Date Received: 2022-01-27
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Need information about your loan balance or loan terms
Consumer Complaint: I consolidated my FFEL loans with FedLoan to qualify for public service loan forgiveness. I submitted my app on XX/XX/21 with receipt confirmation on XX/XX/21. Since then I've heard nothing. My employe4 hasn't even been certified. Try to call them and you are spending a minimum of an hour on hold. Once I spent close to XXXX hours on hold, someone answered then hung up on me. Then they tell you they have no information and continue waiting. I've sent multiple emails to customer service with no response other than the autogenerated email receipt. This is disgusting
Company Response:
State: IL
Zip: 60014
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2022-01-27
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2022-01-26
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Trouble with how payments are being handled
Consumer Complaint: I would like to file a general complaint regarding the handling of my student loans by FedLoan Servicing. I believe that this is a systemic problem connected to student loan policy more broadly that I would like to flag to the attention of the CFPB, that can not be addressed individually to my specific situation but rather would require further modification to current temporary Public Service Loan Forgiveness rules to resolve. Specifically, in the handling of matters pertaining to my federal student loans FedLoan Servicing has both taken inordinately lengthy amounts of time to process my applications for loan consolidation, and income driven repayment plans, and has arbitrarily rejected these applications without first making any effort to contact me or resolve the issue before canceling my applications, thereby repeatedly forcing me to refile again and again from the beginning. For example, after graduating, my loan consolidation application took nearly a year for them to process. My applications for income driven repayment plans have been repeatedly rejected or canceled, after lengthy waiting time for these applications to be processed, without explanation or efforts to email, call, or notify me of any outstanding requirements that need to be met. This in itself has been incredibly frustrating! It also seems to have been the standard practice of FedLoan Servicing to automatically place my loans into forbearance during these processing periods. There have been multiple times I have been told that my application was canceled for an arbitrary reason such as failing to pay a {$5.00} fee that I was never notified that I needed to pay, or claiming I had checked the wrong box on my application form, when my PDF records of my application forms indicate clearly I had never checked. Furthermore, because my employers during these periods are 501c3 non-profits, had my loans requests been processed more efficiently, I would have been able to earn credit for public service loan forgiveness during the time that FedLoan Servicing took to process my loan requests, as my IDR loan payments have often been determined to be {$0.00} per month. However, because of the extended lengths of time that FedLoan Servicing has taken to process my loan requests and their placement of my loans into forbearance status during those periods of time, I have lost out on YEARS of monthly credits toward earning public service loan forgiveness. Since XX/XX/2007, I have completed at least 164 months of full-time employment or combinations of part-time employment exceeding XXXX hours per work for qualified PSLF employers, and continue to work full-time for a PSLF qualifying employer. Yet, because my loans have so frequently been placed into forbearance status by FedLoan Servicing during this time ( primarily due to the time it has taken them to process paperwork on my loans ) to date, my FedLoan Servicing account as it currently shows, says I have only earned 6 months of credits toward PSLF to date! While I am working to submit the required paperwork to certify all of my qualifying employment for PSLF under the temporary PSLF rules that are currently in effect, to request that the amount of credits I have earned toward PSLF be redetermined under temporary PSLF guidelines, I am concerned that because my loans were so frequently placed into lengthy periods of forbearance due to the inefficiency and failure of FedLoan Servicing to process loan requests in a timely way, and because periods of qualified employment during which loans were in deferment or forbearance status do not count toward loan forgiveness -- even under the temporarily relaxed PSLF guidelines -- that most of the years in which I have worked for qualified PSLF employers more than 30 hours per week, will still not be counted towards loan forgiveness. Again, I believe that this is systemic problem that I do not necessarily believe can be resolved directly with FedLoan Servicing nor on an individual basis. I am filing this complaint for the purpose of bringing this issue to the attention of the CFPB, in hopes that it might encourage the bureau to raise this concern in its efforts to advocate for student loan borrowers, considering specifically, how temporary guidelines for PSLF count or disqualify periods of qualifying employment. I also hope to bring awareness to the bureau about the tremendously lengthy processing times and arbitrary cancelations of loan requests without prior effort to contact borrowers to resolve outstanding concerns as a problem that I believe have been endemic within the practices and operations of FedLoan Servicing. As the US Department of Education 's only allowable servicer for borrowers who are pursuing PSLF, I believe that these matters should be of particular concern to the Bureau as the federal oversight agency that is responsible for overseeing financial protection and rights for federal student loan borrowers. Thank you for your attention and recognition of this matter and any future efforts by the CFPB that might result from consideration of this information. Sincerely, XXXX XXXX XXXX
Company Response:
State: OR
Zip: 97303
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2022-01-26
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2022-01-26
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Trouble with how payments are being handled
Consumer Complaint: Back in XX/XX/XXXX, I resubmitted my employer certification forms for the past 5 years essentially. ( XXXXonwards ). With the new PSLF waiver : " Past periods of repayment will now count regardless of whether you made a payment, made that payment on time, for the full amount due, on a qualifying repayment plan. '' So after i submitted my Employer certification form, I never received updated payments on 7 ineligible payments I made back from XXXX. I was told after about 3-4 months, I should verbally call for a recount. This would cost me about XXXX if not included, as I would have to make those payments later on under a different income. These ineligible payments were at a time period where there was little information given on how to qualify for PSLF. Payments as low as XXXX cents that were missed. I attempted to contact myfedloan multiple times, including most recently today XX/XX/XXXX. The only thing that happens, is I get transferred over to another PSLF department, and never get through to anyone. I have the ID # of the phone call if that helps, who transferred me again to PSLF department and have been waiting >30min with no person I've been able to ask for an official recount on those payments.
Company Response:
State: WA
Zip: 98115
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2022-01-26
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2022-01-26
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Don't agree with the fees charged
Consumer Complaint: Dear senior CFPB officials ; My input on junk fees associated with award year XXXX student loan charges, mandatory back charges by lenders and banks called 'consolidation ' but these do not make one loan, it's just unexplained, multiple one-time fees imposed on students who hold a student loan and have the loans transferred under the power of the student loan lender and not by student request, in fact, these changes and charges are against my will. Initial charges were unclear, I have paid over 8 % interest on what should have been subsidized loans due to the involuntary, multiple initial loan amounts, subsequent consolidations and loan transfers. Unexpected loan amounts and thousands in fees for mandatory, involuntarily imposed loan transfers and consolidations which are changes adding fees that seemed too high ; and fees where it was unclear why they were charged. If this was a well-regulated, well-supervised banking industry, the most competitive in the world, then why am I locked into indentured servitude with a 47 year repayment plan? As a consumer, I never was able to benefit from the ability choose how the bank was lending to the school to meet their tuition needs. I was left in the dark about the amounts charged, {$10000.00} for a diploma mill ( not a real school with an XXXX XXXX ) and not aware I was being ripped off due to the non-cooperative nature of the lender, and the school being insolvent at the time of the enrollment and then disappeared after the State of California 's involuntary Administrative Dissolution. It's also somewhat unclear as to how effectively you at the CFPB will help regulate the fees that student lenders charge initially and the consolidation abuses that follow it and increase the principals without the knowledge or consent of the student debtor. Let my public input will you to try to better enforce efforts to free me. I have been a federal employee for 13 years. I have paid over XXXX, made at least XXXX payments, with XXXX of those being during federal employment which began 2008 and continues today. Not only did a fake school rip me off to begin with, leaving me at minimum wage, but the 8 % interest, compounding fees for multiple consolidations assigning thousands more to the principal, I have been wronged and deserve this to be heard and for policy to change for bad schools that lock kind people into bad loans, and the federal policies that increase the principal of them. ////
Company Response:
State: OR
Zip: 973XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2022-01-26
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2022-01-26
Issue: Improper use of your report
Subissue: Reporting company used your report improperly
Consumer Complaint: FedLoan Servicing reported me. in XXXX of 2020, 90 days late on TEN Accounts without written, telephone or email notification. Attached is a letter describing the events. The letter was sent to FedLoan Serv.
Company Response:
State: CA
Zip: 91913
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2022-02-07
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2022-01-26
Issue: Problem with a credit reporting company's investigation into an existing problem
Subissue: Their investigation did not fix an error on your report
Consumer Complaint: Never Paid Late. The records reflect a 120 without preceding 30, 60 or 90 days. This is a massive error. Investigate all records closely. Ensure all info is truly accurate including address. Below are the accounts that reporting innacurate : FED LOAN SERV XXXX Date opened XX/XX/XXXX Balance {$3300.00} ; FED LOAN SERV XXXX Date opened XX/XX/XXXX Balance {$6200.00} ; FED LOAN SERV XXXX Date opened XX/XX/XXXX Balance {$50.00} ; FED LOAN SERV XXXX Date opened XX/XX/XXXX Balance {$4200.00} ; FED LOAN SERV XXXX Date opened XX/XX/XXXX Balance {$6000.00} ; FED LOAN SERV XXXX Date opened XX/XX/XXXX Balance {$3300.00} ; FED LOAN SERV XXXX Date opened XX/XX/XXXX Balance {$2400.00} ;
Company Response:
State: NY
Zip: XXXXX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2022-02-08
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2022-01-26
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Received bad information about your loan
Consumer Complaint: This is a continuation of Complaint ID XXXX, which I submitted on XXXX. That complaint dealt with the amount of time it took FedLoan to process my IDR request. The staggeringly incompetent company has finally processed it close to two months later, but the amount is grossly inaccurate, calculated contrary to federal regulations and the application. I applied for IDR on XXXX ( XXXX IDR Application XXXX ). I said on my application that my income had decreased since my last taxes. I requested to be put on the IDR plan with the lowest monthly payment. On XXXX, I received an email from FedLoan that the request was received, that I may receive additional emails regarding the status, and that I could check on the status online ( XXXX IDR Application XXXX XXXX ). The first time I checked the status, it said I would receive a follow up email by XXXX with any next steps. The next time I checked, the date was XXXX, and the next time after that the date was XXXX. I sent them an email on XXXX through the online system asking about the status and if anything was needed ( XXXX IDR Application Email XXXX ). The online system changed their date for response every day so that the deadline was always two weeks later ( XXXX IDR Request Date Changes ). On XXXX, they responded to an email I had sent on XXXX that they would provide the document in up to 10 business days. On XXXX, I received a document that all of my loans that had errors in the payment amounts showing monthly payments of approximately {$1000.00} even though I am in school status and no payments are due ( XXXX Student Loan Verification Letter FedLoan Garbage ). That day, I again contacted them through the online system asking about the status and if anything was needed ( XXXX IDR Application Email XXXX ). On XXXX, I received an email that my IDR application was processed. It did not say the payment amount, but the online system said it would be {$980.00} on the IBR plan ( XXXX IDR Repayment Amount ). The payment amount is about {$400.00} more than I calculated it would be based on the definitions in the regulations and my AGI and what is provided on the studentaid.gov website ( XXXX Student Loan Repayment Amount XXXX ). After some calculations, I realized they had used my total gross income, not my AGI, along with the XXXX federal poverty level ( which was updated for XXXX effective XXXX, considerably before my application was processed so the XXXX level should have been used ), and put me on a repayment plan that requires 15 % of discretionary income when I was eligible for a plan that requires 10 % of discretionary income and I had requested the lowest payment amount. I never provided my income on the application and FedLoan never requested proof of my income even though I contacted them repeatedly to try to figure out how to provide it. I contacted FedLoan and a representative told me there was an income certification that " someone '' provided, although she refused to tell me what the certified income was and who provided it, but that she would put in a request to have it sent to me within 10 business days. The representative also told me that I would have to provide my XXXX and XXXX taxes for the REPAYE plan, although they were never requested and she could not provide any citations for why they would be required. FedLoan took almost two months to provide me with an IDR approval that was calculated contrary to federal regulations and my request on the application despite me making numerous attempts to contact them so this could be processed correctly. I even filed a complaint with the CFPB to attempt to get FedLoan to contact me to calculate this correctly. This is an extremely basic calculation- I was able to make an XXXX that can calculate the amount based on any AGI and the current XXXX - and it is a waste of taxpayer resources for a company to be so incompetent at providing this extremely routine and basic service. I am waiting on this approval to be able to get a mortgage, and so this failure is also costing me money as mortgage rates have increased since I applied and continue to increase. I know that FedLoan has been dropped as a student loan servicer in part because of the numerous lawsuits and other problems that they have caused to citizens but this is no excuse for failing to perform this function during their continued servicing of my loan.
Company Response:
State: DC
Zip: 200XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2022-01-26
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2022-01-25
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Problem with customer service
Consumer Complaint: Although they were listed in my XX/XX/XXXX William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program Direct Consolidation Loan Application and Promissory Note ( FSA reference ID # XXXX ), Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency, doing business as FedLoan Servicing, failed to consolidate six student loans ( loan # s : XXXX ; XXXX ; XXXX ; XXXX ; XXXX ; XXXX ). Those loans have been listed as being in default and held by the U.S. Department of Education Default Resolution Group ( DRG ) all this time, resulting in a record of default appearing in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development ( HUD ) XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, which makes me ineligible for a Federal Housing Administration ( FHA ) loan. I under contract for my first home with a closing date of XX/XX/XXXX and the six loans I signed a promissory note for in a consolidation in XXXX have created an urgent and nightmarish situation. On XX/XX/XXXX, I was informed by a very helpful DRG staff member XXXX ( employee ID # XXXX ) that those loans were pending transfer to FedLoan Servicing in a special direct consolidation loan. My FedLoan Servicing account number is XXXX. She advised me to contact FedLoan Servicing to determine the loan disbursement date so I could ensure that DRG would be able expedite a XXXX clearance letter so I would no longer be listed as being default on a federal debt, impacting my eligibility for an FHA home loan. On XX/XX/XXXX, I spoke with FedLoan Servicing staff supervisor XXXX ( employee ID # XXXX ) in a conversation that became internal case ID # XXXX. She told me that there was nothing processing or pending, all of my old loans that they did have record of were transferred to XXXX, and that there was " literally nothing [ they ] can do. '' I contacted DRG and spoke with staff member XXXX and asked to be transferred to a supervisor. I spoke with XXXX, who was unsure what was going on because he said DRG 's system showed him that those six loans had " consolidation tags. '' I believe the reason they had " consolidation tags '' was because they were supposed to be a part of my XX/XX/XXXX loan consolidation for which FedLoan Servicing failed to perform. Those six loans have been quietly sitting in this limbo destroying my credit for nearly 2.5 years. Other consequences of this situation are that the new XX/XX/XXXX consolidation loan is going to lower the age of my credit, significantly impacting my credit score ; my protections and rights related to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program ( PSLF ) are impacted ; and I have been unable to enjoy the benefits of COVID-19-related relief for those specific student loans. On XX/XX/XXXX, I submitted a new William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program Direct Consolidation Loan Application and Promissory Note ( FSA reference ID # XXXX ) to consolidate the six loans out of default once and for all. I also verbally waived the 10-day summary period with FedLoan Servicing so that the loan would be processed faster. DRG refuses to give XXXX clearance before it receives funds from FedLoan Servicing. On XX/XX/XXXX, I opened up a complaint with Federal Student Aid ( FSA ) ( feedback case # XXXX ) and requested that it be elevated to the FSA Ombudsman Group. As of XX/XX/XXXX, I have received no response from FSA. I have called FedLoan Servicing, FSA, and DRG numerous times to no avail. I also submitted two emails to FedLoan Servicing ( XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX ) expressing the urgency of my situation with no response. On XX/XX/XXXX, I left a voicemail message for Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agencys Office of Consumer Advocacy. As of XX/XX/XXXX, I have not received a response. On XX/XX/XXXX, I submitted a complaint to the California Department of California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation and the casework/constituent services staff of U.S. Senator XXXX XXXX made an inquiry to the Department of Education on my behalf.
Company Response:
State: CA
Zip: 95835
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2022-01-25
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2022-01-24
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Received bad information about your loan
Consumer Complaint: I believe I have sufficient evidence that National Collegiate Trust is violating my consumers protection rights and has permanently damaged my and my co signers, my grandpas, credit. I took out two loans thru XXXX XXXX in the amount of {$15000.00}, in XXXX, and another in XXXX for {$6500.00}. XXXX sold my loans right after purchase to National Collegiate Trust and the loans were serviced by American Education Services ( AES ). AES consolidated my payments for the two loans. XX/XX/XXXX a collections company, XXXX XXXX called representing National Collegiate Trust asking for a settlement and threatening to take me to court if I dont. At that time I had already paid {$15000.00} to the {$15000.00} loan and {$4800.00} to {$6500.00} loan. I didnt have what she was asking for so I asked to make a payment and she said it was not an option that I had to talk to my co signers and figure out something. After over an hour long nonstop harassing call, She finally said she would give me a month. She took the {$500.00} I offered as payment to go towards the settlement. I was able to take out {$4000.00} loan against my car. A month later when she called I paid the {$4000.00}, which she said still wasnt enough so I had to set up XXXX withdrawals. The last withdrawal payment was XX/XX/XXXX. I had money in the bank XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX if the agreement was for more. Overall my settlement was for {$5500.00}, which means between the two loans I borrowed {$21000.00}, with XXXX yrs to pay, and paid {$25000.00}, in 9 years. After the settlement I saw on my credit report XXXX XXXXscharged the debt and it has a {$0.00} balance. I have not heard from NCT or AES until last year when they filed two lawsuits against me asking for {$23000.00} for the {$15000.00} loan and {$8100.00} for the {$6500.00} loan. They claimed they arent affiliated with XXXX XXXX but they took the payment and recorded it as recovered principle and interest between the two loans. I then found, before I received the summons, my co signer received in the mail from XXXX a letter asking for a settlement from him this time, proving their affiliation again. Ive had 5 settlement conferences with them where the magistrate instructed them for better balancing and proof of debt. I was never supplied with anything new. I went to court XX/XX/XXXX where they brought a expert witness that works for them at trans world to explain how to read the loan. Before I got my turn to present my case the judge thought we should go to the breakout room and try to settle again. In the breakout room I asked about the balancing discrepancies and their expert witness had no explanation other than he didnt make those reports it was AES XXXX They offered me a {$12000.00} settlement. I said I would consider it, because I have XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXs and can not afford a lawyer. I went on to consult with a financial advisor that advised I make this complaint. Now I have my second court date with the judge Wednesday XXXX XXXX.
Company Response:
State: MI
Zip: 496XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2022-01-24
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2022-01-23
Issue: Problem with a credit reporting company's investigation into an existing problem
Subissue: Their investigation did not fix an error on your report
Consumer Complaint: I've continued to receiving notice that XXXX has " Verified As Accurate '' all Us Dept of Education student items on my Consumer report. How are they saying Verified it belongs to me. First I've never disowned the ownership of the student loans I've simply tried excising my rights to Inquire information since these have been placed on my credit report. I can not get a great paying job even though I am college educated because I have 13 Student loans in Collections reporting inaccurate and incomplete. Theres a hand full of violations but XXXX continues to ignore my disputes and my factual disputes I've sent in. Student Loans are classified as Collections but reporting a " Late '' payment after being closed It's a violation to have a " Monthly '' payment being reported on a collection It's a violation to have a " Balance '' being reported on a collection It's a violation with the account is " Closed '' but activity continues being reported on a collection It's a violation to continue reporting " COL '' every month on a collection It is a Violation to continue changing my " Date of Last Activity '' all because the collector wants to illegally collect. 1. US Dept. of Education XXXX 2. US Dept. of Education XXXX 3. US Dept. of Education XXXX 4. US Dept. of Education XXXX 5. US Dept. of Education XXXX 6. US Dept. of Education XXXX 7. US Dept. of Education XXXX 8. US Dept. of Education XXXX 9. US Dept. of Education XXXX 10. US Dept. of Education XXXX 11. US Dept. of Education XXXX 12. US Dept. of Education XXXX 13. US Dept. of Education XXXX Please tell me how and what you did to Verify? Please do a independent Investigation.. After you have investigated send me everything pertaining to the investigation.. If it's not thorough please Delete because this is killing my ability to provide for my family.. I have a new born son with no job, no car to get him to doctor appointments. No one with finance or extend credit with this being reported inaccurate and incomplete Please have empathy and do the right thing..
Company Response:
State: TX
Zip: 75119
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2022-01-23
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A