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Santander Consumer USA

Santander Consumer USA review: mishandling of purchased autoloan 42

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7:18 am EDT
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Santander is a vicious, predatory lender with no hesitation to harass and attempt to intimidate customers, including people who never wanted to be its customers, never applied to it for credit and want nothing to do with santander.

I have an autoloan with soverign bank which was sold to santander. Because I pay my bills ahead of time rather than waiting until the last minute I paid the july 2009 payment to soverign as I had for several years. I was then informed that it was to have been paid to santander. I have provided faxed proof to santander of the july payment to soverign from my bank through which the payment was made, that it was made. I made my august payment to santander on time.

Santander's call centers continue to call my home and harass my family desipte being provided bank evidence, from my bank that the loan payment was made not only on time but in advance in july. The staff is demeaning, abrupt, impolite, antagonistic and unresponsive to demands to speak with supervisors.

They have demanded we pay them and we recover the money from soverign or else provide copies of the front and back of the check for the july payment. Of course it was an electronic transaction between my bank and soverign, which santader no doubt knows so there is no "check" for there to be a front or back of...

This may be how they do business in latin america or europe but it is unacceptable in the us. Do not do busines with this company. Do not do business with any of its subsidiaries or any comany you know does business with santander.

And the calls from santander comtinue. I am bringing this to the attention of my ri state representative, to congressman patrick kennedy my representative in congress and the banking regulators in rhode island. Believe me I am going to fight back.

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42 comments
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Jose B.B.
Colorado Springs, Colorado, US
Aug 30, 2021 5:58 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

TOURISTS IN OAXACA CITY : BEWARE !

ATTN: EL DIRECTOR of BANCO SANTANDER, Ave. Independencia 705; Centro, Oaxaca City

TO: DIrector - Banco Santander, Ave. Independencia, Oaxaca City, MEXICO

El jueves 26 de agosto, usé un cajero automático en el vestíbulo. Se comó mi tarjeta. Regresé el viernes 27 de agosto, a las 9 de la mañana. su empleado llamado Omar devolvió mi tarjeta alrededor de las 11 am. Necesitaba $ para ir al aeropuerto, así que inserté mi tarjeta Charles Schwab en el cajero automático al lado de la ventana. ¡Se comó mi tarjeta! Se lo dije a Omar. Él imedó que me sentara. No dio un #. ¿Después de esperar 30? minutos agarré un #. Le dije a Desk 7 mi problema. Ella le dijo a Teller #1. Omar regresó. Me dijo que mi tarjeta NO estaba en la máquina. Eso significa, ¿soy un mentiroso? Señalé a la cámara. Me dijo que no puede revisar las cámaras. No me miraba a los ojos. Regresé con un traductor, pero (Senorita Maria des de hotel) Omar dijo que no puedo conocerte porque no puedes hablar inglés!? ¿Es Omar el director secreto? No revisar las cámaras = enterrar la cabeza en la arena. Revise las cámaras para el Viernes 27 de agosto -- TIme: Alrededor del mediodía. Llevaba una camiseta negra y un sombrero de béisbol negro. José Baker, TEL.: [protected]; condorcet-alpha@ protonmail.com

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Gladys McCollough
, US
Jun 18, 2020 7:49 am EDT

Gladys McCollough
I would like to join this lawsuit settlement. I have been a victim of Santander as well. I also had a car finance thru Santander,

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Robert andress
Utica, US
Feb 06, 2022 10:52 pm EST

How do I sue Santander USA. I didn't have good credit and they still put me in a vehicle, with monthly payments of 652. I make payments every two weeks because I don't make a lot of money. Can someone please help

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Emily Northcliffe
, US
May 08, 2018 7:43 pm EDT

WORST COMPANY ON THE PLANET! THEY SHOULD BE SUED BY THE FEDS!

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unhappyercustomer
Danville, US
Mar 03, 2014 10:35 am EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

We are also having trouble. We refinanced a loan with them and paid off the other loan in December. Even received a letter that the loan was paid in full. In January they took a payment for the old loan and again on Feb 28th they took another payment. The owe us over $1300.00 and they will not reverse. I have filed a complaint with the US Treasury and the bank asked for 60 days. In the meantime we are out the money. They still take out the payment for the new loan. I will be moving my accounts to a different bank as soon as I can refinance. Hopefully within the month. Santander Bank sucks and the manager at the local branch is absolutely useless. She will not return calls. She does not know what she is talking about. At every turn we have been lied to. I just wish I knew about the problems before we refinanced with them.

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evie7
Belper, GB
Mar 26, 2013 2:30 pm EDT

I have been travelling in South America for two months. Santander stopped my debit card when I was in Brazil and left me with no access to my funds in Rio, I then joined a tour and the tour leader let me use his computer to call Santander. Their security department then appear to keep asking security questions until you get them wrong then asked me to send copies of my passport and card which I did, these they told me were too dark so I had to send them another two times until they were acceptable( from a chemists shop in the middle of Brazil). I then informed them I was travelling to Peru. They again blocked my card when I was in Lima claiming card had been compromised and when going through the transactions the only suspicious trasactions were me withdrawing money from ATMs. The called my mobile even though I asked them not to and used my credit, my mobile company charges when I am abroad. Had me a single woman traveller running around Lima at night trying to get phone credit. One of their staff said he would remove the block on my card but did not and when I tried to call the next day I had to go through the same security process again. End result single female stranded in Lima Peru with no phone credit and no access to money. Thanks for nothing Santander, avoid this bank like the plague, they have no processess and no recolection of what they have been previously informed of. They stopped my card previously when I was abroad in Europe for not supplying my details, when they had lost the paperwork!

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Boatbroke
Crisfield, US
Aug 08, 2012 3:59 am EDT

I had a boat loan with GEMB lending. Outfit was OK to do business with and everything was OK. Then one day I found my loan had been sold to Santander. OK, well, Iost my job (who hasen't these days) and got behind a bit. Trying to catch up. One of our neighbors were called by Santander telling her to tell us to call them. So anyhow, I get a chance to sell the boat for less than what was owed. I was told by them that a short sale was OK. Get a contract, contract refused by one of their "Vice Presidents" so I'm told. "We won't accept that." I was told. How do you get rid of these people?

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suckysantander
Streamwood, US
Jun 11, 2011 3:11 am EDT

santander - a company run by people who have no ethics. No personal feelings, no empathy, no policies, and no processes. I have had the worst exp with them since CitiFinancial sold the loan. All payments made, two deferments by my requests and all acceptable and reasonable, THEN it turned to [censored]...calls 12 times a day...AT LEAST. 5 different people telling me 5 different processes. I even had a recorded conversation that was null and void and put me into a late payment status. I am completely done with them. NOT TO MENTION...THEIR CLAIM OF NOT ACCEPTING SETTLEMENTS IS STUPID. Here is why, they will have to sell at auction and not get what is owed, nor will they EVER get the money from me.

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linylarry
Bethpage, NY, US
Apr 28, 2011 10:58 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Santander just took over our boat loan from GEMB lending. All of a sudden my monthly payment, which has been the same since 1998, jumped an additional $30. When I called for an explanation they told me that I owed late fees from 3 different payments dating all the way back to the beginning of the loan in 1998. GEMB never once communicated this amount to me. It never appeared on any statements or letters of any kind. Plus we're meticulous about paying our bills on time. Late fees are unheard of for us. Anyway, now, all of sudden, Santander claims I owe them this money. They did say that if I can prove the payments were made on time way back then that they would wave the fees. They may as well have asked me to prove how many angels dance on the head of a pin. I don't know anyone who keeps canceled checks or bank statements for 13 years - I certainly don't. How do I dispute this? And how come GEMB never said anything for all this time? What's worse, when I asked the representative if I could speak to her supervisor she thought she had put me on hold but didn't, and uttered some vulgarities about me that I clearly heard. And when I finally got a supervisor it was like talking to a robot - over and over: "If you can prove that you made those payments on time we'll waive the fees. Otherwise you're responsible for them". Even worse - I never chose to do business with these nasty, horrible crooks - they were thrust on me by my former bank. I have no idea who even to complain to. I'd love some suggestions here.

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chaypower
, GB
Mar 19, 2011 11:09 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I have a Santander credit card with a resonable amount of credit on. I recently lost my wallet so the only access to funds I had until my new cards turned up was to use this card which was the only one not in my wallet fortunately – or so I thought!. I work away from home frequently and travel by my own vehicle.

Today I travelled up north to work a good 4 hours from home armed with my trusty Santander credit card for any eventuality. I worked my shift and pulled into a petrol station to fuel up before travelling home and brimmed my van with fuel. I went to pay for my diesel to find my card was declined! I could not beleive it – the card had at least £5K of credit on it and I couldnt get fuel!I decided this must be a huge misunderstanding and stood in the petrol station and called Santander to sort it out – oh dear card services dont work on Saturday afternoons but if my card is lost or stolen then I can speak to a human. As I had no other way of paying for my fuel and I was getting desperate I called lost and stolen to be told there was nothing I could do until Monday morning and oh by the way – theycould tell me that they had removed my £5K agreed credit and I can have 1.6K which was already on the card so there was no credit left. Nice of them to call me or write to me to inform me they would be reducing the credit on my card!

I am now stuck 4 hours north of my home trying to get home to my wife and sick child – (reason I was rushing home) who has, by the way just been rushed into hospital and at present I cant get there! and Santander are unable to help until Monday! I have no money, no way of paying for any accomodation and unable to pay for fuel. I have held a very healthy bank account with Santander and they have now seen fit to pull a stunt like this! Can someone tell me what kind of Customer Service is this? This is the second time in as many months I have had an issue like this with Santander – the last time I got a very apologetic phone call from my Bank manager after I threatened to close and move my account to a more reputable bank – they talked me round and promised nothing like this would ever happen again- and here we are 2 months on. As you can imagine I am furious at the moment and still trying to get home.
This service is outrageous and I intend to ruffle as many feathers and rattle every possible cage this time!

I will be closing all my Santander accounts and will be transfering my mortgage to an alternative supplier as soon as I get home.

Santander you can shove your inadequate highly unproffessional customer service where the sun dont shine!

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nirem8
Boston, US
Mar 11, 2011 8:58 pm EST

Crooks all the way around. I sold my car in July 2010. In August they withdrew the payment for the car from my account. When I called the cs rep told me it was my responsbility to 'turn off' my direct withdrawal and although I did not owe the money they took, I wouldn't get it back. No I am not kidding. I got the problem resolved in August, only to get a letter in Feb. 2011 saying I owe them the money they gave back to me in August 2010. I6 calls and 3 hours of my life later, it's not resolved. They keep telling me they will 'send my account for review' and someone will call me in 3 days. That is there way of getting me off the phone. I am writing their CEO to get it resolved.
Thoman G. Dundon
Chief Executive Office & President
Santander Consumer USA
8585 North Stemmons Freeway
Dallas, TX
75247

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ionic
, US
Feb 15, 2011 11:28 pm EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Santander is probably the worst company I have ever dealt with, bar none. Before I had bill pay set up through my bank, I made a one-time payment by phone using my checking account. I asked the lady taking my payment if Santander stored my bank information for this one payment and she reassured me they do not.

They lied.

One day after I paid my normal car payment, a strange partial payment was debited from my account. I called Santander and they told me they weren't showing any payments of that amount on my account. I called my bank to begin a fraud investigation and reverse the charges.

Today I received a letter in the mail from Santander that, yes, they did debit my checking account for a partial (WTF) payment and *I* had authorized it. When I asked to hear the phone recording from that transaction, they refused saying that a "manager would review it".

They lied again.

I cannot emphasize how STRONGLY I would advise anyone to stay away from this misleading company. Don't believe anything they tell you on the phone. Don't ever give them any bank information. They WILL lie to you and charge you for payments without your authorization.

Enough said.

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boooze9
, US
Jan 05, 2011 8:24 pm EST

My problems are similar. After our loan was paid off in full, Santander deducted another payment from my account a week later. I have had no luck over 3 months in securing any repayment even though I've done everything they've asked for three times. When you call there's no one with any authority that can or will actually help. They refuse to fax you any confirmation of what they promise. What a horrible institution!

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stevoreno
, US
Dec 29, 2010 10:17 pm EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

My HSBC auto loan was transitioned over to Santander with ease. But the nightmare started when trading in my vehicle. The dealerships finance dept paid-off the balance and I had requested Santander to cancel my automatic payments. But Santander continued to charge me for a vehicle I did not own. Customer service people seem foreign-based, scripted, and very difficult to understand. They refused to help me until they received a fax of my bank statement and a written letter. Ultimately, I had to request a stop-payment with my bank and dispute it while incurring a fee from the bank.

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maeri
Rotonda West, US
Dec 28, 2010 9:30 pm EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

OMG they tell everybody they are supervisors? Do they put you on hold forever and come back on with another name or hang up on you? THey show no mercy. The other sites that have people saying we are deadbeats and need to pay up. I wish I could. No work for 2 years. Disabled now. Need surgery. Can't work. Yeah poor me. I still want to pay my bills and keep my car. I doubt either scenario will happen

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goingcrazy
San Bernardino, US
Dec 17, 2010 1:01 am EST

You guys have no clue... I did have my car repo by Citi But I paid $3, 338.00 to re claim it. Then I call CIti to make my pymt because I hadn't received a bill. I spoke to some, complete [censor] on the phone. He told me he would call me back. 2 days later I call again and they tell me that I am 6 months deliquent. I told them that was impossible becuase I just got my car back, it had not even been 30 days. I am still dealing with this disaster. I received a call at 3:00 in the morning from some repossion company telling me that they are going to have me arrested. I cant believe this. No one can even tell me who has the $3, 338.00. It is as if the money just dissapered.

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Nadias3435
Shepherdstown, US
Dec 09, 2010 7:50 pm EST

I HATE THIS COMPANY! They bought Citi Financial and what a nightmare it has been. They told me I never paid 3 months payments and that my car was going to be repossessed. I faxed them bank statements and copies of the checks they told me i was lying! WORST company EVER! The customer service sucks! They are rude and liars. If i wanted a bunch of [censor]s to loan me money for a car I would have done that. Not only my payment problems, but they put false information on my profile and then yell at me when I try to correct it over the phone. I was 5 days late on a payment and they told me it was a repo status then said my payment day was gonna change and it'd take the payment away if i paid 1oo dollars. I did just that and guess what? no date change instead They tell me I have to pay extra money to get it differed. I hope this company fails miserably!

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kwag23
, US
Nov 18, 2010 6:40 pm EST

Sovereign Bank repossessed my vehicle in 2007 and turned over the remainder of what I owed on the note to a collections agency. I have been paying the agency since 2007 and am in good standing with them. Sovereign sold their auto accounts to Santander over a year after I began paying the debt collection agency and Santander is calling me claiming I owe them $4000 of deficiency fees. When I tried to explain that a collection agency owns the loan and has since before Sovereign sold it to them, the Santander Rep began screaming at me that she would repossess the car (the car that Sovereign repossessed 3 years ago, I have not owned a vehicle since). I called the FTC right away and they said that whether they know it or not, Santander does not own the auto loan debt and they have no legal right to collect money from me or to attach interest or fees to a debt they don't own. The FTC advised me to write a "Cease and Desist" letter explaining that they do not own the debt and I do not owe them money. FTC also advised me to report Santander Consumer USA to the three major credit bureaus since Santander has illegally posted negative info on my credit report. If you don't think you owe Santander the debt they ask for or if they are misrepresenting a current loan you have with them from a previous lender, contact the Federal Trade Commission, mail out a Cease and Desist via certified mail, and learn what your rights are. Santander practices illegal debt collection, illegal vehicle repossession, and God knows what else. Protect yourself from them and report them to the FTC, the BBB, and anyone else who can bring them down. The more people do this the better.

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Javafreeik
, US
Nov 09, 2010 5:24 pm EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

It has been nothing but a nightmare with this company.
Today, I filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission, Ohio Attorney General and BBB (yesterday).
I never had a single problem before they took over Citifinancial...!

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fedupwith
Colchester, GB
Oct 09, 2010 5:20 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I have had nothing but problems with a personal loan from Santander, and unhelpful poor service from their customer service department the best advice I can give is keep away from them. First I received a loan agreement and returned the documents by return of post. Seven days later I got a letter asking for them again, two days after this I received letter confirming the agreement and I set up a direct debit. This payment failed because of a processing error they asked me for a manual payment and another direct debit order.

I place the cheque and order in the same envelope. In responds to a letter asking for manual payment I phoned the customer service department they confirm that they had received they new direct debit agreement but could not find the cheque which I had placed in the same envelope. I stopped the cheque and paid over the counter in the Colchester branch.

I received a letter confirming the new direct debit agreement. This was followed by a letter of arrears and another the following day, asking for payment because of a missed payment. Jasmine at the Ipswich branch phoned Russ in customer care department he confirm that I am not in arrears and they had failed to set up the direct debit, I agreed to pay over the counter. Jasmine kindly offered a new banking account with Santander I explained that nothing would induce me to entrust my banking to this organisation .( I had closed the Abby account that I have had for over thirty years as an result of my experiences so far).

I received a letter confirming that I had cancelled my direct debit I phoned customer care and said that I had not cancelled the order they sent me a new direct debit form which I posted the next day. I received an arrears letter, From the Ipswich branch I phoned customer care they confirm that I am not in arrears and that the arrears letter was sent in error they ask for yet another direct debit form as they had not received the last one, the staff in the branch recommended the I ask for a confirmation of receipt of the order from Santander. I agreed to pay over the counter again.

On payment day I checked my account payment had not been taken. I phoned Jamie at customer care he confirm that payment had not be taken because they had not received the direct payment form again. Another letter of arrears came I phoned customer care no one able to talk to me they would call me back this did not happen so I was unable to make the usual enquiries.

Lorna in the Colchester branch phoned the accounts department they had now found one of the lost direct debit agreements which they could use for the next payment, I paid over the counter again.

I asked for a complaints leaflet, Santander sent a letter expressing that they are sorry for our disappointment with their service he reassured me that their accounts department are not experiencing problems with direct debits and our bank is at fault. Given that I have been inform by Santander staff on at leased four different occasions that they are having problems with the direct debit system within the bank I am not sure that Steven Ovington was entirely honest with me. I have banked with HSBC for ten years and pay all my bills my direct debit without a problem ( this is my only dealing with Santander) He thank us and suggested that we set up a standing order with HSBC he helpfully included all the details that I would need to do this.

Using the details I set up a standing order with HSBC checked that payment had been sent to Santander on the correct day they had. I left for a two week holiday on my return I received a letter from HSBC informing me that Santander had return the standing order as the details ( given to me by Steven Ovington) where incorrect and a letter of arrears from Santander

I paid over the counter again I had to leave the branch get cash because they can not take a debit card!.

So in short if you wish to be unconvinced given endless excuses for poor service, letters and phone calls demanding payment despite given up your time filling in standing orders endless direct payment orders, replacement cheque and paperwork because yours has been lost only later to be found again. Going into town paying car parking fees waiting for non returned customer service calls I recommend that you that a loan from Santander

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mccleangolf
Palm Desert, US
Sep 24, 2010 7:32 am EDT

I fell for all of you having problems with Santander but my story will blow your minds. I had a car loan with Citifinancial with was paid off in March of 2009 a yr and a half before Santander took over Citifinancial. On Saturday Sept 18, 2010 I received a letter from Santander stating that I owed them $8000 on this account. I contacted them on Monday only to be talk over and down to by a rep who told me it was my responsbility to prove I did not owe the money, After getting nowhere with him I faxed the pay off letter from Citi to prove I did no owe anything this is now Friday Sept 24, 2010 and they still show I owe them this money. They have also told me they have never reported this as of yet to any of the credit agencies but somehow it appears on all three. Citi's Attorneys have gotten involved in this and demanded that Santander remove this account from their files and clear my credit reports . Santander still maintains they have not reported to the credit agencies and still show on their own web site that I owe them this money. I am now working with one of Santanders VP's who says he will get this fix but I have yet to see any progress. I am currently looking for work and this is making it impossible to get hired because of what Santander has posted on my credit reports. If you have any questions, I have the direct phone numbers and cell number to this VP, you can write me at bigdoggolf1@yahoo.com.

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Emily Northcliffe
, US
May 08, 2018 7:53 pm EDT

Did you ever get this fixed?

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and82sal
Lancaster, US
Aug 21, 2010 10:42 am EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I too have problems with Santander. My loan was transferred from HSBC. I hate dealing with Santander, we are 2 months behind and they are threatening to repo the car. I have spoken with my attorney and as long as we don't let it go more than 3 months there is nothing they can do. I am tired of them harrassing me. They call and hang up. Don't they keep any information in their computers? I am sick of them asking me the same questions everytime they call. I called one day on a friends cell phone and now they call her too beause her number "appeared" on their caller ID. I haved asked them to stop calling her but they won't stop. They SUCK!

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LondonGuyUK
London, GB
Aug 18, 2010 8:47 am EDT

Santander Sucks, they taken over Paypal Credit Card from GE Money, ever since then, they have increase their interest and taken advantage of the customers, this was choice that no Paypal Credit Card account holder had, I have been made reduntant from my job, enough money to live on, so I deceleared to santander that I was unemployed and ask ed if they can stop the interest on agreement that I can pay £15 a month till I get a new job as I was claiming jobseekers allowance, they sent me a form, I had it stamped by my JCP and they sent me a letter agreeing that they will stop the interest within 3 months, if I continued to pay £15 a month with no late payment, well I got my finance order mix up, I wasn't paying £15, I was paying £20 a month instead, which is £5 more than what I written down, after 90 days, I have not seen the interest stop, or go down, but go up, I am now going to threaten them with bank ruptcy and keep this letter with all my statement that was sent with proof that I was paying more than £15 a month with agreement to this letter. They are crooks that will stop at nothing to what they want.

If anyone has considered going with PAYPAL CREDIT CARD, DONT... AS SAID, THEY ARE RUNNED BY SANTANDER!

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Emily Northcliffe
, US
May 08, 2018 7:51 pm EDT

Thank you for the heads up

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jpbjet
, US
Aug 02, 2010 3:05 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I'm trying to pay off my auto loan early. The loan was originally with Sovereign Bank and sold to Santander a year ago. The payoff amount seemed high to me. The balance they quoted divided by 13 (number of payments remaining) equals the same amount as my current monthly payment! When I asked the rep the amount of interest that was being removed for paying early, she said NONE. NONE. I asked if I was being penalized for paying off the loan early and she said YES. Then she HUNG UP ON ME. DON'T DO BUSINESS WITH THIS BANK.

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KMCP
slc, US
Jun 11, 2010 7:07 am EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

That is exactly why I won't make extra principal payments to Santander. Not worth the hassle of fixing the problems.

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fedupwithforeignbank
Italy, US
Jun 10, 2010 10:33 pm EDT

I have been making extra principal payments to my auto loan (originally with Drive) since April - about 9 extra payments so far. Each & every one is misapplied to interest first. Emails, chats, phone calls, and letters later, Santander has not resolved the issue. I have filed a complaint with FTC.gov as well as the Better Business Bureau. Although the BBB is taking the complaint seriously, Santander is not. Their response didn't even include an agent's name. I encourage everyone to file complaints with the BBB and FTC, possibly with your state's Attorney General.

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Justice and fairness for all
Oakland, US
May 18, 2010 5:53 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Santander Consumer USA is HORRIBLE! I hate this company they absolutely suck! These guys are predatory and cannot explain their accounting methods which feel illegal and immoral. These [censor]s have been charging me late fees after I'm already current. A manager told me I am good, I'm current and today I find out they are trying to bill me $200 again. I HATE this company they should not be in business they are abolutely a NIGHTMARE! Anyone thinking of getting a loan with them, word of experience, STAY Away!

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JB60
, GB
Apr 30, 2010 9:57 am EDT

We have had a major problem with Santander in the UK. Our 2 sons have a joint mortgage with them with my husband as guarantor. One son is now married and wants his own mortgage and they were told it could just be sorted over the phone by several people but then this was changed and they had to see a mortgage advisor in a branch. Not a problem you would think but the appointment was made and attended and the advisor was not there. No one had phoned to cancel or reschedule, no one else in the branch could help not even the manager. The next appointment is in 2 weeks time. My younger son may lose his house over this as the seller may not wait. Anything not on the call centre checklist and they can't cope as they have made so many people redundant.
We were with the Abbey for years and received excellent service, but once this is sorted out we will not touch Santander again.

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stubbsy
, TW
Apr 14, 2010 9:52 am EDT

I also have had major problems with this bank. In December, I moved from UK back to Sydney. On the day before I left, I went to the local branch to instruct them of my new address in Sydney. A few months later, whilst making an ATM withdrawal, my debit card was retained by the machine. I called the bank up only to be told that my mail was being returned undelivered. I asked them to read back to me my address. When it came to the post code, the representative read out "BFPO 21266". I realised that all my mail was going to the British High Commission in Canberra, on the assumption I was in the UK military, which I am not. My actual post code is 2126. I am not sure why they added BFPO or the extra digit. Several expensive phone calls and many unanswered e-mails later, I received a call from someone who kindly put GBP 160 into my account to compensate me for inconvenience caused. During this whole episode, I decided to close the account and also a Santander credit card. I sent a letter with detailed instructions on where to send to send the balance. I find out today that the bank account is not closed, but the credit card account is. The instructions to close both were on the same letter.

I would suggest that people with complaints should e-mail antonio.osorio@santander.co.uk. He is the UK CEO. I cc him on all my notes. I am not sure if he reads them, but he did get someone from his office to call me and offer compensation.

The bank is a joke. They have this stupid policy that customers going abroad need to tell them which country they are going to and for how long. If you don't, your ATM card will not work. Of course, I found out about this when I was abroad. I told them in December I was going away at the same time I informed them of my change of address. The person taking the details asked how long I would be away. A change of address request should have provided them with some idea that it could be for a very long time. But their system only retains the information for 3 months, and also only allows customers to visit a maximum of 3 countries. For me this is my home country of Australia and 2 others.

With any luck, the account will be closed soon. But based on Santander's current record, I may have to wait for a long time.

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Quoman
kent, GB
Mar 29, 2010 10:32 am EDT

you should try switching from one bank to santander! joke is not the word. i started to change my business account on 6 January 2010...its now 29 March and the ###s still are incapable of completing the task.
watchdog really needs to get hold of this farce of a bank being run by "care in the community" and expose them for what they are and not what they report to be.

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Anita UK
London, GB
Feb 24, 2010 9:05 am EST

I have banked with the Abbey / santander for 35 years and i have never in all that time had as a problem untill the last few years,

I wont go into it all as its to long and i am sick to death of repeating it, has i am telling the same errors to their crappy customer services everyday,
most of them are not understanding basic english, and they are bloody usless,

a simple thing like calling to cancle a direct debit was turned into a long conversation then i found they never cancled any of what i asked them to and now want to charge me for all the mistakes that were their fault,

Its just the last of a long line of errors on their part sloppy customer services and i'v had enough now,
i am closing the account (which is why i cancled the DD'S) and STILL they cant get it right,

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SYM0413
Houston, US
Jan 15, 2010 9:44 am EST

Guys, I'm having the same problem with this bank. I called and spoke to a rep because I was a few days late. Asked for a deferrement, but the guy suggested that I just get a due date change but I had to make a payment and call back Friday to get a due date change. So I did just that and spoke to someone on Friday (today) and he said it is impossible to do that. so of course I speak with a supervisor and he says the same thing. So now I'm pissed, I hold my end of the bargain and they do not. I told them they can come get this car if they want even though I have never been late. From now on, I'll use my bank or a more reputable service and that's only if I don't just out right pay for the car. Consumers should avoid this company if at all possible. Never Again!

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centalia
Claremont, US
Jan 12, 2010 10:29 am EST

I am in the same boat as all of you and i agree they should be closed or something they do have very vey piss poor customer service and do NOTHING to help.
I purchased my truck 4 yrs ago and had it set up to come from an acct 2 times a month (split pay option) then i get a letter in the mail stating i owed them over 1000.00 to become up to date. Needless to say i was livid. Called spoke to someone and was told that i had to pay or else, i told them i had no issues in 4 yrs now all of a sudden im being threaten with repo. not a good idea.
I was able to talk them down to put the missed month at the end of my loan but that was a trick in itself, the following month i was sent another letter stating i owed 300.00 on my loan called and was told that they do not do split loans.why wasnt i told that by the first guy... i dont know. now i am looking at a final notice on my truck and i never even got my first one for this month.
THIS BANK SUCKS very disappointed never again will i ever go thru this bank even if its the last bank on earth. Oh ya and what the hell are we doing selling our banks to overseas companies anyway as one person said here now they have all our info ( great way to maintain homeland security)
GOOD LUCK EVERYONE

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krisjagdeo
Port St. Lucie, US
Dec 18, 2009 1:07 pm EST

I pay them electronically ( online banking ). I usually add in a little more than the payment amount, to be applied to principal, just as it was with Sovereign.

They are trying to tell me, even though it is a simple interest loan, that I need to make THREE advance payments for them to acknowledge the extra monies as principal!

WTF is this theory? If I had the money just kicking around in my back pocket to pay three extra months would I truly need a car loan?

Santander customer service is seriously lacking both customer and service. I wish there was a local office or branch to go express my opinions to an actual person, not on the telephone.

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fdfd1234
Boca Raton, US
Sep 28, 2009 10:43 am EDT

Santander has caused me nothing but PROBLEMS since my loan was transferred over from Sovereign. I am a CPA and closely monitor my loan payments to see how much was applied to interest & principal, and two months ago they took an entire payment I made and applied it entirely to interest. Now I've called their customer service center 7 times to get it corrected, and every time I speak with a rep who is rude, obnoxious, and not concerned in the least that this issue is 2 months old & hasn't been corrected! The supervisors have the same attitude, so it doesn't do any good to talk to one of them.

Also, DO NOT EVER sign up for the ACH withdrawal to have payments automatically deducted from your bank account. I did this, and Santander deducted payments on the wrong days which caused me to actually make 2 payments in one month, and they would not correct this either! All they say is, I'll put in a request for you and you can check back in a few business days. Yeah right! These issues have NEVER been resolved! I am so fed up that I am going to pay off the entire loan by the end of the year so I don't have to deal with them anymore.

For those of you who are not getting your problems fixed, you can try to call [protected]. This is the Accounting Manager's direct line; however, he is not responsive to my calls but hopefully will be to yours.

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KMCP
slc, US
Sep 15, 2009 8:31 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

All I can say is that everything above is happening to me. I had two car loans with Soveriegn bank that Santander has taken over. In 3 months time they have sent double statments on both loans (one of which I accidentally paid twice), they generate statements 8 days before the payment is due leaving no time to actually get the statement write a check and mail it. Heaven help someone who goes out of town for a week and doesn't pay ahead without a coupon.
They charge a ridiculous $11 to pay on line. They now have an extra payment which they won't acknowledge AND the guy is trying to tell me the account is past due. PAST DUE? IT is OVERPAID by one payment. He tells me it is my problem to send them a payment, they aren't obligated to send a statement or a coupon book, that's only a courtesy. I don't believe that is actually true.

I am so tired of banks cavalier attitude. They did NOT do me a favor, they agreed to conduct a business transaction which I am keeping my part of the contract.

I was seriously so angry I said alot of bad words and beat the keys out of my keyboard and broke off the little legs. In 3 months time I am so frustrated over Santander I am about to have an aneurysm. I'll bet I've called them 20 times. I can't express how angry I am at Santander. If I ran our business this way we wouldn't have a single customer.

We originally bought 2 classic cars through JJ Best Banc who funded through Sovereign then Santander took opver. NEVER again. We are in the classic car industry and will no longer recommend JJ Best Banc because they still use Santander.

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bosco
West Haven, US
Sep 14, 2009 11:13 am EDT

I am having an issue as well. I transferred my loan away from Santander to my bank. So my bank sent a check paying off the loan to Santander. I received a letter from Santander confirming the pay off was made. Two months later I get an alert from my credit monitoring website saying I have a past due report on my credit history now because Santander reported me past due. I called them and they wanted nothing to do with my call and told me to report it to one of the credit dispute agencies. I refused and told them it was their mess to clean up. They said they would and for me to call back in 3 days. I am following up with them today. 9/14/09. I will keep you posted. Something needs to be done with them.

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Rick992009
Berlin, US
Sep 08, 2009 6:05 pm EDT

Santander Bank owned by ###!
when you ask to speak to a Manager they say they are one,
when you ask for a full name they say they don't have to give you that,
when you ask for something in writing they say to trust them they will honor what they tell you on the phone and that they don'y put anything in writing.

hmm, guess i'm going to default on my auto loan (my credit sucks anyway) and wil use the money from m payments to buy a used car cash.

I cant see how a bank/any bank can do bisiness like this. And rude is an understatement when trying to talk to their customer service reps.

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mlg5532
Fairport, US
Sep 06, 2009 10:17 pm EDT

I also had my auto loan bought by Santander bank. I have been very unhappy with their service.

1. They are incredibly rude on the phone.
2. They charge $10 to make a payment on the phone or online, even though you are on time!
3. They will not issue a payment book, and then only send your monthly statement the day before the bill is due. This is ridiculous to me.

Basically, I just had gotten used to Soverign bank which was a great bank that was pleasant, easy to use, and fair. While I don't really have a horror story, I think many will. Avoid this bank!

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saturngirl
, US
Aug 20, 2009 11:13 am EDT

I'm also having problems with Santander and my auto loan that was formally with Sovereign. I sent a payment to be applied specifically to the principal(like I used to with Sovereign) but Santander took the interest. Now it's been like an act of Congress(and that's an insult to Congress) to try to get it corrected. 5 calls later, I'm still waiting for them to correct it. And don't even get me started on their convoluted method for when you can actually apply the payment to the principal. Unbelievable! I'm trying to pay off the loan just to be rid of them.
When you hear the name Santander, run away as fast as you can. Their customer service is appalling. This bank is appalling.