WFS FINANCIAL ripoff Witholding check from Ins. Co. for repairs to vehicle and Harrassing for Ins Proof while auto is in Body shop and they are in receipt of repair check! It is not worth the aggravation that we have been through. Santa Ana California

I have been waiting since 9/12/03 and now since accidently finding this site and filing my report on 10/27/03.....I am actually going to get my car returned to me. The body shop received the check by overnight mail from WFS today!

It worked! Thank you so Much.

Since you have done everything correctly and for some reason they will not release the check, I have two suggestions

Make sure that the check was not issued for "diminished value" It doesn't sound like it was, but those type of checks HAVE to be applied to the loan and cannot be endorsed and returned. Again, it doesn't sound like that's the case.

My second suggestion: The insurance company can, in some cases, reissue a check to the body shop without needing endorsement. If the finance company is willing, you can get a letter of permission from them for the insurance company to do that.

The way I would suggest you approach the customer service reps that you talk to if you decide to try this is to tell the rep very nicely when they first get on the phone (after the verification process of course) "I am very frustrated with a situation and I really need someone to take a personal interest in this because I feel like my situation is not being handled correctly." DO NOT ask for a supervisor YET!!! You've just appealed to the reps "customer service/do good" side. Explain the situation. You've sent an insurance check to be endorsed with, what you were told, was the proper paperwork and, for some reason, there has been unnecessary delays. Ask the rep what it is that you have failed to do to get the check endorsed, did you miss paperwork or something? (YOU KNOW THAT YOU'VE DONE EVERYTHING, BUT YOU WANT THE REP TO NOT GET DEFENSIVE)
IF you got a good rep, at this point, they will review the notes and say, "well, it looks like we received everything in order, let me see what I can do." IF you didn't, they will act defensive, at this point you ask for a supervisor and at this point, ask the supervisor to have someone who handles that issue call you, don't yell or anything, ask politely. If they refuse, call again
IF it still happens, FIND ANOTHER FINANCE COMPANY!!!

I've been a customer service rep for a long time, this approach really works. Hopefully, by this time, they've already sent the check. I have never had this happen to any of my customers (I work for another vehicle finance company) Even if they are behind, so I don't know if there are any laws regarding this...It might not hurt to check!

GOOD LUCK!!!

Krista

Apologize, Guess i was not to clear on my explanation, was trying not to be too lengthy with the text. Yes, I did send a signed check for endorsement to WFS because the Auto Body Shop did send in digital pictures of the repair as well as the repair order and receipt to WFS by overnight mail.

Still waiting on WFS to send the endorsed check to the Body shop; which they say they are purposly holding as blackmail!

Thanks for your response to my posting anyway. Any other solutions are welcome.

Telephoned WFS today to see if they had any intentions on sending the check to the body shop for the necessary repairs. I was told by a employee named Toby " that since the our account was now 16 days past due that they had every right to keep the insurance check issued for repairs on our vehicle" and that " I should read my contract; because this is perfectly legal". I then told him how i didn't think blackmail was legal and he proceeded to tell me that " he has worked for WFS for over 4 1/2 yrs. now and that he has been doing illegal procedures since he worked there then"! They have been in receipt of my insurance check since Sept. 23rd.

After speaking to his supervisor named Dan who was going to release the check to the body shop after i spoke with him ....but then he said he decided " my check would arrive by snail mail" since i was unable to give a definite date for payment after explaining to him that we have had to rent a vehicle at our expense in addition to being laid off from work and the sooner i got my car back i could find a new job.

Dan also explained to me that the extra money we paid every month and the balance owed had gone from $249. on 10/7/03- $381.79 10/28/03 because their companies policy is to apply monies to the principal interest and not on the outstanding balance. Seems to be a great loan sharking company ....please run away if your auto dealer suggests WFS as leinholder....because at this rate we will never catch up!

If I understand this post correctly (please correct me if I'm wrong) You sent a check from the insurance company, endorsed by yourself to the finance company with "orders" and pictures to be endorsed and sent to the body shop so that they could perform repairs?

Most finance companies will not endorse an insurance check until AFTER the vehicle has been repaired. The "order" the finance company would need to see is the "repair order" or rather, the receipt from the body shop as well as pictures or an inspection of the COMPLETED repairs.

Hope this helps,

GOOD LUCK!!!