Company repossessing cars bought at closed dealership. Car owners say they’ve never heard of them

A Gwinnett County man was left confused after a wrecker showed up at his job and repossessed the car he’d faithfully been making payments on for years.

Joe Lester says he’d never heard of Westlake Portfolio until they repossessed the 2012 Hyundai Genesis he bought from US Auto Sales.

“I made the payments every month for three years, but now I don’t have a car,“ Lester told Channel 2 Consumer Investigator Justin Gray.

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Channel 2 Action News has been reporting for months on problems customers have had since metro Atlanta-based US Auto Sales abruptly closed all 39 locations back in April.

Gray reported in August how federal regulators at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau have filed a lawsuit against them alleging improper charges and wrongful repossessions.

Lester says he tried to keep paying his bill after US Auto Sales shut down.

“You call US Auto, the payment line, there was no one to pick up,” he said.

A company called Westlake Portfolio Management is now servicing the loans. Lester says it was only after the car was repossessed that he learned Westlake was sending his bills to an address he’d never heard of.

“They claim it was sent to James, Georgia, which is on the other side of Macon. And I asked him, where did they get that address? They said that is the address that US Auto gave them,” Lester said.

RELATED INVESTIGATIONS:

• Federal agency sues shut down Ga. car dealership for illegally repossessing cars

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Since Channel 2 Action News first introduced you to Nevadia Brooks this summer, she got a court order from Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee rescinding her contract with US Auto and ordering they pay her more than $3,000.

But Westlake has already repossessed her car and won’t return it.

“My contract is voided. I physically do not have a contract with US Auto Sales. I never had a contract with Westlake Portfolio Management. And for whatever reason, they would not return my vehicle. They’re still asking me to pay on a vehicle that’s been repoed,” Brooks said.

Westlake said in a statement when they took over servicing the loans: “We are committed to making this transition as seamless as possible for all customers of U.S. Auto Sales.”

Lester says he’s not only out the thousands of dollars he paid for the car, but his credit is now shot too.

“Now, when I had to go to a car dealership, they tell me I need a co-signer. I’m 66 years old, who want to co-sign with a 66-year-old guy? Nobody,” Lester said.

The most recent communication Brooks received from Westlake had her address, but another customer’s name and account number.

Westlake did not respond to our questions.

Attorney General Chris Carr’s office does have an open investigation and tells Channel 2 Action News they want customers who are having problems to reach out to them and file an official complaint.

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