Santander USA
Complaint 248968 Details

When I first purchased my car, the agency financed it through CitiFinancial Auto. The monthly payments, in my opinion, was high so I was ambivalent about accepting. My mother and myself would share the payment of $401.52 to be able to access the much needed vehicle. The car was purchased on June 17, 2009 and we were fine with that. We shared the expenses. However, I lost my job in November, 2009. Left with a brand new $401.52 responsibility, but my mother managed to keep the payments going. And we were fine with that. I usually made my payments by phone.
However, CitiFinancial Auto was taken over by Santander Consumer USA circa September/October 2010. Actually, my first billing statement from Santander Consumer USA was received for October 2010. When I called to make my usual payment, I was told that I had to pay a $10.95 Western Union fee along with my payment. I argued with them that under CitiFinancial Auto, there was no such fee and why was required to pay it if it was not my fault that CitiFinancial Auto had gone under. I was required to pay it. I asked if I would be required to pay it if I payed online. Yes, I was also required to pay the $10.95 fee also online. The only way I would be exempt from paying it is if I send it through the mail by regular USPS. I really didn't want to have to by by mail because of the hassle of buying postage and driving to the post office to send it off; and, normally, I preferred to send my payments on time, and by mail they would receive it late. I felt uncomfortable making checks with the funds not yet in there for it to receive it in a timely manner. Usually, pay day was always close to the due date.
I sent that October payment by USPS, but after that, I did not want to hassle with having to go to the post office, so I just decided to swallow the $10.95 Western Union fee and make my car payments online.
I would say that from then 'til now, I may have paid around $339.45 of Western Union fees just to be able to make my car payment. Monthly, I pay a total of $412.47 for that car payment and still struggling with me still being unemployed. The weight is on my mother's shoulders.
I believe that something must be made to change that system. I make other payments online and no one else charges me Western Union fees. Is it fair?