ComplaintsforFirst Financial Bank, N A

• Initial Complaint

  07/20/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Lied to and mislead by First Financial Bank

  Business response

  08/01/2024

  ********************** application was submitted on 4/18/24.  FFB pulled credit on her that day and her score was a 702.  Because it took more than 30 days to get the loan to closing, a new credit pull was required before FFB could proceed with the loan.  FFB repulled credit on ****************** on 5/22/24 and as of that date her score did drop, but nominally to a 694.  Per internal procedures, Home Equity always prices off the most recent credit pull. Because of the credit score change, ********************** rate did increase from the originally disclosed rate of 8.75% to 9.25%, as it took her to a different tier on the rate sheet. There were two factors that cause the rate to increase - The drop in credit score caused a .25% increase and fact that interest rates increased by .25% from the time of application and redisclosure, together added up to the .50% increase in rate. But, as noted by the dates, the time frame from when the rate was initially quoted to ****************** and the final rate was over a month (4/18 - 5/22), not "overnight."
  
  As for the credit score, ****************** was sent a credit score disclosure (Your Credit and the Price You Pay for Credit) in the original early disclosure packet after her 4/18 application (score of 702).   We sent an updated disclosure on 5/22 when FFB repulled credit (score of 694). The scores quoted by ****************** in her complaint were not accurate per our records.
  
  The only change on the credit report was her total outstanding credit card balance increased by about $2200 from her initial credit pull on 4/18 to the second credit pull on 5/22. ****************** was never lied to or mislead about her rate or credit scores. There was nothing that FFB did to impact her credit score, aside from pulling her credit, which FFB had a permissible purpose for.
  

• Initial Complaint

  04/09/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I have a loan with First Financial Bank for a 2013 Kia ******* in which I have had since 2020. The payment amount was set at $385 per month. Recently, I fell behind in payments due to the motor blowing. I am faced with a motor and labor costs that will amount to around $5,000-$6,000 as well as owing about $7,000 on the **** As a single mom with four kids, I have to have transportation in order to maintain employment and care for the children of course. I have a financial hardship at this point and I reached out to First Financial, dealing with (***************) and explained the situation and told her I would still like to pay and do the right thing but I was seeking a refinance or in other terms a collection rewrite. I had many issues with the treatment and ***** treating me as if their were no options. I even spoke w/*****'s supervisor and explained I did not like dealing with her because I was trying to find a resolution and I felt she was working against me. I was ref back to ***** with no help. I then reached out to ****, a bank branch manager in *********, ** that also spoke to ***** and we were told to make 2 payment amounts by March 29th. Although this caused major strain and more financial burden, I made sure I held up my end and the **** was paid. ***** never did the collection rewrite. The paperwork was to go to **** and **** was to call me to come sign. After making payments, ***** also sent a man to my home to try and repossess the truck. After the payments were made other than $100 and agreement was already reached. I received a phone call today in which a banker was asking for another pymt. I explained I was waiting on the rewrite paperwork. She said she would need to call me back. I then receive an email from a *************************** stating that ***** no longer works there and I guess because of that, she is justifying a broken agreement in which I did my part and telling me now I have to make another $385 in days in which I can't do and wasnt agreed that way.

  Customer response

  04/15/2024

  Here are screen shots with important information. 

• Initial Complaint

  12/04/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I have a car loan through first financial bank. I have gotten letters in the mail of complaints I am not making my payments on time. I tried to pay online, and they denied my debit card. I couldn't make my payments and ran farther behind. They only took money order payments and I ran behind because it was being mailed. I have gotten false information on how much I owe. I get letters and threats of repossession. They claim I am over 40 days late on my payments, but I have made small payments more than twice times month trying to catch up. They claim I owe 750$, when I call they tell me I only need to pay ******. They won't give me clear answers and keep harassing me and using scare tactics to have me pay. I don't have proof from them that my money orders went through.

  Business response

  12/18/2023

  We have searched our internal files by name, address, email and phone number and ****************** does not appear to be our customer.  We believe that this complaint was directed to the wrong First Financial Bank and needs to instead be sent to the one that is HQ'd out of ****, but has several branches in *******, including some closer down to the ************** area where ****************** resides.  We are sorry for ********************** experience and hope for a quick resolution of her issues, but First Financial Bank N.A. (headquartered in ***************), is not the lender in this matter and not responsible for the concerns listed ** this complaint.

• Initial Complaint

  12/01/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I called First Financial Bank in **************** *************** on Wednesday November.29,2023 I seen a charge on my Bank App I bought cigarettes on November.16,2024 which is not true there is no transaction on my Bank App this is not listed on my Bank App so I asked them did Circle K let me walk out the door with the cigarettes that would be shoplifting but I paid for them with my Bank Debit Card I bought cigarettes on November.24,2023 the last time and First Financial Bank did not put it on there computer until November.24,2023 computer they did not put in the transaction it was pending it was approved they got paid I got charged a Over Draft Fee of $35.00 Negative - and I was charged $35.00 Late Fee Charge Im negative on my bank Account I used to have $22.00 Positive + in my Bank Account there Computers messed up Human Error or Computer Error

• Initial Complaint

  10/17/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I was issued a cashiers check from First Financial Bank, ******, ** South branch. The check was stolen in the mail. It was reported to police. The police have said there is a postal inspector IG investigation with this fraud, and the police have contacted the bank fraud and security department, only getting the voicemail and no return call. When I spoke with the bank requesting stop payment on the check, I was told I had to wait 90 days due to federal bank secrecy laws. In researching, I can not find a law or a first financial policy in writing stating a 90 day federal waiting period on stopping a cashier check. Also the issuer of the check has gone to see the bank manager requesting the cashier check have a stop payment, and he was told the same thing. The branch tells us to call the ** customer service line, but when they are ontacted the woman at the desk puts your call to voicemail.

  Business response

  10/30/2023

  ****************, who has lodged this complaint, was the intended recipient of a cashier's check #****** purchased by an *** customer on 9/27/23. The check was sent by mail and at some point prior to arriving to its intended destination, the check was stolen from the mail. **************** communicated this to the account owner, *** and filed a police report. Typically, a declaration of loss is not enforceable until 90 days after a check is issued, which is what **************** was told by *** staff. A cashier's check is a different tool than a regular personal check and is considered "guaranteed funds, so the usual stop payment rules do not apply to Cashier's Checks, Money Orders, etc... This timeframe has been established to allow for time for the circumstances to be researched/investigated and for the check to possibly be found.  If a cashier's check isn't found within 90 days, then usually it is declared null and void and can be reissued (if the parties wish) after that time.  In the interim, the stolen check was altered (i.e. the name of the payee was changed) and was presented for payment on 10/19/23.  The check number had been flagged due to the reports of theft, so the *** Fraud Team caught this and stopped the payment. In this instance, since the check was presented in an altered form for payment, once *** was able to confirm with the purchaser of the check that the altered name was NOT the intended recipient, the check was cancelled, and the funds were credited back to the original account on 10/24/23.  The customer is free to purchase a new check or make payment to **************** however they agree upon, but there was no wrongdoing on the part of *** and there is no recourse for this customer with ***.  Communications regarding payment by **************** should be directed to the account owner, not the bank.

• Initial Complaint

  04/03/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I am not liable for this debt with First Financial Bank and do not have a contract with convergent. Do not provide me with the original application like I asked.

  Business response

  04/17/2023

  Mr. **** was originally a co-signer for the loan in question when it was made back in 2016 and is still on the loan as guarantor. The other borrower on the loan filed Chapter 13 Bankruptcy in June of 2019, but Mr. **** was not protected in the bankruptcy, as there was a relief of stay that made him still liable for the loan, which is why it still remains on his credit report. This (his liability and responsibility for the loan) was communicated in detail to Mr. **** by our staff on 8/23/2019. The co-borrower has continued to make payments on the loan through the Ch. 13, and while a balance remains, it is being paid down per the terms of the bankruptcy and there is nothing incorrect or inaccurate being reported to the credit bureaus regarding this loan by First Financial Bank N.A. 

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