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Business Profile

Real Estate Auction Services

CivicSource

Complaints

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Complaint Details

Note that complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. See details.

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Complaint Status
Complaint Type
  • Complaint Type:
    Customer Service Issues
    Status:
    Answered
    On 8/18/24, I submitted $850.00 to Civic Source in order to start the bidding process, on property ****** as per their website, with the understanding that if I was not the winning bidder or if the property was cancelled because of redemption by owner of the property my money $850.00 would be refunded. The auction was date was was for 11/6/2024 it was canceled 9/27/24 due to property owner redemption of property. The property was located on *********** in ***************. I have emailed and call repeatedly. A generic email response is "your refund status is still currently showing as pending. The matter has been escalated". This same email response came 10/18/24, 10/23/24. My phone calls are unanswered as well as messages (emails). Ive asked to speak to a manager and Im still waiting on that person to call.

    Business response

    11/26/2024

    Mr. ******** $****** deposit refund was processed on 11/17/24 and he should have received his refund or will receive it in the next few days.  See below.

    Let me know if have any questions.

    Thanks,

    **** *********


    Tax Authority RefundDate Name RelatedAccountEntryNotes  Amount  *********************************************************************** 11/17/2024 ******* ******* ***************** on TAA2363          ****** ******************************** ACH TAAARF240927101025164 Redemption - Per ***** (TPS) on 9/27/24, this property was redeemed in December 2023.

  • Complaint Type:
    Customer Service Issues
    Status:
    Resolved
    I expressed interest in bidding an apartment on ************************** in 4/30/2024 and deposited $850.00 as an initial bidding deposit. The bid was scheduled on 8/7/2024 and I did not win. Civic Source emailed that the bidding deposit was processed on 8/8/2024 and would be received shortly. Their website states it may take up to three months to receive the bidding deposit. Today is 11/12/2024, which is a bit above the proposed time and yet, I have not received my money. I have contacted them for the past two month via phone call and the best response received is "the issue has been escalated but no response from the accounting department yet. We will put in another re-escalate the request". I believe this is not a fair transaction to hold a customer deposit without a better reason and would be glad to receive an answer to this and my money.

    Business response

    11/26/2024

    We refunded ******** ********** $****** on 11/17/24 as noted below.  He should have received his refund or will receive it any day now, as it take up to a week to show up in his account from the 11/17 date.

    Let me know if there is anything else I need to provide.

    Thanks,

    **** *********

     

    Tax Authority RefundDate Name RelatedAccountEntryNotes  Amount  RefundedBy RefundType ReferenceId Notes
    City of *********** 11/17/2024 ******** ********** Deposit on CNO157035          ****** ******************************** ACH CNOARF240808132007846 Adjudication Deposit Refund

  • Complaint Type:
    Product Issues
    Status:
    Resolved
    I have been using CivicSource services for years. Never had a complaint. I was searching for a different way to contact them other than the support number and email. I was reading the BBB complaints and decided to write my own. I bid on a property 08/07/2024; for which I submitted the deposit. I lost and was told I would receive a refund of my deposit. $850. When I win an auction, I promptly make my payment as CivicSource requires. However, today is 09/20/2024 and I still have not received my refund. I have records of emails I sent and phone calls I have made. One email I had to follow-up on because it was never acknowledged. I was told the refund has been pending since 08/08. Then I was told, my email was escalated to Accounting. This is unexcusable. The same expectation that CivicSource has for prompt payment when I win an auction is the same expectation I have for refund processing.

    Business response

    11/04/2024

    1. ***** ********** *****:  She was refunded her $850.00 deposit on 10/1 and she should have received her money within a week of that.

     

     

  • Complaint Type:
    Customer Service Issues
    Status:
    Resolved
    We placed a deposit for an auction and were told that typically a refund would be issued in a couple of days if the auction did not proceed. Then, when we were notified that the auction would not be proceeding and that a refund would be processed, we were told that it could take up to a maximum of 30 days. Leading up to the 30 days, I called and asked for my refund to be expedited due to a financial emergency. I was told by customer service that they would send an email to accounting. I followed up several times, but was told that there was no one that I could speak with, not even a ************* the 30 day ***** I called again, and was told that now it could take up to 30 business days, not calendar days. My deposit was initially taken from my account immediately. Several times I requested to speak with accounting, or supervision, but was brushed off. I have still not received a refund, have sent several follow-up emails, but none of them have been responded to. This has been one of the worst **************** experiences that Ive ever ****** has been past the 30 business days, and I have not received any follow up emails and my deposit refund is still unresolved.

    Business response

    11/04/2024

    1. ***** ******:  He was refunded his $850.00 deposit on 8/19 and he should have received his money within a week of that. 

     

     

  • Complaint Type:
    Product Issues
    Status:
    Resolved
    I was out bid on both of these auctions. (Real Estate Property). In the past the deposits were returned within a week. It has been almost 2 months for the 1st depost and a month for the 2nd deposit. In the past it was easy to contact CivicSouce. I have called over and over. It always says "you have a 4 minute wait"; then it promps to leave a message. I left numerious messages and nobody calls back. CivicSource sells property adjudicated to St. Tammany Parish and other Parishes in *********. My next step is to file a complaint with the St. Tammany Parish ************ and Gov. ** they don't return *********** with the next few weeks I will file a suit against CivicSource.

    Business response

    03/22/2024

    We sent ******* his refunds on 3/14/24.  He should receive them this week.

     

    Let me know if you have any questions.

     

    Thanks,

     

    ***************************, CPA (Inactive)

    Controller

      CivicSource.com

  • Complaint Type:
    Product Issues
    Status:
    Resolved
    On 9/25/23, I submitted $850.00 to Civic Source in order to start the bidding process, as per their website, with the understanding that if I was not the winning bidder of the property my money $850.00 would be refunded. The auction was held on 12/6/2023. The property was located on *************************** in ***********. I have emailed and call repeatedly. A generic email response is "your refund status is still currently showing as pending. The matter has been escalated". This same email response came 1/25/23, 1/16/24. My phone calls are unanswered as well as messages. There is only a answering machine that says the message box is full. Please advise

    Business response

    02/01/2024

    Refund was processed today.  
  • Complaint Type:
    Customer Service Issues
    Status:
    Resolved
    In the 1/3/24 auction I purchased a home for $130,000, the total after fees was over $131,000 but I can't remember the exact amount. The money was wired promptly on 1/4/24 as required. Despite multiple emails, voice mails and messages left with the call center my closing documents were not emailed until 1/18 and had the incorrect business name on them so they had to be voided. In response to an earlier email requesting an update I was told on 1/23/24 that "someone from the call center should have reached out to me", the property has been redeemed. Per the St. ***************************** office Civic Source has known about the redemption since 1/19/23. It is now 1/30/24 and have not received my refund, nor can I get in touch with anyone at Civic Source. I need to know when my money will be refunded. This company has been very unprofessional to work with.

    Business response

    03/22/2024

    We sent ****** her refund on 3/14/24.

     

    Let me know if you have any questions.

     

    Thanks,

     

    ***************************, CPA (Inactive)

    Controller

      CivicSource.com

  • Complaint Type:
    Customer Service Issues
    Status:
    Answered
    I'm filing a complaint about false advertisement. I was told by civic souce that one I win the bid for the property at 1% win and pay the taxes on the property for 3 years that I would be complete owner and be able to file for title of the property etc... Well according to the parish where the property is I would never own a property by paying 1%. I asked and talk to anyone I can because I paid $250 more after winning which was the 99% and was told that I only paid taxes for the owner. Now the taxes are.going up for sale again and I could try to go and win it directly from the parish and Pay parish & city taxes and hold it for 3 years or until redemption by the owner. None of which is what Civic source says after speaking with the parish & city they said they don't understand what and why civic source says that we win the property after bidding only 1%.Civic source is a fraud and it's not true they are lying to us about winning those properties.

    Business response

    06/19/2023

    We did not receive this complaint until today.  We will research and provide a response by June 23, 2023.  Please ensure that all corresponce to CivicSource is sent to the below address with a copy to **********************************************.  

    *************************

    COO

    CivicSource

    P.O. Box 50001

    ***********, ** 70150

    Business response

    06/23/2023

    We have reviewed our records regarding Ms. ********** complaint.  We have no record that the information ********************** claims we provided was provided by any CivicSource employee or source.

    First, the only record of a telephone conversation between ********************** and our team was a call on or about August 3, 2021, the sole purpose of which was to advise ********************** of the email address to which she could submit her W-9 form.  We have no records of any other call with *********************** If ********************** can provide the date that another call *** have taken place, we can research this further.     

    Second, the only email correspondence between CivicSource and ********************** are contained herein.  As you can see, none reference the topics raised by ********************** in her complaint.

    Finally, we reviewed our FAQ and educational material on our website (*********************************************************)which correctly sets for the rules and guidelines regarding ********* tax sales. 

    In conclusion, we do not believe that any CivicSource employee or source provided ********************** with the information she claims was provided by our company.

    If ********************** can provide us with any documentation or other proof that this incorrect information was provided to her by CivicSource,we are happy to re-evaluate her complaint.  

  • Complaint Type:
    Customer Service Issues
    Status:
    Answered
    Date of the first transaction:Deposit 03/26/2021 Bid 07/09/2021 We were purchasing property through the Civic Source bidding process. After the transaction, I was informed that Natchitoches Parish would handle the paperwork and I told the lawyer who handled the paperwork that there was a conflict of interest in that office. We never received the deed for the property and I contacted the lawyer back who then contacted Natchitoches Parish, who gave Civic Source the run around for months. Then a lawyer from ************ planning and zoning contacted them stating he didn't know how to handle the paperwork and by then it had been over 6 months. Once I reported everything to the Mayor of ************, he contacted planning and zoning and told them to issue a refund. Now Civic Source will not remit our funds to us. They are trying to hold us to a contract the ******************** canceled. It is now going on a year next month and Civic Source is giving us the run-around. ********************** did his job but it is his superiors that are holding our money. If you'll help we would greatly appreciate it because it is not right for them to hold our finances when the ******************** canceled the purchase.

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