Wachovia Dealer Services / Violates FDCPA

I lost my job in February of 2009. I contacted Wachovia Dealer Services regarding my auto loan with them and asked if they would be able to offer a defered or reduced payment plan with I was unemployed. First off, they said no. They only offer defered payments to people who are employed. Wouldn't it make more sense to offer some relief to people who are UNemployed? If I had a job and was making money I wouldn't need help! However, they did allow my account to go past due 30-60 days as long as I gave them dates and amounts that I could pay in the future. I thought all was well. On 08/25/2009 I made payment and was about a week and a half away from being completely up to date on my payments. Two days later I received a call from their "legal" department. They man on the phone would not give me his name and his voice was quite unique and I recognized it from an earlier conversation I had with someone in their collections department. He told me that Wachovia had reported the vehicle as stolen from the bank (which is not legally possible, because I am the registered owner) and that the local sheriff would be serving me with a warrant and would seize the car. He told me that I needed to pay up immediately to avoid this from happening. I don't have the money, but I will in about a week and half. He said I could take my chances if I wanted to wait that long. So I called the local sheriff and they said that there was nothing in the statewide system that showed anything of that nature and that I (the registered owner) is the only person who they would take a stolen auto report from. I have since reported Wachovia Dealer Services to the FTC for violation of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. Once my account is current I will be contacting an attorney to seek damages for their violation of the FDCPA.

If you are contacted by someone from Wachovia Dealer Services claiming they are from their "legal" department it is a lie. If they leave you a message with an '888' number to call back on, do not. Call them back on the '252' number that they called you on. It is a direct line to collections. They will answer the phone with only, "hello, " but if you ask them which department you have reached they will tell you collections. There is no legal department. It is just a scare tactic to get you to pay up sooner. I almost borrowed money from family to pay this off and I wouldn't be able to pay my family back any time soon either. They will stop at nothing to get their money. They will even break their own word on arrangements you have made with them.

My credit is bad, but I am desperately seeking another bank that will allow me to transfer my loan to them. I would never in my life want to get a loan from this company again. If you already have a loan or are considering a loan with them think otherwise.

They are disgusting people and took bail out money so that can continue to screw the consumer.