Date Received: 2021-09-17
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Trouble with how payments are being handled
Consumer Complaint: I was approved for loan forgiveness as I work in a public school. Fedloan approved this and placed me in a payment plan. I have been making payments since XXXX. I come to find out, that they put me in a plan that is not approved for forgiveness. I had no idea about this because since they approved my application and placed me in a payment plan, I would not ever think to question it. This is absolutely unacceptable as they mislead me the entire time. I have been working in the same school district since XXXX! I want all of the " in the wrong plan '' payments to be adjusted and put toward my loan forgiveness. I planned on retiring soon and do not have another 10 years to make this work. I have written them letters and made phone calls, but fail to get a response. Please help me.
Company Response:
State: NY
Zip: 109XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2021-09-17
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2021-09-17
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed
Subissue: Debt is not yours
Consumer Complaint: The Department of Education has been knowingly infringing upon my right to privacy by sharing my information with third parties when I NEVER gave them permissible purpose to do so. The accounts in dispute are a result of identity theft. These accounts do not belong to me, but were verified. It is impossible to verify these accounts on my behalf because I am the original creditor and consumer and I'm the only person who could verify any debt. Also, debt means any alleged obligation and we all know pursuant to 18 usc 8 all obligations are securities of the United States. I need to you to cease and desist all collection efforts or else I will be forced to litigate. You are criminally and civilly liable for infringing on my consumer rights pursuant to 15 usc 1611, 15 usc 1640, and 15 usc 1692k.
Company Response:
State: CA
Zip: 90804
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2021-09-17
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2021-09-16
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Received bad information about your loan
Consumer Complaint: I have been working for Public Service Loan Forgiveness since graduating from medical school in XXXX. I consolidated my loans and set up automatic payments ( usually by XXXX XXXX House ) direct from my bank accounts. I changed my loan servicer from XXXX XXXX, whom I found very capable, to FedLoan. By XXXX of XXXX, I noticed that their count of my qualifying payments seemed to be far short of what I expected. I asked them to review. They counted it as a request to see if I qualify and told me I did not. I called again, asked for help, was told a ticket was being opened, and received a packet in the mail with copies of payments from previous loan servicers, such as XXXX XXXX, XXXX, and even DirectLoans, I believe. There was nothing to help me understand the codes listed, what the information actually was, or how it translated to the count that FedLoan was telling me. I submitted paperwork again to certify my payment count around the end of XXXX, and was told I had not made enough payments. I called customer service to ask for help, and from that call was sent a letter documenting balances and payments made in XXXX and XXXX ( most of the payments I believe are being counted erroneously are from XXXX to XXXX ). So those were useless. I called again ( I am not sure which month, estimate around XXXX or XXXX ), and did finally speak with a CSR who agreed that because of the reason for the payments not counting, " Out of Window '', ie paid after the due date for that particular payment, all in a row, for nearly every loan, that it looked like essentially something had been shifted in terms of what due date a specific payment was being associated with. Those account for 3 years worth of payments. Another 7 payments ( x XXXX loan account numbers ) don't qualify because they could not find a bill for that particular payment. It seemed like at least the Out of Window payments would be manually reviewed and reconsidered as qualifying. I then received notice on XX/XX/XXXX that they felt all counts were correct. I called again on XX/XX/XXXX, and was told the only option was to request a manual review again, so I did. I am still waiting to hear back from that, but am not confident that they will do it correctly the second time around. I have been caring for underserved patients for 11 years now, paying off my loans the entire time. FedLoan is incompetently handling my PSLF and is bailing out anyway in XXXX.
Company Response:
State: CA
Zip: 94513
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2021-09-17
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2021-09-16
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Trouble with how payments are being handled
Consumer Complaint: I am in the PSLF program. FedLoan is saying certain payments I made are ineligible & theyve been reviewing the first 3 yrs of my payments in the program for at least 5 months. I called XX/XX/XXXX to investigate & was told my payments were being reviewed. I called XX/XX/XXXX & was told the problem w/my payments was that the loan company that my first XXXX yrs worth of payments were with, had gone out of business. I was told to upload bills showing payments made & I did. Also, there was a XXXX month period of payments that were deemed ineligible. Upon investigation of that, I was told an administrative forbearance was put on my account for 2 months & then a general forbearance for XXXX months. I DID NOT ask for any forbearance - my payments were based on income & per that they were {$0.00} payments! Why would I have to put a forbearance on something that was already {$0.00}! They requested bills showing I was in repayment for that time period, as well, & I uploaded that paperwork too. I called AGAIN after sending several emails, & was told there was nothing I could do but wait. The representative on the phone did say that she would email someone higher up than her & see if that would help. My forgiveness shouldve been the easiest process. I was in the correct payment plan, I worked the same job for the entire time period so no issues w/employer that didnt qualify & I certified my income annually. I did everything by the book! I NOW have over {$100000.00} in student loan debt due to interest! Please help before FedLoans contract expires, my loans are transferred & the chance of something else happening increasing!
Company Response:
State: MO
Zip: 639XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2021-09-16
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2021-09-16
Issue: Improper use of your report
Subissue: Reporting company used your report improperly
Consumer Complaint: I AM XXXX XXXX AND IM SUBMITTING THIS COMPLAINT MYSELF AND THERE IS NO THIRD PARTY. MY PURPOSE OF THIS COMPLAINT ISN'T TO GET THIS ACCOUNT VALIDATED ( ACCOUNT # : XXXX ), THE PURPOSE OF THIS COMPLAINT IS TO ENSURE THIS ACCOUNT WILL BE PERMANENTLY REMOVED FROM MY CREDIT REPORT AND TO BE PAID FROM THIS COMPANY FOR THEM VIOLATING MY CONSUMER RIGHTS. PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT I AM NOT SAYING THIS ACCOUNT WAS OPENED WITHOUT MY PERMISSION, I AM CLEARLY STATING THAT YOUR COMPANY VIOLATED MY CONSUMER RIGHTS. ALSO, PLEASE DONT TRY TO SAY THE FCRA, FDCPA, AND TILA ACT/ TRUTH AND LENDING ACT DOESNT APPLY TO YOU BECAUSE YOURE NOT A DEBT COLLECTOR, WHEN IN FACT THE TERM DEBT COLLECTOR MEANS ANY PERSON WHO USES ANY INSTRUMENTALITY OF INTERSTATE COMMERCE OR THE MAILS IN ANY BUSINESS THE PRINCIPAL PURPOSE OF WHICH IS THE COLLECTION OF ANY DEBTS, OR WHO REGULARLY COLLECTS OR ATTEMPTS TO COLLECT, DIRECTLY, OR INDIRECTLY, DEBTS OWED OR DUE OR ASSERTED TO BE OWED OR DUE ANOTHER. NOTWITHSTANDING THE EXCLUSION PROVIDED BY CLAUSE ( F ) OF THE LAST SENTENCE OF THIS PARAGRAPH, THE TERM INCLUDES ANY CREDITOR WHO, IN THE PROCESS OF COLLECTING HIS OWN DEBTS, USES ANY NAME OTHER THAN HIS OWN WHICH WOULD INDICATE THAT A THIRD PERSON IS COLLECTING OR ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT SUCH DEBTS. FOR THE PURPOSE OF SECTION 16g2f ( 6 ) OF THIS TITLE, SUCH TERM ALSO INCLUDES ANY PERSON WHO USES ANY INSTRUMENTALITY OF INTERSTATE COMMERCE OR THE MAILS IN ANY BUSINESS THE PRINCIPAL PURPOSE OF WHICH IS THE ENFORCEMENT OF SECURITY INTERESTS. SO, FROM THE DEFINITION ABOVE WE SEE THAT A DEBT COLLECTOR MEANS ANY PERSON WHO ATTEMPTS TO COLLECT A DEBT, WHICH WOULD ALSO BE YOU!!! UNDERSTAND THAT YOURE UNDER PENALTY OF PERJURY. Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency violated 15 usc 1602 ( l ), 15 usc 1692j ( a ), 15 usc 6801 ( a ) ( 1 ), and 18 U.S. Code 8
Company Response:
State: IL
Zip: 60651
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2021-09-16
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2021-09-16
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Received bad information about your loan
Consumer Complaint: My student loans were taken out when pursuing my graduate school education starting in XXXX XXXX. At that time, my Stafford subsidized and unsubsidized loans were serviced by XXXX XXXX. As I continued my education, my loans were then " transferred '' to XXXX. During that time my subsequent loans were serviced through XXXX from XXXX - XXXX. In XXXX, my loans were taken over by AES until now. At the time there was a income adjusted program that I enrolled in XXXX. Intrrestingly, no one ever directly said they sold my loans, like they did mortgages at that time. Upon completion of my education in XXXX, the total loan amount was + {$100000.00}. I have been working as a federal employee since XXXX. In recent years the SLRP became available, however my position never qualified for SLRP until I switched my occupation in XXXX. In XXXX, I submitted my paperwork to the Department of Education and waited for a response from the PSLF. After receiving an email response that they received my application, I waited some time for a response. I eventually reached out and was told that I was not eligible and directed me to page 8, paragraph 2 or 3, I believe, and told me my federal loans did not qualify because it pre-dated the new program and loan serving structure and told me to contact AES for options. When the program came into being, I did recieve information from my employer of its existence but no information was provided by my loan servicer that I needed to switch to FedLoan serving loan when inquired. However,, this time I was told that by re-applying for a new loan under FedLoan Servicing I could to be eligible in 10 years because of the type of loan I was under. Should I need to work beyond retirement age to be eligible? I believe that better communications from the Department of Education during the inception of this program would have informed me of my rights, rather than rely on an entity that benefitted by serving federal customers with eligible and non-eligible loans. The lack of transparency has kept individuals like myself obligated to paying these companies longer than I believe the government intended. It appears that the Dept of Education is doing this again by " selling off '' FedLoan Servicing. Where is the detailed communication to borrowers about how this will affect current loan forgiveness programs?
Company Response:
State: VA
Zip: 22153
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2021-09-16
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2021-09-16
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Need information about your loan balance or loan terms
Consumer Complaint: On or about the 1st day of XXXX, XXXX, I began the process of " Payment is Pending Manual Review '' with Fed Loan serving regarding payments made during XXXX when I was under a different payment plan. I paid over the Standard Repayment plan and should be eligible for the TEPSLF expanded program. Now, over a year later, it is still showing under I have called several times in the last year to check the status of this manual review. I also completed a FOIA to the Federal Student Loan Government site and received record of those payments. I attempted to provide that information to My Fed Loans to expedite the process, and they did not want that information. Now, My Fed Loans is ending their contract with the government and PSLF program. If these payments are accepted, I will be finished with PSLF or the TEPSLF program sometime in the Summer XXXX. I am VERY concerned that with the new servicer, I will be unable to get a status check on this, and I will just have to continue making payments when I should be completed. Please help!
Company Response:
State: IN
Zip: 471XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2021-09-16
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2021-09-16
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Need information about your loan balance or loan terms
Consumer Complaint: Reached my XXXX required payments for Public Service Loan Forgiveness as of XX/XX/21. Qualifying payment count confirmed by company on XX/XX/21. Contacted Fedloan Servicing for info on when to expect my loans to be forgiven processed and removed from my credit on XX/XX/21. Was advised by agent will review account and put packet together to send to the " government ''. I will be entering a 6 month review. I asked where in writing the 6 month rule was and she couldn't provide this information. 6 months is an excessive amount of time to forgive loans already taken 13 years by mismanagement by the companies handling PSLF. I wish for my forgiveness to be approved and expedited within 60 days.
Company Response:
State: PA
Zip: 154XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2021-09-16
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2021-09-16
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 recently noticed on all three of my consumer reports that Fedloan Servicing is reporting negative remarks that affects my credit score negatively. I sent a request to validate the information they are reporting to the consumer report agencies mid XXXX. On the XXXX of XXXX I received a response from Fedloan stating the loan listed was transferred. Fedloan Servicing violated 15 USC 1692d ( 1 ), furnishing this negative item on my consumer reports is ruining my reputation, and it is defamation of character.
Company Response:
State: NJ
Zip: 08619
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2021-09-16
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2021-09-15
Issue: Struggling to repay your loan
Subissue: Problem lowering your monthly payments
Consumer Complaint: I am filing another complaint as I was not able to upload additional information with my response. The response from the Department of Education to my complaint is unacceptable. As noted in their response, interest would have been capitalized ( added to the principal balance ) after periods of forbearance or deferment, during the consolidation processes, and during the default/rehabilitation processes. The Departments practice of applying payments to past due interest first that has already been capitalized and included in the principal loan balance does not appear to be a fair, ethical practice, particularly since the loan continues to accrue interest on the unpaid principal during the same period. As stated in the Departments response XX/XX/XXXX, the XXXX ( XXXX ) underlying XXXX XXXX Loans were involved in a consolidation process. The XXXX XXXX Consolidation Loan had an original principal balance of {$73000.00}. Yet, as of todays date, XX/XX/XXXX ( 17 years later ), they still show {$71000.00} as the current principal balance of the loan. I requested and received an updated Summary of Financial Activity from XXXX XXXX showing transactions from XX/XX/XXXX to XX/XX/XXXX, indicating a principal balance as of XX/XX/XXXX of {$71000.00}. Since their summary was incomplete, I added transactions from my records received in previous years from the Department of Education servicers for payments made from XX/XX/XXXX to XX/XX/XXXX ( including Treasury Offsets from my Federal and Social Security retirement income ). I have attached a copy of the financial summary I prepared. The principal balance I derived from those calculations ( INCLUDING capitalized interest totaling {$10000.00} ) was {$59000.00} NOT {$71000.00}. For the life of the loan ( 17 years ), Ive paid {$57000.00}, with {$45000.00} ( 79.6 % ) of that amount applied to interest on a principal balance that included capitalized interest! ). The response from the Department of Education did not only provide inaccurate transaction data, it also did address any options that I requested that might be available under the circumstances for loan reduction and/or forgiveness.
Company Response:
State: DC
Zip: 20018
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2021-09-15
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A