Complaint Review: Self Inc Financial - Austin Texas

Self Inc. Credit Builder Loan FRAUD

I opened a credit builder account at https://www.self.inc. The website claims to build your credit by creating an installment loan that they add to your credit report, and I make the payments into a CD account for 12 months, or faster if I want. After the payments are made in full, they're supposed to give the money back.

They verify me BEFORE opening the account asking for my address, date of birth and social security number. After everything was verified, they opened an installment loan on my credit report for $1,663. I opened the account on 7/24/2022.

Self Inc. Credit Builder - They Do Not Give The Money Back

Now after I paid off the installment loan, they're supposed to give the money back to me. Because it's not a real loan, they never gave me any money. They just created an installment loan on my credit report for $1,663. After I pay that amount into their CD account, it's supposed to show the installment loan is paid and closed, and they return the money.

After I paid the full amount within 3 months, they don't want to return the money because I think they are running a ponzi. I don't think the money was deposited into a CD account and they don't have the money.

They are telling me that I need to verify my identity to prove my identity and keep the account open. But the account is paid in full and closed already. They're asking me to verify my identity by sending them my bank statements to prove I paid for the installment loan. They want to look through all bank statements for the past 3 months to prove the money came out of my account to pay the installment loan before they give me my money back.

Self Inc. Credit Builder Fake CD Account

This is not how a CD account works. Your identity is verified before you open any type of bank account. You don't have to send bank statements to prove to put money into a CD account to withdraw your money. 

I read their reviews too late, and they do this to everyone who pays off the loan earlier than 12 months. That's their trick, they think they won't have to pay the money back until 12 months later because it's a 12 month installment. So if you pay off the loan early, they don't even have the money to give back to you. That's a ponzi scheme. 

Self Inc. Credit Builder - Do Not Open An Account Here

They have no problems opening the account for you, but when its time for them to give you your money back, suddenly they pretend like they don't know who you are and you need to take picture holding your ID, send all your bank statements, and other weird stuff they know people won't do. If you refuse to do it, they just keep your money and keep sending you to a page that explains why they're asking for those verification documents. But the page they send you to is about verification documents they might ask you to provide BEFORE opening an account.

I don't get a real response from the company. Just the same pre-written email telling me to send them my bank statements, and a link to the page talking about documents they might require BEFORE opening an account. Stay away from this company. If you need to boost your credit, just ask a friend with good credit to add you as an authorized user to a low balance/paid off credit card. Done.