Complaint Review: Westlake Financial - Los Angeles California

We have a Ford truck which was purchased through a local used and new dealer. Our truck is used, and the original amount in question was around $4,000. My husband found a better paying job than where he was working, got hired, gave 2 weeks notice to the previous employer, and worked for the new company for about a week and a half. He was then laid off, leaving us with no income, as I am a stay at home mom. He is very good at finding work and getting hired, and found a full-time and part-time job immediately after being laid off. However, we had to wait about two weeks to get paid (duh). This put us at about a month or so behind on our truck payment (as well as any other payments we have to other lenders/general bills). Please be aware that, before this, we were able to afford our truck payments and other payments reasonably well with income from the company that did not pay as well. We are financed on the truck through Westlake Financial. Our account manager's name appears to be Rick. The same guy has claimed to be Chris and I believe Matt, at one time. We told him the first time we were behind that we needed an extension on our time to pay. Rick, Chris, or Matt said this was okay. Within that week, we got harassing phone calls and were asked, "Where is your payment?" The DAY BEFORE we had promised to send payment AS AGREED, "Chrickatt" called demanding us to wire the money immediately, or else!! My husband very calmly assured this man that the money would be in our account the next day and could be paid to Westlake as agreed previously. Rick/Chris/Matt stated in a rude tone that that agreement never occurred and that we must pay now. My husband, not wanting a repossession to occur, reluctantly sent the remains of our bank account to Westlake within the hour, per this CSR's demand. My husband got laid off AGAIN with his most recent company and we are faced again with not enough funds to make a full payment to Westlake or anyone else. We will have the full payment due in about a week or so, because my husband finally has a job with a reputable company which does not lay people off like the locally owned companies do (which he's been employed by recently). All the other billers/companies totally understand, including our landlord and utility companies, but Westlake has declared that a repo man will come and get our car tomorrow morning if we don't send in at least $190 by then. Rick was with whom I conversed today, and we had a very heated discussion. He implied that I would be taken to jail if the truck is repo'd, and other rubbish which I know is false. He said he's never heard of the Fair Credit Act. Ha, ha!! Does he have a lot to learn. He keeps asking me personal questions and insulting my intelligence, and flat out lies to me. He said that we could only do a check over the phone or a debit card payment over the phone if we have made consistent ontime payments up till now (which would prevent US from doing such a payment). He says NO Credit card payments whatsoever. THEN, later, when he thinks that we might have the money to pay him (because we asked hypothetically how we could pay today if we did have the money right now), he declares in a suddenly pleasant tone that he can set up a credit card payment over the phone right now and will only charge it one time. I remind him that he said that Westlake takes debit only, not credit, and he says that no, he never said any such thing. So I tell him that this conversation is being recorded (his own company states that it is before you talk to a rep) and he tells me that he is flagging my account and that the authorities will be contacted for my illegal recording of our conversation. I decide to play his game to see what his reaction will be, and ask him how he knows that the authorities aren't already involved? He then acts nervous and says that our conversation is ended and to pay or have the truck taken away, and goodbye. Click. Dial tone. That's it. I was not recording him, his company was, and it should be on record that he's a lying idiot. I warn anyone who is offered business with this lender to RUN AWAY, do not look back, and find help elsewhere. By the way, Westlake Financial has a grade of "F" with the BBB!!! That should tell us something!

Rebecca

Yakima, Washington

U.S.A.