Date Received: 2020-01-25
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Don't agree with the fees charged
Consumer Complaint: My student loans were ASSUMED by AES from XXXX XXXX in XX/XX/XXXX. The balance was ~ {$28000.00}. I pay {$220.00} each month regardless of what the 'balance due / minimum payment ' request is. The amount due is typically between {$50.00} and {$75.00}. I have made this payment each month since XX/XX/XXXX MINUS the two years I went back for my XXXX and 2 years of personal illness. Taking into account interest accruals +/- monthly payments, lets say my balance went up to {$31000.00}. XX/XX/XXXX-XX/XX/XXXX = 17 years 17 years - 4 years deferred status = 13 years 13 years x 12 months per year = 156 months 156 months x {$220.00} = {$35000.00} MY BALANCE TODAY IS {$22000.00} Can someone check my math? I have a XXXX XXXX but I can not calculate this so that it makes sense?
Company Response:
State: TN
Zip: 377XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2020-01-25
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2020-01-24
Issue: Struggling to repay your loan
Subissue: Can't get other flexible options for repaying your loan
Consumer Complaint: I want to start off saying I've been sent here from the XXXX stating they could not help with my situation. Though I've been trying to get on an income driven repayment plan for over 5 years now. Maybe longer. Though I've contacted fedloans at the beginning and they stated multiple times I'm missing something even though I've double checked everything and I still get declined. After a certain point the only thing I could have done at that point was keep halting my payment. 2 years ago I noticed they had the option to finally sign for it online with the IRS. I did and I got declined for it for not idea as to why. When I contacted them they themselves couldn't understand why I was declined either. I never got an actual answer to the problem. Last year I signed up again and I actually got approved for it and I was so happy I could finally get this fixed in someway. Whoever I talked to at the time stated I needed to make an actually first payment of XXXX $ to have it converted to the plan. I did so on a date I clarified if that would be ok to the person I was talking to. They stated yes and I was happy to hear that. I did call a couple times to clarify if my account is switching to the new plan since I kept seeing a late charge still on my account. Everyone I talked to stated yes it will changed. I was relieved to hear that. So after a certain point I saw the charge go away and excited to see the new payment. After the month I saw the payment revert back to the old payment. I was confused and really annoyed, angry, and disappointed that fedloans hasnt done anything. I called and they stated that I needed to make a {$5.00} payment to get the payment to revert ( which I knew about, but no one stated anything about this payment ) I told then I made a payment already for XXXX which should have been for the revert. They stated if I wanted to use that payment to use it for the revert fee. I befuddle on that question after telling them that exact answer. I stated yes and they stated they will put something down to get that fix. Cut to a month or so later I get an email throw my fedloan account on their site and they stared that it was decline. Why you may ask. Because I did not process an actually payment for this charge. At this point I dont know what to actually do at this point and I have yet to call them. I also wanted to state I have emailed them throw XXXX since they have an actually email option for contact on their site, but to this moment I have never gotten a response back. I have told them about it when I call, and they only say that's weird that no has responded like that is suppose to fix the problem, but that is basically what's going on and I dont know what to do. They marked me as a delinquent on my account, but I legitimately have no idea what to do at this point except keep halting my payments I'm trapped at this point.
Company Response:
State: CA
Zip: 91325
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2020-01-24
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2020-01-24
Issue: Incorrect information on your report
Subissue: Account status incorrect
Consumer Complaint: As of XX/XX/XXXX I have 8 AES/XXXX backed student loans placed in default even though I was currently enrolled in College as of XX/XX/XXXX. The loans should have subsequently gone into a deferment status due to my enrollment status of full time. I have tried to dispute these erroneous closed accounts through the credit bureaus with no success. I have included documentation from XXXX XXXX University showing my enrollment date and status, yet I still have these default loans on my credit report. I have been actively rehabbing the erroneously defaulted loans while I have been disputing this issue with the credit bureaus. I have called XXXX XXXX XXXX customer service multiple times, but no one seems to be able to give a roadmap to rectify this issue even though I have verifiable proof. I currently have other federal student loans in deferment due to my college enrollment, I am not sure why this wasn't done for these 8 accounts as well. Furthermore, 2 of these student loans accounts are reporting late payments after the erroneous default date of XX/XX/XXXX. I have enclosed screenshots of my XXXX Credit report showing a late payment reported for XX/XX/XXXX on one account and XX/XX/XXXX on another. These accounts were updated as XX/XX/XXXX with incorrect information on a closed and transferred account. How is it possible to be late on a defaulted, closed and transferred account? This is clearly a violation of the Fair Credit Reporting Act. I have been subjected to undue hardship based on the impact of these erroneous accounts being placed on my Credit Report incorrectly. This issue needs to be corrected immediately so that my family and I can move forward financially. Respectfully, XXXX
Company Response:
State: IN
Zip: 47715
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2020-01-24
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2020-01-24
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Don't agree with the fees charged
Consumer Complaint: In XX/XX/XXXX I received a letter from Fedloan Servicing informing me that my income based repayment plan recertification would be coming up in a few months. I have opted to receive all of my correspondence from them via mail, as I have repeatedly had problems in the past with their emails going to my junk email. The letter stated " In about 2 months, look for another communication from us with easy instructions and a direct link to recertify online. '' I had a one month old baby at this time, so needless to say, things were a bit hazy, but the letter explicitly said that I would receive another communication when the recertification was due, so I planned on dealing with it when that correspondence came in the mail. The follow up letter never came. I checked the app in late XX/XX/XXXX when it dawned on me that I had never received anything else, and saw that I had missed the recertification window and my monthly payments were going up substantially AND that the interest on my account would be capitalized. I was panicking and immediately called Fed Loans. I explained to them that I never received the official letter when the time for recertifying came up, and they told me that it had probably been emailed or could be accessed in the app. I told them that is exactly why I am signed up to received mailed documents ( and she confirmed that was the case ), because I hadn't received any emails from them nor any letters. She told me at the time that the terms said that the interest " may '' capitalize, but that may not be the case. She also said that I would be able to get the payments lowered again if I sent updated pay stub information, as I hadn't worked for 6 months by that time due to the birth of my baby and complications after. She said in the meantime the account could be put on forbearance so I would not have to remit the $ 600+ payment that was quickly approaching. It seemed like all was not lost. A few days later I received a letter stating that the interest on my account may be capitalized due to a forbearance, so I immediately called Fed Loans and told them to take the forbearance off. They said they could not. They also told me that the interest was already being capitalized because I missed my window of recertification, so it would not matter if the forbearance was applied or not. I pleaded with them and explained again that I never received the recertification mailing ( they fully admit that it was never mailed to me ), but they said that there was nothing that they could do. I tried to speak to a supervisor, sent email inquiries, etc., but did not receive responses. I also requested an audit on my account to show how much longer I had to make payments, etc., and never received responses to that either. They capitalized {$8900.00} in interest over this and added it to my principle. It was/is sickening. That's more money than I made the entire year last year. I was heartbroken over this and XXXX and was telling the nurse that visits our home for our baby about it, and she came back a week later and thanked me because I barely saved her from the same fate! She received the first letter and never received the follow up that is promised in the first correspondence. Then, a month later, I told my sister what happened, and she too logged onto her account and barely made the cut off date as well. They are doing this to everybody. Sending a letter saying to look out for another letter that never comes is setting people up for failure. I can only assume that they are making a ton of money off of this. They added about {$9000.00} to my loan in the blink of an eye. Here we are, a year later, and they are doing THE SAME EXACT THING. Obviously I know better now after learning the hard way, but I am sure that many other people do not, and it is just a sickening business practice that they continue to take advantage of. For this year 's recertification, I received my initial letter XX/XX/XXXX and once again it stated " In about 2 months, look for another communication from us with easy instructions and a direct link to recertify online. '' This lets people 's guard down, making them think something is coming in a few months to walk them through this process. It is now past that two months later, and I have received nothing else. They continue with these twisted, misleading practices year after year. It is simply unethical, and I know they are aware because of people like me and the calls and emails that I have made.
Company Response:
State: CA
Zip: 94501
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2020-01-24
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2020-01-24
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Don't agree with the fees charged
Consumer Complaint: In XX/XX/2019 I changed my repayment plan. Fedloan automatically put me in forbearance ( unbeknownst to me at the time ) so I did not receive a bill in XX/XX/2019. In early XXXX ( approximately XX/XX/XXXX ) Fedloan notified me that if I did not pay {$690.00} by XX/XX/XXXX then they would add that amount to my loan. This money is in addition to my normal monthly payment. I don't think it's right to charge me more than {$1000.00} total when I never requested to be in forbearance in the first place.
Company Response:
State: FL
Zip: 335XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2020-01-24
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2020-01-24
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Trouble with how payments are being handled
Consumer Complaint: Fedloan Servicing is not following the instructions on how to credit the payments to my student loans. These are beyond the required monthly payments and are extra payments made to pay off the balances early. Despite providing specific instructions in writing and on the physical checks themselves to apply the payment to the highest interest loans, the company took it upon themselves to distribute the payments across the loans as they saw fit, disproportionally towards the lowest interest loans. XX/XX/XXXX {$500.00} check payment processed. Disb Date Interest Balance % of total Balance Payment % of total payment XXXX 4.25 % {$430.00} 7 % {$110.00} 23 % XXXX 3.15 % {$2200.00} 34 % {$130.00} 27 % XXXX 3.15 % {$2600.00} 40 % {$160.00} 33 % XXXX 3.61 % {$1200.00} 19 % {$84.00} 17 % XX/XX/XXXX {$500.00} check payment processed. Disb Date Interest % of total Balance Payment % of total payment XXXX 4.25 % 7 % {$4.00} 1 % XXXX 3.15 % 34 % {$170.00} .00 34 % XXXX 3.15 % 40 % {$210.00} 43 % XXXX 3.61 % 19 % {$100.00} 22 % XX/XX/XXXX {$500.00} check payment processed. Disb Date Interest % of total Balance Payment % of total payment XXXX 4.25 % 7 % {$140.00} 18 % XXXX 3.15 % 34 % {$220.00} 28 % XXXX 3.15 % 40 % {$280.00} 35 % XXXX 3.61 % 19 % {$140.00} 18 % I have contacted the company multiple times requesting for them to submit the payments as instructed on the checks in the uploaded documents but each payment I submit they disregard the instructions.
Company Response:
State: DC
Zip: 20001
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2020-01-24
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2020-01-24
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Received bad information about your loan
Consumer Complaint: I have been removed from American Education Services ( AES ) borrower benefit program ( BBP ) that reduces interest rates by 1 % after 36 months of on time full payments unfairly and due to AES searing me away from their automatic direct debit payment program. I was removed from the program due to a payment that was a few weeks late and a payment that was {$94.00} short of the payment since I was looking at an old bill. Had I been enrolled in their automatic debit payment program like I wanted to I would not have missed these payments. I was steered away from their automatic debit payments due to incorrect and misleading information. It is my belief that AES will not let customers that are trying to get into their BBP set up automatic debit payments since this will make it mush easier for them to qualify for lower interest rate. I was told in XXXX that I could not set up automatic direct debit program to pay more than the minimum payment. I wanted to pay more to pay my loans off sooner so I did not set up automatic direct debit payments at that time. I again questioned automatic direct debit payments on XX/XX/XXXX and was told that " Unfortunately the lender does not allow a paid ahead status '' and I could only make minimum payments using automatic direct debit payments and would have to send two bills to make extra or over payments. Since then I have found out that I can pay any amount over the minimum payment. AES continually gave me incorrect and misleading information. I have e-mailed AES customer service over 6 times the past 3 months with out any reply or a response about the incorrect information I was given. The continue to not take responsibility for their actions in this circumstance and have denied my request to honor the 1 % interest rate reduction I should be qualified for since XXXX that has resulted in 10 years of AES collecting higher interest rates from me unfairly.
Company Response:
State: PA
Zip: 15101
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2020-01-24
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2020-01-23
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Received bad information about your loan
Consumer Complaint: Issues with FEDloan regarding Public Service Loan Forgiveness ( PSLF ) 1. On XX/XX/XXXX, my employer certified my employment via form XXXX XXXX. XXXX with the XXXX XXXX where I have served since XX/XX/XXXX ( I will have 14 years of service in 2 weeks ). I uploaded my completed form to FEDloan in accordance with their established procedures for the PSLF program. FEDloan responded that my employment could not be certified because my employment end date in section 3 was blank/missing. I've attached the form that I uploaded with PII removed. Clearly the box " Still Employed '' is checked. 2. I started the process for PSLF in early XXXX and have been given the run-around just like the other 99 % of applicants that have been denied forgiveness for this program. FEDloan has yet to calculate and bring into the program a Spousal Consolidation loan that has been in repayment since late XXXX/early XXXX in the amount of {$51000.00}. The company has only pulled in my individual loan from graduate school for {$8700.00} ; initially this one was denied due to another erroneous claim by FEDloan that I did not include the EIN on the certification form, when I clearly had it written on the form. When I called FEDloan 's customer service, the individual from FEDloan told me that my portion of the Spousal Consolidation loan is eligible for the program. Please assist me in this matter and get FEDloan to do the right thing. This company has gotten away with erroneously denying me and tens-of-thousands of Public Servants forgiveness through this program for several years with no recourse.
Company Response:
State: GA
Zip: 31324
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2020-01-23
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2020-01-23
Issue: Struggling to repay your loan
Subissue: Can't get other flexible options for repaying your loan
Consumer Complaint: In XXXX of XXXX, I spoke to a representative at American Education services. I was behind on payments in the amount of {$1000.00} XXXX including late fees ). I attempted to apply for a forbearance- which would bring my account current but I did not qualify for the forbearance because I had applied for one the previous year. The representative at AES then advised me to continue to make my monthly minimum payment until XXXX of XXXX, so that I could re-apply for the forbearance and bring my account current. I made payments XXXX of XXXX -or so I thought. XXXX When I logged into my account XX/XX/XXXX I saw that I could not go into my account and make a payment. I then noticed that my loan had gone into default. I called AES and spoke to someone who told me that my account was over 120 days late and therefore went into default. The expressed to me that my loan was in limbo awaiting to get picked up by a collections agency. She told me there was nothing she could do.I explained to her that I had been ill-advised by one of her colleagues at AES who told me ( in XX/XX/XXXX XXXX that if I continued to make my monthly payments I would be okay and be able to apply to forbearance to take away the balance. She still refused to help me and said again, that there was nothing she could do at this point. I was frustrated and hung up the phone. On Tuesday, XX/XX/XXXX I spoke to a man named XXXX at AES who advised me to speak to the XXXX default loan center. I explained to him about how I had been ill-advised and all I wanted to do was to pull my loan out of limbo so that it would not be picked up by a credit agency and he told me my best option was to talk to someone at the XXXX default loan center, so that is what I did. I was connected with a woman named XXXX, who I told my situation to. She looked over my account and then told me that the reason it went into default was because I missed a payment in XXXX. I was surprised and frustrated to hear this because I have email confirmation that I made a payment in XXXX. She connected me with someone in AES who went through my payments and said that my payment in XXXX was canceled -something that I know I did not do. She told me she would take two to three days to investigate this matter and would get back to me with an answer. Today, XX/XX/XXXX I received a phone call from them saying that they had investigated my account, and that because my payment for XXXX shows up as canceled they can not take my loan out of default. I reiterated the fact that I did not cancel the payment. I have tried to check my account to verify her claims but I am no longer able to access my payment history on AES. They have refused to work with me and have told me I have no other options than to take it up with whatever collections agency picks up my student loan. I have offered multiple times during the multiple phone calls I have had with AES/XXXX XXXX pay the late, full balance of {$1000.00} on my account and they refuse. I have also not received any documentation by way of mail or email that my student loan was going to go into default. This feels predatory and they are completely unwilling to work out a solution with me.
Company Response:
State: NY
Zip: 10033
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2020-01-23
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2020-01-23
Issue: Struggling to repay your loan
Subissue: Can't temporarily delay making payments
Consumer Complaint: In XX/XX/XXXX, I completed a loan consolidation for my all of my student loans with XXXX and Fed Loan. I completed this consolidation application because Fed Loan was refusing to give me Forbearance on my loans and they were getting further and further delinquency days added. I called Fed Loan again on XX/XX/XXXX to check the status of the consolidation loan and I was told it would take up to 7-10 more business days before they could give me an administrative forbearance to stop the delinquency on my account. I called back today, XX/XX/XXXX, to check the status of the administrative forbearance and again was told in my take another 10 business days. I explained to the representative that my delinquency days were now at 77 and 10 more days will get me very close to 90 days and I do not want a negative mark placed on my credit file. The representative stated there was nothing she could do and I would just have to wait.
Company Response:
State: MS
Zip: 38654
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2020-01-23
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A