for over 4 years. After 9/11, the state began requiring that ALL third-party CDL examiners be covered by a $200,000 surety bond. Because he and his partner do not have sufficient assets, they were "sponsored" by another company. That company pulled out of Florida due to the slow economy effective 03/31 and since they no longer do business in Florida will not carry the bond. Because of his age and health, combined with the economic situation, he has been unable to find work. My husband is 51 years old and has some health issues, including two herneated discs in his back, torn ligaments in his shoulder, high blood pressure, and Type II diabetes. Because his position as a third-party examiner is regarded as an independent contractor (not an employee), he is not eligible for unemployment benefits.
To further our problems, I was "let go" from my job as part of yet one more workforce reduction on May 08. I had been on the job for more than 20 years. I have many skills which I believe should be able to transfer into another industry; however, those in the position to hire new employees seem to be seeking people with at least two years of experience in the specific line of work being sought or educated for that job in particular. This makes changing careers extremely difficult. I am 42 years old, hold a bachelor's degree, and hold multiple certifications that are recognized only in the construction industry.
As a result of both wage-earners in the household being out of work, we are struggling to keep our home, pay the utilities, and purchase food. I do receive unemployment benefits and have recently begun trying to earn at least SOME money by selling candles at parties. Unfortunately, we have been unable to pay our credit cards or our truck payment (to Chrysler). At this point, we are simply trying to survive. Our daughter, also unemployed, recently returned to live with us in April.
Chrysler Financial calls us multiple times each day. I have spoken to them several days in a row, only to have another representative call the next day and give the same explanation all over again. They do not listen or care that people are having real financial issues. They only want to collect the past-due debt. They have the nerve to suggest that we need to ask a friend to make our payment for us, that we need to ask a family member to put it on their credit card, that we need to put it on OUR credit card (um... Account suspended?), that we need to hold a yard sale... The suggestions are utterly ludicrous.
Knowing that we would be unable to make the payments on the truck, we told Chrysler BEFORE the account ever went over 30 days past due that we needed to return the truck. Every time we speak, they tell me that reposession is not a solution to the problem. They demand the back payment. As a good-faith effort, we found someone who is willing to purchase the truck from us and take over the payments. We had two different people interested. Chrysler refused to send us the application unless the past-due payment was brought current, which we were unable to do. I finally confinced one representative to fax the application to me. My buyer filled it out and I faxed it back. Two weeks later, I was notified by Chrysler Financial that they could not begin to process the application until they received a hard copy in the mail. I mailed it out the next day to the Pennsylania adddress that the representative on the telephone gave me. It has now been over two more weeks, and they still "have not recieved it".
In a recent conversation, I was asked why the new buyer doesn't make up the past due payments (we are now 60 days past due). Who in their right mind is going to pay nearly $800 for a vehicle that they have not yet been approved to own? One of my potetial buyers has backed out because of all this nonsense.
Tonight, I told the Chrysler Financial representative that they are harassing me. I told him that I've explained the situation repeatedly, but that they keep calling me every day. My situation has not changed for the better; I still do not have the money to pay them. I told him not to call me again. He informed me that we have to pay them, and asked him how I am to do that when we are struggling to put food on the table due to being out of work and was asked "WHOSE FAULT IS THAT". I started seeing red at that point. Neither my husband nor I chose to become out of work and we were not "at fault" in our job losses—it was a situation beyond our control.
I asked that they please just come get the truck, and was told that they are not a towing company and that even if I return the truck (GEE, it seems that I offered to do that two months ago!), I will still owe the difference between what they get for it at auction and what was owed.
How can they do this? If I have a buyer in hand who is ready to begin making payments as soon as ownership is transferred, WHY does Chrysler Financial insist on collecting the past-due balance (which we do not have) before they will process my buyer's application? Here they have an opportunity to get the balance paid. At auction, they will be lucky to get a small percentage of what we owe.
I am done talking with Chrysler Financial, since they have no interest in helping my family find an acceptable resolution to this problem. I am considering seeking an attorney; however, I have no idea how I would begin to pay for one.
Michelle
Zephyrhills, Florida
U.S.A.
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