Santander Consumer

Santander Consumer will not issue a refund for an overpayment of $400 and outright refuse to help me! Fort Worth, Texas

7th of Jan, 2011 by User622147

I held an auto loan through Soveriegn Bank, which was sold (without notice) to a company called Santander Consumer USA. I recently traded that vehicle, and a payoff, in full, was sent to the company by the dealership from which I bought the new vehicle. I contacted Santander, and informed them that the automatic debit for the car payment was to be terminated immediately. (I attempted to do this through my online account at SantanderConsumerUsa.com, but was unable to sign in....a problem which many of the consumers on the complaint websites seem to have in common). The customer service representative stated that there was something wrong with the website, and that they would have to terminate the withdraw themselvesl. I confirmed that no payment for October, 2010, would be removed from my checking account, and I was assured that it would not be.

Needless to say, a payment in the amount of $399.95 was automatically debited from my account in October 2010, for a vehicle that I no longer had in mypossession, and for a loan that had been paid off, in full. When I contacted Santander, a supervisor stated that I should have never been told that they would terminate the automatic payment, and that they didn't have the authority to do that. After an hour on the phone, I finally got them to terminate the autopay. I also called my bank and informed them that my consumer relationship with Santander had ended and that they were to inform me of any transactions attempted by that company. At that time, Santander informed me that the 399.95 overpayment would be refunded automatically to me within 30-45 days. That was on roughly October 27th, 2010. It is now January 8th, 2011, and I have yet to receive my refund. Customer service repeatedly states that they can do nothing for me and that the accounting department is in charge of refunds. They will not allow me to speak to the accounting department. Multiple reps and supervisors tell me that there is no one else for me to speak to, and that consumers are not permitted to speak to the accounting department. When they review my account, they see no "record" of a refund being issued to me. Multiple supervisors have stated that they would "email" the accounts department for a resolution to my problem and that they would call me back with updates. I have not received any phone calls. During one of my numerous, lengthy phone calls to this company on December 20th, I was told by a customer service rep that the refund had been issued on December 17th, and that I should be receiving it in the mail. When I called back on January 4th because I had not yet received a check, I was told (by a Supervisor) that she "couldn't understand why any customer service rep would give me that information, because it was not true. No check was issued....and in fact....there is no record of the accounting department even reviewing my account for a refund." I do not know what steps to take from here. I am reporting this company to the Dallas BBB and The Federal Trade Commission. I live in Pennsylvania, so I am unable to resolve this issue with someone face to face....I am forced to deal with this company over the phone. Customer Service reps and supervisors just outright refuse to help, or forward me to someone that can help. Any information about this company, or advice on what I should do next would be greatly appreciated. I held an auto loan through Soveriegn Bank, which was sold (without notice) to a company called Santander Consumer USA. I recently traded that vehicle, and a payoff, in full, was sent to the company by the dealership from which I bought the new vehicle. I contacted Santander, and informed them that the automatic debit for the car payment was to be terminated immediately. (I attempted to do this through my online account at SantanderConsumerUsa.com, but was unable to sign in....a problem which many of the consumers on the complaint websites seem to have in common). The customer service representative stated that there was something wrong with the website, and that they would have to terminate the withdraw themselvesl. I confirmed that no payment for October, 2010, would be removed from my checking account, and I was assured that it would not be. Needless to say, a payment in the amount of $399.95 was automatically debited from my account in October 2010, for a vehicle that I no longer had in mypossession, and for a loan that had been paid off, in full. When I contacted Santander, a supervisor stated that I should have never been told that they would terminate the automatic payment, and that they didn't have the authority to do that. After an hour on the phone, I finally got them to terminate the autopay. I also called my bank and informed them that my consumer relationship with Santander had ended and that they were to inform me of any transactions attempted by that company. At that time, Santander informed me that the 399.95 overpayment would be refunded automatically to me within 30-45 days. That was on roughly October 27th, 2010. It is now January 8th, 2011, and I have yet to receive my refund. Customer service repeatedly states that they can do nothing for me and that the accounting department is in charge of refunds. They will not allow me to speak to the accounting department. Multiple reps and supervisors tell me that there is no one else for me to speak to, and that consumers are not permitted to speak to the accounting department. When they review my account, they see no "record" of a refund being issued to me. Multiple supervisors have stated that they would "email" the accounts department for a resolution to my problem and that they would call me back with updates. I have not received any phone calls. During one of my numerous, lengthy phone calls to this company on December 20th, I was told by a customer service rep that the refund had been issued on December 17th, and that I should be receiving it in the mail. When I called back on January 4th because I had not yet received a check, I was told (by a Supervisor) that she "couldn't understand why any customer service rep would give me that information, because it was not true. No check was issued....and in fact....there is no record of the accounting department even reviewing my account for a refund." I do not know what steps to take from here. I am reporting this company to the Dallas BBB and The Federal Trade Commission. I live in Pennsylvania, so I am unable to resolve this issue with someone face to face....I am forced to deal with this company over the phone. Customer Service reps and supervisors just outright refuse to help, or forward me to someone that can help. Any information about this company, or advice on what I should do next would be greatly appreciated.

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Comments

4905 days ago by Idonea

My complaint is exactly the same as yours. I literally started two days after the old truck was paid off by my dealer. I continue to get the same run around, even down to the "will get a call back", even 2 hang-ups from them. Inresearch I found the name of Christy Walker and three phone numbers; 817-605-4911, 888-276-7202 and 877-374-8305. I plan to continuely call these numbers till I speak to a human being who is not plugged into the same 30-45 days. Have also contacted my dealer as well as a lawyer to see what else can be done. When I was told that I should just make the payment on my new vehicle and I would get the refund when I get it.. Well, I'm from a family where you don't try to scam and they just pissed off the wrong woman...
Call the numbers. Keep calling them.. If I find new ones (if they attempt to disconnet the above) I will post them here.
Good luck!