ComplaintsforEmpower Finance, Inc.

• Initial Complaint

  05/25/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I have been requesting access to my empower account for months so I can cancel their service since I wasn't using it, after getting a new phone number they said they would change the phone number on my account and get back to me that was months ago I've tried calling, emailing anything I can do to get them to cancel my acct and stop charging me 8$ a month! They refuse to update my phone number on my account so I have no way to cancel it from my end I have begged and pleaded with them to just cancel my account but everytime they say to to wait for the phone number change to go threw, THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR MONTHS, they are robbing me and my family for a service I can't even use. This is my last attempt to solve the issue before I tell my bank this is fraud and to charge back all the money over the past few months

  Business response

  05/30/2023

  Hello ********,
  
  We received the Better Business Bureau (BBB) complaint you submitted on May 25, 2023, and we appreciate the opportunity to respond. Your complaint alleged that Empower completed multiple $8 withdrawal from your account despite you not able to access your account online and despite requesting the account closure. ********************** takes these complaints seriously and promptly investigated the claim. 
  
  Following our investigation, we determined the following: We have located an Empower profile under your name that was opened on December 12, 2022. The profile in question was closed on January 3, 2023, however on February 8, 2023, the account was reopened which restarted the subscription fee. On March 11, 2023, you requested the account be closed once again, but it was reopened on April 24, 2023. On May 25, 2023, the account closure was completed per your request once again. 

  When restarting a subscription, the account does not qualify for a free trial, therefore the monthly subscription fee is assessed accordingly. Information about subscription fees is provided at the time of account reopening. As a courtesy, we have refunded two (2) $8 subscription fees on May 30, 2023, which will be credited to your linked external account within 1-2 business days. 

  If you require additional assistance, please contact our customer service team through email at ****************************. We appreciate the opportunity to address your concern.
  
  Team Empower

• Initial Complaint

  05/20/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  This business takes 8 dollars out of my bank account all the time and I cant even login into the app anymore. Every time I complain from email only because they dont give a number to call they ask for all my personal information and didnt do it thing but have my bank account number and routing number keeps on taking 8 dollars out of my bank account I asked them to close my account and that ** locked out of this app No help just the run around

  Business response

  05/24/2023

  Hello ******,
  
  We received the Better Business Bureau (BBB) complaint you submitted on May 22, 2023, and we appreciate the opportunity to respond. Your complaint alleged that Empower completed multiple $8 withdrawal from your account despite you not able to access your account online and despite requesting the account closure. ********************** takes these complaints seriously and promptly investigated the claim. 
  
  Following our investigation, we determined the following: We have located an Empower profile under your name that was opened on May 23, 2022. The profile in question was closed on June 7, 2022, however on July 19,2022 the account was reopened which restarted the subscription fee. While you requested the account closure, the email you contacted ** through was not linked to an Empower profile therefore additional verification was necessary. 

  Unfortunately, you did not provide your ID verification which prevented our customer support team from locating your account and completing your closure request. We have located your Empower account linked to the phone number you provided and have proceeded with the account closure per your request on May 24, 2023. 

  We apologize for any inconvenience. As a courtesy, we have refunded three (3) $8 subscription fees on May 24, 2023, which will be credited to your linked external account within 1-2 business days. 

  If you require additional assistance, please contact our customer service team through email at ****************************. We appreciate the opportunity to address your concern.
  
  Team Empower

  Customer response

  05/25/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

• Initial Complaint

  05/12/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  There are too many dates to name. Ive just noticed that once I get an advance from Empower that they would take the money back from me on the same day. And then would charge me a repayment fee on the actual due date. Empower takes 200 dollars from me everytime I use this service. And as a result my account stays overdrafted.

  Business response

  05/19/2023

  Hello Keenen,
  
  We received the Better Business Bureau (BBB) complaint you submitted on May 12, 2023, and we appreciate the opportunity to respond. Your complaint alleged that Empower had double charged your account for Cash Advance repayments causing your account to overdraft. ********************** takes these complaints seriously and promptly investigated the claim. 
  
  Following our investigation, we determined the following: on November 26, 2022, you opened an Empower account and initiated and received a Cash Advance. Empower automatically identifies a repayment date based on prior payroll activity in your linked account. The identified repayment date is displayed to you when you agree to accept the Cash Advance. 

  You stated that you were being double charged for your Cash Advances. After reviewing your account, we see that your acceptance and repayment pattern is weekly, what that means is that you typically repay the previous advance and obtain a new one on the same day. As such, Empower has not overcharged your account. The charges reflected in the screenshots you submitted show the repayments for the previous weeks Cash Advance. 

  If you require assistance regarding any overdraft fees that you believe may be related to repaying your Empower Cash Advances, please contact our customer service team through email at ****************************. We appreciate the opportunity to address your concern.
  
  Team Empower

• Initial Complaint

  05/05/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  5/5/2023 - $8.00 fee - After I informed them I revoked their authorization to administer ACH payments. For the 3rd time. 5/2/2023 - $8.00 fee that caused an overdraft fee of $39.00. I revoked their ACH privileges. By chat and email multiple times. 4/25/2023 $25.00 fee to pay back $10.00. This is when I cancelled their account. I would like a refund of $1065.00. For misleading consumers and charging fees that caused overdraft fees, stress, pain and suffering of having to continously argue and inform them to stop debetting my account.

  Business response

  07/05/2023

  Hello Del,
  
  We received the Better Business Bureau (BBB) complaint you submitted on June 28, 2023, and we appreciate the opportunity to respond. Your complaint alleged that Empower had charged your account for multiple subscription fees causing your account to overdraft. ********************** takes these complaints seriously and promptly investigated the claim. 
  
  Following our investigation, we determined the following: on March 18, 2023, you opened an Empower account and a subscription was started. The first subscription fee was initiated on April 1, 2023; however, it was not collected from your account until April *******. On May 1, 2023, the second $8 fee was collected from your account, however it was refunded to your account on May 3, 2023. 

  On May 3,2023, you contacted our customer support team to close your account and cancel your subscription. The closure was completed, however on May 4, 2023, you reopened the account through your app which triggered the subscription to restart. When you restart a subscription, the app provides you a notice stating that the account does not qualify for a free trial which is why a subscription fee was charged. You closed the account once again on May 5, 2023, and a refund of the was disbursed to your account. 

  If you require assistance regarding any overdraft fees that you believe may be related to the subscription fees, please contact our customer service team through email at ****************************. We appreciate the opportunity to address your concern.
  
  Team Empower

  Customer response

  07/05/2023

   
  Complaint: 20024607
  
  I am rejecting this response because: I've contacted their customer service email and provided multiple screen shots of their unauthorized debits to my account. My bank charges an initial $39.00 fee and $10.00 for each day in the red/negative. I ended up closing my checking account due to this situation. I emailed and called them revoking authorization to debit my account and they still did. I have archived the multiple emails stating this request. This caused undue stress, anxiety and depression. One of the worst experiences I ever had. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ********************

• Initial Complaint

  05/03/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  This started on 5/2/23. This company is an absolute joke. I was approved for an advance, and then they reversed the deposit less than 24 hours later resulting in my account being negative, and yet still showing I owe them a full payment on 5/5/23.I've reached out to my bank, and they have no record of a deposit from them, as well as Empower's customer service said they cannot help any further as it shows being sent on their end, and that I should "reach out to my bank" for further assistance.I've attached screenshots of my statement from this morning, as well as this afternoon showing I had to reach out elsewhere for assistance.

  Business response

  05/11/2023

  Hello ******,
  
  We received the Better Business Bureau (BBB) complaint you submitted on May 4, 2023, and we appreciate the opportunity to respond. Your complaint alleged that you accepted an Empower Cash Advance, however you did not receive the funds. Empower takes these complaints seriously and promptly investigated the claim. 
  
  Following our investigation, we determined the following: We have located an Empower profile under your name that was opened on May 2, 2023. A Cash Advance in the amount of $100.00 was accepted and delivered on that same date to the linked external account. 

  We received communication from you on May 3, 2023, advising ** that the deposit had been made into your account but was immediately reversed causing your external account to overdraft. We requested screenshots of your account showing said activity however the screenshots you provided did not contain the requested information.

  Your issue was escalated, and a supervisor provided you the Payout trace ID and let you know that you would need to reach out to your external bank for further information. Since our records show the deposit was made into your account, your external bank can use the Trace ID to locate the deposit and provide the funds once located. 

  We apologize for any inconvenience. If you require additional assistance, please contact our customer service team through email at ****************************. We appreciate the opportunity to address your concern.
  
  Team Empower

• Initial Complaint

  05/03/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I have been requesting access to my empower account for months so I can cancel their service since I wasn't using it, after getting a new phone number they said they would change the phone number on my account and get back to me that was months ago I've tried calling, emailing anything I can do to get them to cancel my acct and stop charging me 8$ a month! They refuse to update my phone number on my account so I have no way to cancel it from my end I have begged and pleaded with them to just cancel my account but everytime they say to to wait for the phone number change to go threw, THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR MONTHS, they are robbing me and my family for a service I can't even use. This is my last attempt to solve the issue before I tell my bank this is fraud and to charge back all the money over the past few months,

  Business response

  05/11/2023

  Hello *******,
  
  We received the Better Business Bureau (BBB) complaint you submitted on May 3, 2023, and we appreciate the opportunity to respond. Your complaint alleged that Empower completed multiple $8 withdrawal from your account despite you not able to access your account online and despite requesting the account closure. ********************** takes these complaints seriously and promptly investigated the claim. 
  
  Following our investigation, we determined the following: We have located an Empower profile under your name that was opened on August 9, 2021. The profile in question was closed on May 3, 2023, when we received your request via email. To clarify, we reviewed your prior communications and did not locate any attempts to close the account as your stated in your complaint allegation. 

  We apologize for any inconvenience. As a courtesy, we have refunded three (3) $8 subscription fees on May 3, 2023, which would have been credited to your linked external account within 1-2 business days. 

  If you require additional assistance, please contact our customer service team through email at ****************************. We appreciate the opportunity to address your concern.
  
  Team Empower

• Initial Complaint

  05/01/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I have a retirement account with **********************. April 28, 2023 I was invested 100% in American Century Ultra. Balance before the close of Market on 04/28/2023 was ******* dollars. After the close of Market. American Century Ultra closed up ****% or ***** dollars. My Account was only credited 205 dollars. Leaving a balance owed by Empower of ***** dollars. My CORRECT balance at the close of Market on April 28, 2023 should be. *******. I would like this corrected ASAP. *************************

  Business response

  05/02/2023

   

  The complaint in question is regarding a 401k account is a product our company does not offer. 

   

  Thanks,

  *******
  Operations Analyst
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  04/21/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Hello I signed up with them power quite a while ago and I've came across a problem that I was having originally me and my wife signed up together I did not read that it cannot be joint accounts or anything like that which is okay not a problem so she made her own account with her own debit card and her own bank account and I opened up with my own bank account and debit card as we were having trouble getting an advance because of the names on the accounts so we got everything straightened out she was able to get her advance no problem but mine somehow is linked to hers even though they don't have any similarities to them and this is the response that I got from the team which is perplexing to say the least now I understand technical difficulties and all that good stuff but your soul reason to have an account with ******************** is for the advances but I'm speechless as I pay $8 for a savings account pretty much because none of the information or features on the app or anything that I can't get with my own bank account app. I'm not mad or anything I just wanted to share because this issue was not seeming to be much of importance and I was disconnected from the chat within a a minute afterwards of receiving this as I was writing a response which I assume they would have saw like I can see when they're typing. Again I'm just confused by this response as it doesn't elaborate more than the absolute bear minimum nor does it tell me or assure me that it will be resolved in the future or frankly at all. Again I like empower and I have used them for quite a while this response just is not very helpful nor assuring.

  Business response

  04/28/2023

  Hello *******,
  
  We received the Better Business Bureau (BBB) complaint you submitted on April 21, 2023, and we appreciate the opportunity to respond. Your complaint alleged that Empower completed an $8 withdrawal from your account despite you not able to access a Cash Advance. Empower takes these complaints seriously and promptly investigated the claim. 
  
  Following our investigation, we determined the following: We have located an Empower profile under your name that was opened on March 10, 2022. The account activity shows that you have obtained and repaid multiple Cash Advances through this profile. We received communication from you on April 19, 2023, requesting assistance through our chat feature, however there was no response, and a follow up email was sent to request further information. Unfortunately, we did not receive a response to our follow up email. 

  We apologize for any inconvenience. To ensure you are assisted properly, an additional email providing you steps on how to delete the external account has been sent to the email address on file. 
  If you require additional assistance, please contact our customer service team through email at ****************************. We appreciate the opportunity to address your concern.
  
  Team Empower

• Initial Complaint

  04/06/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Date of Transaction 4/6/2023.I dont have an ACTIVE Account. Website wont even allow me to sign in. Demand a credit and close this account.

  Business response

  04/14/2023

  Hello ****,
  
  We received the Better Business Bureau (BBB) complaint you submitted on April 7, 2023, and we appreciate the opportunity to respond. Your complaint alleged that Empower completed an $8 withdrawal from your account despite you not able to access your account online. Empower takes these complaints seriously and promptly investigated the claim. 
  
  Following our investigation, we determined the following: We have located an Empower profile under your name that was opened on December 29, 2021. The profile in question was closed on that same date but reopened on December 22, 2022.  The $8 subscription fee was assessed to your account on March 22, 2023. 

  We received communication from you on April 7, 2023, requesting assistance to log into your Empower profile. Your account was unlocked, and a confirmation was sent to your email address we have on file for you. You advised you did not know or could not access the email address we had on file therefore the code was sent to your mobile phone. Empower sent the confirmation code to your mobile phone multiple times but you stated you did not receive said confirmation number. 

  We apologize for any inconvenience. As a courtesy, we have refunded the $8 subscription fee you paid on March 22, 2023, it will be credited to your linked external account within **** business days. Per your request, we have also completed the account closure on April 12, 2023.

  If you require additional assistance, please contact our customer service team through email at ****************************. We appreciate the opportunity to address your concern.
  
  Team Empower

  Customer response

  04/15/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *******************

• Initial Complaint

  03/27/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I sent a transfer to enpower finance. Over $250 Now mind you I've Been getting loans and doing business with them for going on 2 years if not more. I do not have a lot of money I have children and when I did the transfer and they got my money now they want me to do ID verification. Is my id Is Expired and I can not wait to get another ID Which will take several weeks to get my money back. I simply asked them to send back to my bank account that it came from and they have not I have sent Then images of my bank statement and my expired ID and they still refuse

  Business response

  04/04/2023

  Hello *******,
  
  We received the Better Business Bureau (BBB) complaint you submitted on March 31, 2023, and we appreciate the opportunity to respond. Your complaint alleged that Empower locked your account despite you having had provided Empower with the documents that were requested. Empower takes these complaints seriously and promptly investigated the claim. 
  
  Following our investigation, we determined the following: On March 15, 2023, three (3) ACH transfers were initiated from your external account into your Empower AutoSave account. The three (3) transfers were for the amounts of $93.51, $500.00 and $150. Due to the novelty of the account and the lack of account history, Empower reached out to you on March 16, 2023 to provide proof of source of funds as well as your ** verification. 

  On March 17, 2023, you answered our original message to let us know that your ** was expired, and you would like the funds to be returned to the originating institution. We advised you that you could provide a different ** and provided you a list of acceptable forms of identification documents. You were adamant that the funds needed to be returned to you, to which we let you know that as soon as we received the documents requested we would be happy to release the hold on your account.

  On March 20, 2023, one (1) of the transfers you attempted for $500.00 was returned due to insufficient funds. The two (2) other transfers in question were pending, and due to the high risk of return we let you know to please provide the documents requested but the account would remain locked until the funds settled. You stated that you were aware that the $500 transfer would be the only one returning, however you still did not provide your ** verification.

  On Monday March 22, 2023, the two (2) other transfers settled into the account, however we let you know that we are unable to release the hold placed on the account until the ** verification is completed. While we understand that this is frustrating situation, we are abiding by the Bank Secrecy Act (31 CFR ********), or BSA, to verify the identity of any individual receiving funds through a financial institution. Keep in mind that as soon as we receive your ** verification, the hold in the account will be released and you will have full access to your account. 

  We apologize for the inconvenience this might have caused. If you require additional assistance, please contact our customer service team through email at ****************************. We appreciate the opportunity to address your concern.
  
  Team Empower

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩