Complaints

This profile includes complaints for Southern Auto Finance Company, LLC's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see Find Local Branches.

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• 

  Southern Auto Finance Company, LLC

  413 E Atlantic Blvd Pompano Beach, FL 33060-6257

• 

  Southern Auto Finance

  1416 S Harbor City Blvd Melbourne, FL 32901

• 

  Southern Auto Finance

  3411 W Colonial Dr Orlando, FL 32808

• 

  Southern Auto Finance

  7224 E Colonial Dr Orlando, FL 32807

• 

  Southern Auto Finance

  P O Box 5020 Winter Park, FL 32793

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. 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.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/16/2025

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

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  Business Response

  Date: 04/22/2025

  Dear ***** *******,
  
  SAFCO received your recent inquiry via BBB on April 16, 2026. We thoroughly reviewed your inquiry; however, we were unable to locate an account with the information provided. It appears you referred to SWIFT RECOVERY, a recovery company. Please note that SAFCO is not affiliated with this company.  Thank you. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/02/2025

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Complaint Against: Southern Auto Finance Company (SAFCO)Filed By: M ****** Regarding Account Holder: ******* Dos **** ***** Account Number: ******** Date of Incident: March 24, 2025 Complaint Summary:I, *. ******, am submitting this complaint on behalf of the lien holder, as I am the purchaser of the vehicle associated with the above-mentioned account.On March 24, 2025, SAFCO received and cashed a certified check in the amount of $13,316.92, which was issued as the full payoff amount for account #********, under the name ******* Dos **** *****. This payment was sent with the clear intent to close the account and satisfy all financial obligations.Despite receiving and processing the payoff check, SAFCO has failed to close the account and continues to reflect an active payment schedule. This is an error that is causing significant delays and hardship. As the new owner of the vehicle, I am unable to register the car under my name due to SAFCOs refusal to release the lien. This is unacceptable.We have made repeated attempts to contact SAFCOs customer service and escalate the issue to a manager. These efforts have been ignored or dismissed, and no meaningful action has been taken to resolve the matter.There is no justification for the lien to remain in place when the full balance has already been paid and the check has been cashed.Requested Resolution:Immediate closure of loan account #********.Removal of all interest charges or fees assessed after March 24, 2025.Immediate release of the lien and vehicle title so I may complete registration.Written confirmation of zero balance and account closure.Supporting Documentation:A copy of the cashed payoff check is available and will be submitted with this complaint.This matter requires urgent attention. I expect SAFCO to act promptly and responsibly to correct this issue.Sincerely,***** ****** (On behalf of lien holder and vehicle purchaser)

  Business Response

  Date: 04/11/2025

  Dear ***** ******,
  
  We received your inquiry via BBB on April ****** in regards to a payoff on *************** **** ****** account with ************************* take such inquiries seriously and opened a full investigation.
  
  During our investigation, we found that we received a payoff from you on March 25, 2025. Per Florida statutes, the lienholder has 10 business days to release the lien. SAFCO has since released its lien and the account is paid in full.  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  SAFCO Consumer Response Team

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/02/2025

  Type:Order Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I have terrible news that may have a significant impact on your company's public reputation and annual profits. Please read the letter I have attached, right away, to avoid this horrible event from taking place.

  Business Response

  Date: 03/10/2025

  Dear ****** ********,                                                                 
  
  We received an inquiry from you via CFPB on February 2, 2025 in regards to your loan with SAFCO. We take our customers inquiries seriously and opened a full investigation. SAFCO strictly adheres to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (****) requirements when reporting to credit reporting agencies. The **** requires SAFCO to report all account information accurately.
  
  During our investigation, we found that the information we reported to the credit reporting agencies was accurate and is reflecting accurately on your credit report(s) based on our records.Our records indicate that your account is marked as Unpaid balance and charge-offand that it was repoed on June 11, 2020. A notice of our plan to sell was mailed on June 12, 2020 to your address shown on your account, and an explanation of calculation of Surplus or deficiency letter on July 13, 2020. A copy of these letters will be mailed to you at the address provided in your inquiry as reference. We are required by law to report this information. As such, unfortunately, we are not able to make any modifications to your trade line.
  
  If you have any further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact our ************************** at **************.
  
  Kindest Regards,

  SAFCO Consumer Response Team

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/21/2025

   
  Complaint: 23009197
  
  In my last dispute on 02/16/2025, I requested proof that a pre-sale letter was sent and a post-sale letter was provided to confirm whether the vehicles disposition was commercially reasonable. You ignored my requestI received nothing by mail, email, or through my BBB and CFPB portals. This is a clear violation of U.C.C. ***** for conducting an unreasonable disposition. 

  If this account is not removed immediately, I will take legal action, which could result in significant financial and reputational consequences for your company. I strongly advise your legal team to review this matter thoroughly before I proceed with litigation.

  
  Sincerely,
  ****** ********

  Business Response

  Date: 03/31/2025

  Dear ****** ********,                                                               
  
  We received an inquiry from you via BBB on March 21, 2025 in regards to your account with **********************. We take our customers inquiries seriously and reviewed your account further. Please note, SAFCO timely responded to your March 2, 2025 inquiry via the BBB on March 10, 2025, which is related to this same issue.
  
  SAFCO strictly adheres to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (****) requirements when reporting to credit reporting agencies. The **** requires SAFCO to report all account information accurately. During our investigation, we found that this information has been previously disputed with SAFCO. The requested proof was provided through the BBB portal and via certified mail for your reference.This included copies of the notice of our plan to sell that was mailed to you on June 12, 2020, as well as an explanation of the calculation for the Surplus or Deficiency letter sent on July 13, 2020 please find enclosed copy of our response and supporting documents.. As permitted by law, any future requests regarding this specific matter will be considered insubstantial and will not be investigated.
  
  If you need any further assistance, please contact SAFCOs *************************** at ************.
  
  Kind regards,
  
  SAFCO Consumer Response Team

  Customer Answer

  Date: 04/01/2025

   
  Complaint: 23009197
  
  I am rejecting this response because I never received the requested documents
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ****** ********

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/17/2025

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Hello I have been reaching out to SAFCO for two weeks to understand why they are reporting such a high balance on my credit report when I received a letter stating the care was sold. After many attempts I get to speak with someone named ***** which apparently is the only who works in that department and she says I am being charged interest every day since the care was repossessed and she can offer a settlement. Well after thinking this over and research I found that I cant be charged interest on something that was sold and charged off I requested a letter with the selling balance and I was told I could receive that Weeks on trying to understand waiting on hold for periods at a time and all I get from ***** is call back when Im ready to settle which means I will still be charged interest daily.. very bad customer service I feel and that fact that there is only one person that you can speak to is crazy worst experience ever

  Business Response

  Date: 01/30/2025

  Dear ****** ******,
  
  We received an inquiry from you via the BBB portal on January 17, 2025 in regard to your account with **********************. We take all of our customers inquiries seriously and opened a full investigation. SAFCO strictly adheres to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (****) requirements when reporting to credit reporting agencies. The **** requires SAFCO to report all account information accurately.
  
  During our investigation, we determined that the information we reported to the credit reporting agencies was accurate, and is reflecting accurately on your credit report based on our records. Our records show your account is charged off. Charged off does not mean your debt was forgiven.Your contractual obligation operates on a simple interest basis, which means that interest accrues daily on the outstanding principal balance. While the vehicle has been repossessed, the terms of your contractual agreement remain in effect until the balance on the account has been resolved. The interest is not being added to the principal itself, but is calculated daily based on the remaining unpaid principal. This is a standard practice for simple interest loans and ensures that interest reflects the outstanding balance over time.
  
  Additionally, I understand you mentioned that interest cannot be added to something that was sold. Please note that the repossession and sale of the unit affect your account in a different way. Any proceeds from the sale of the vehicle are applied to reduce the balance on the account,including the principal, accrued interest, and any applicable fees. If there is a remaining balance after the sale, it will continue to accrue interest as per the original contractual agreement.
  
  If you would like a detailed breakdown of your account or further clarification, you can call SAFCOs *************************** at ************.
  
  Kind regards,
  
  SAFCO Consumer Response Team

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/06/2025

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I am not liable for this debt with SAFCO. I do not have a contract with the collection agency trying to collect and report this with my credit report. They did not provide me with the original contract as I requested.

  Business Response

  Date: 01/16/2025

  Dear ******* *****,
  
  We received an inquiry from you via BBB portal on January 6, 2025 in regards to your account with **********************. We take all of our customers inquiries seriously and opened a full investigation. SAFCO strictly adheres to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (****) requirements when reporting to credit reporting agencies. The **** requires SAFCO to report all account information accurately.
  
  During our investigation, we determined that the information we reported to the credit reporting agencies was accurate, and is reflecting accurately on your credit report based on our records. Our records show this is the first request we have received from you.
  
  We are sending you a debt validation letter, along with your payment history, copy of your contract, and investigation results. After you receive your letter, if you need anything else, you can call SAFCOs *************************** at ************.
  
  Kind regards,
  
  SAFCO Consumer Response Team

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/10/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  PLEASE SEE ATTACHMENT

  Business Response

  Date: 10/25/2024

  Dear ****** *****,
  
  SAFCO is in receipt of your inquiry concerning your account with **********************. We take our customers inquiries seriously and opened a full investigation. SAFCO strictly adheres to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) requirements when reporting to credit reporting agencies.  The **** requires SAFCO to report all account information accurately. Though SAFCO is not subject to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, our practices follow the law.
  
  During our investigation, we determined that the information we reported to the credit reporting agencies was accurate, and is reflecting accurately on your credit report based on our records. Our records indicate your account is reflecting Paid/Closed, there was at least 1 late payment in your account and your account was past due when it was paid off, all of which SAFCO is required to report. As such, we are not able to make any modifications to your trade line. Please note negative credit information may stay on your credit report for seven years.
  
  We do not see a prior request for a debt validation from you. The following information is being provided to validate your debt. For your privacy and convenience, you will also receive a debt validation letter with this information along with a copy of your signed contract and account payment history with SAFCO:
  
  The above described vehicle was purchased on December 27, 2014 and financed by Southern Auto Finance Company, LLC d.b.a. SAFCO;
  The original contract amount was $15,700.41;
  The current principal balance on the account is $0.00; and
  The account was paid in full as of: August 3, 2020.
  
  We consider the above information to have addressed all of your concerns. If you have any questions please contact SAFCO at *************.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  SAFCO Consumer Response Team

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/20/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I was told by ******************************** Portfolio, that I needed to bring my account current to receive a two-month deferment. I paid the amount they stated to bring current in Aug. Then received a unprofessional, rude call from ***** at Peritus Portfolio stating yeah, we got the payment but your past due. I then contacted Safco manager ****** *******, and he stated to me. "Well, this is what we came up with. I have strong armed ***eatedly on this acct, I have requested audits, I have sent in proof of payments with bank statements and NOT received credit-told I was however payments continue to increase not decrease, Now, this-we all understand how deferments work and yet they just keep taking my monies not honoring laws, GAAP or their own arrangements. I need help getting this account audited and payments posted correctly-the accounting records, payment history is insane-SAFCO sends ledger and payment history to Peritus Portfolio (they handle SAFCO BANKRUTCY CASES-yet their records do not match-payments may show on and not the other and vice versa-upon years of trying to get resolve - I just receive rude responses, going over the payments BUT know updates or answers to the unposted payments, the request for acct. to be audited, answer to mismatched ledgers and etc. Now, the most absurd thing-this deferment-I had to pay CURRENT to receive the two-month deferment-I paid it in AUGUST & in SEPT-they contact me and state I am 2 months behind and reflect this in the payment history-HELP ME! I have attached the liaison between Safco to Peritus-manager ****** ******* email correspondence about the deferment, yet they are harassing me, threatening *** and stating account is still delinquent.

  Business Response

  Date: 10/04/2024

  SAFCO is in receipt of Ms. Lee’s request concerning her account with SAFCO. We take our customers’ requests seriously and opened a full investigation.
  SAFCO is happy to inform Ms. Lee that the missing payment has been located and has been successfully applied to her account. Additionally, a full review of her account has been conducted to ensure it is reflecting her account information accurately.
  SAFCO spoke with Ms. Lee on September 23, 2024 to provide a summary of her account and confirm her satisfaction with the end result. SAFCO appreciates Ms. Lee’s patience during this process and apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. If Ms. Lee has any further questions or needs additional assistance, she may contact us at [email protected].
  Kindest Regards,
  SAFCO Consumer Response Team
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/19/2024

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Esta Empresa esta causando de manera equivocada mis pagos a mi crdito de Vehculo. no se estn causando los intereses en la fecha de pago correcta. La informacin de los dos ltimos meses es confusa no hay respuesta con argumentos solidos por parte de su personal de servicio al cliente.Intente Crear un caso de revisin a mi cuenta pero fue imposible, no me entregaron un numero de caso con respecto a mi queja en mi ultima llamada la cual fue atendida de manera muy poco profesional por el seor ***** *******.This Company is wrongly causing my payments on my Vehicle credit. Interest is not being incurred on the correct payment date. The information from the last two months is confusing, there is no response with solid arguments from their customer service staff.I tried to create a review case on my account but it was impossible, they did not give me a case number regarding my complaint in my last call which was handled in a very unprofessional manner by Mr. ***** *******.

  Business Response

  Date: 09/27/2024

  SAFCO is in receipt of Mr. Javier Palacios’s request concerning his account with SAFCO. We take our customers’ requests seriously and opened a full investigation.
  A full review of his account has been conducted to ensure it is reflecting his payments accurately, which it is. Our SAFCO account managers tried to explain to Mr. Palacio that he has simple interest financing, with the same installment payment due every month, and that his interest is calculated based on his balance and accrued daily. We also offered him a payment history. SAFCO is happy to speak directly to Mr. Palacio at his convenience and has tried calling him on several occasions but he has not answered. We strive for excellent customer service, so if Mr. Palacio has any further questions or needs additional assistance, he may call us at 800-599-8858 or contact us at [email protected].
  Kindest Regards,
  SAFCO Consumer Response Team

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/30/2024

   
  Complaint: 22311384
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  I attach my payment history for June 28, which is correct.

  Then in the payment history of August 21, Safco initially sends all my payment to the principal and then in the payment of September 19, it sends everything to the interest.

  I only need my payments to be made correctly on the corresponding date as my previous payments have been. They must cause the corresponding interest and capital payments in each payment and not accumulate them.
  

  I also sent a picture of my missed calls and voicemail because I never received a call from their customer service. I only ask that they do not use dirty strategies with my payment information to further increase their interest earnings.
  

  Thanks

   

   

  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Javier Palacios

  Business Response

  Date: 10/11/2024

  Dear Mr. Palacios,

  SAFCO is in receipt of your response concerning your account with SAFCO. SAFCO is committed to excellent customer service and would be glad to speak to you to go over your account history. We think we see the communication issue. Our records show our representatives called a phone ending in -1737 on two different occasions. This is the phone we have on file matching your vehicle purchase documents. The first attempt was on September 26, 2024, at 3:34 pm, and the second attempt was on September 27, 2024, at 4:04 pm. Unfortunately, we were unable to reach you because your contact information has not been updated in our system.
  

  On October 10, 2024, Jorge Serrano, our Sr. Account Services Manager reached out and spoke with you and successfully updated your contact information, confirmed your identification, and answered all your questions regarding your account. Additionally, as per your request, we have sent you an updated payment history for your reference.

  Should you have any further questions please feel free to contact us at (800) 599-8858.

  Kindest Regards,

  SAFCO Consumer Response Team

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/17/2024

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID 22311384, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Javier Palacios

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/08/2024

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  This company did an un authorized pull of my credit report and would like the hard inquiry be removed from my credit report

  Business Response

  Date: 08/16/2024

  SAFCO is in receipt of ************** request regarding the credit inquiry on his credit report. We take our customers requests seriously and opened an investigation. SAFCO strictly adheres to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (****) requirements when reporting to credit reporting agencies. The **** requires SAFCO to report all account information accurately.
  
  During our investigation, we determined that SAFCO received an application for credit under application No. ******* on 11/23/2022 from *************** ********** with contact number ************. The information we reported to the credit reporting agencies was accurate, and is reflecting accurately on your credit report based on our records. Since the application was authorized, we are unable to make any modifications.
  
  
  SAFCO Consumer Response Team

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/27/2024

  Type:Sales and Advertising Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  This agency committed a serious infraction under Title 18 of the United States Code (USC). They used my social security card without my consent by way of fraudulent use pursuant 15 USC 1644. They have knowingly submitted my personal identification information to consumer reporting agencies. Along with false and fictitious documents to make it seem like I owe a debt to their company when I do not. Because of their deceptive actions, they have successfully created this tradeline. Making them liable under 15 USC 6823, for aggravated identity theft under 18 USC 1028(a). They got my personal information by false pretense. To make an extortionate extension of credit, which is punishable under 18 USC 892.

  Business Response

  Date: 08/02/2024

            August 2, 2024
  
  
  SAFCO is in receipt of ************************** inquiry via the BBB portal. We take our customersinquiries seriously and opened a full investigation.
  
  SAFCO strictly adheres to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (****) requirements when reporting to credit reporting agencies. The **** requires SAFCO to report all account information accurately.
  During our investigation, we determined that Mr.********s account information we reported to the credit reporting agencies was accurate, and is reflecting accurately on his credit report.
  
  In addition, SAFCO received a previous request from ********************, in March of 2022, regarding a 1099c in which we were not able to substantiate as there is an outstanding balance is still owed on his account, and nothing has been waived. Our response at that time disclosed the original high credit limit, the principal balance due and the payoff amount. Since his account remains active, we are required to report the outstanding balance to the credit bureaus. Negative credit reporting may stay on a consumers trade line for up to seven years from the date of first delinquency. The date of first delinquency on his account is 03/20/2020. If he is interested in settling his account, he can call *********************** Debt Resolutions Team at ***************.
  
  SAFCO has provided Mr. ******** a debt validation letter along with a copy of his Retail Installment Sales Contract and payment history.
  
  At this time SAFCO consider this case closed.