Date Received: 2019-01-09
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Trouble with how payments are being handled
Consumer Complaint: I was switched to XXXX XXXX from XXXX ( much better loan servicer ) because I applied for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness. They are refusing to count my over 7 years of public service for a non-profit. In talking to them they said it was because I paid too much ( I rounded up may payments to the nearest dollar ) and that I paid to far in advance ( I sent the check from my bank on the 15th of every month - I was being paid bi-monthly ). I talked to them 4 months ago and asked for the record of my payments so I can track them and see what they didn't count - I was told I would have the record in 7 -14 days. I have received no record to date. I also asked to have it reviewed, they said they would, but to date I have had not other response from them. Then I get a notice from them that I need to re-certify my loan repayment by XX/XX/XXXX. my loan plan was good through XX/XX/XXXX. I asked them why and only received a short email stating that it takes time to process. Well that was a lie, because I processed it after the date and have already received a massive increase ( in relation to a modest pay raise, actually it the increase will negate all of the pay raise plus ) - which in reading up on them seems to be their MO. XXXX XXXX XXXX I have no files to upload since I can't seem to get them to follow through on their promises.
Company Response:
State: MI
Zip: 48154
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2019-01-09
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2019-01-09
Issue: Struggling to repay your loan
Subissue: Problem lowering your monthly payments
Consumer Complaint: I was referred to XXXX by XXXX XXXX who I found committed fraud and being investigated by the XXXX XXXX XXXX. XXXX XXXX XXXX or XXXX XXXX started this whole fiasco, they never paid XXXX and they never placed me in a student loan debt forgiveness program. They did not re-certify me in the Pay as you earn. I struggled to find the right repayment program. I finally found one and XXXX refused to accept the program and told me that I had to pay the amount {$250.00}.
Company Response:
State: NY
Zip: 146XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2019-01-09
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2019-01-09
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Received bad information about your loan
Consumer Complaint: XX/XX/XXXX Dear Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, I hope you can help. I have been corresponding with the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency, aka XXXX, about my eligibility for PSLF. They estimate my eligibility for student loan forgiveness to be much at a much later date than I anticipated. After requesting an itemized list of what they deem eligible payments, I was surprised to find that many of the payments I made ( see the correspondence below and the attached documents for the dates concerned ) are a few dollars short of what they consider to be a full payment. The reason for this is because they had not sent me my revised income based recalculated payment amount. Instead, I had to estimate it using an income based repayment calculator. I definitely would not have made payments falling short of the full amount by a few dollars had I known the correct amount, and I was never notified of any shortfall until now. As a result, they are not counting many of payments, which fell short of what they claim is a full amount by a few dollars, and in many cases, by less than a dollar, toward PSLF. I offered to make up the difference, and they refused. Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated. I also do not recall requesting a forebearance in XX/XX/XXXX, which also affected my eligible payments. Thanks for your time, XXXX XXXX -- -- -- [ XXXX ] Re : Public Service Loan Forgiveness << Reference ID : XXXX Thank you for contacting XXXX XXXX! Please keep in mind in order for your payments to count towards Public Service Loan Forgiveness, you must make your full installment amount each much. When you are approved for a Income Driven repayment plan you receive a copy of the approval which lists your monthly installment amount. The Forbearance that was applied to your account on XX/XX/XXXX was due to your Income Driven repayment plan being approved. Please use the " Contact Us '' link through your online account at XXXX to submit inquiries via a secure email form. You may also call us toll-free at XXXX to reach our Customer Service Department, which is open Monday through Friday, XXXX XXXX - XXXX XXXX ( ET ). Sincerely, XXXX XXXX XXXX -- -- -- Hello, I am writing in response to case number XXXX for account number XXXX XXXX XXXX. Thank you for responding to my request for an audit of my eligible payments for PSLF. I see your record of my payments listed on XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, an XX/XX/XXXX ( please see the attached document ) are recorded as falling short of being an eligible payment by a few dollars or less. The reason for this is I did not know how much my monthly payment was during those months and I was not aware that I had not paid the full amount until now. As you can tell from the fact that I regularly paid my bill, including during those months, I intended to make the full payment, which is why I fell short of the full payment by a few dollars. For that reason, can I make a payment to make up the several dollar deficit of those monthly payments so that those monthly payments can then count toward my eligibility for PSLF? Finally, I do not recall requesting a forebearance in XX/XX/XXXX, and request that you reconsider whether the payment made on XX/XX/XXXX counts toward PSLF eligibility. Thank you for your time, XXXX XXXX
Company Response:
State: DC
Zip: 20003
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2019-01-09
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2019-01-09
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Problem with customer service
Consumer Complaint: Please refer to my prior complaint : XXXX ( submitted XX/XX/XXXX, closed XX/XX/XXXX ). Below in quotations is the response from XXXX XXXX. " The Office of Consumer Advocacy ( OCA ) at Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency ( PHEAA ) received your correspondence through the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ( CFPB ) portal regarding your student loan account administered by XXXX XXXX on behalf of the United States Department of Education ( Department ). You have a loan disbursed under the XXXX XXXX XXXX Federal Direct ( Direct ) Consolidation program. The OCA performed a thorough review of your student loan account. Specifically, we reviewed the loan details, the communication history, the repayment schedules, the financial transactions, and the Income-Driven Repayment ( IDR ) recertification application. In your inquiry, you described the difficulties that you experienced when attempting to recertify for the Revised Pay As You Earn ( REPAYE ) plan. In addition, you indicated that the XX/XX/XXXX interest capitalization reversal had not been completed on the loan. You requested for the capitalized interest and any additional interest charges to be reversed. Based upon our review, you were sent an IDR recertification notice on XX/XX/XXXX, which listed a due date of XX/XX/XXXX. As indicated in your CFPB inquiry, you submitted the recertification application ahead of the deadline on XX/XX/XXXX. However, the recertification application was inadvertently not approved at that time due to a processing error on XXXX XXXX end. As a result, the account was updated to reflect the IDR-Alternative repayment schedule on XX/XX/XXXX. The new, uncertified installment amount exceeded {$4000.00} for XX/XX/XXXX. In addition, the outstanding accrued interest was capitalized ( added to the principal balance ). Eventually, the REPAYE plan was approved, and it requires 12 monthly installments of {$430.00}, effective XX/XX/XXXX. To ensure that you were not responsible for paying the large bill due on XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX XXXX applied a period of forbearance to the loan from XX/XX/XXXX through XX/XX/XXXX. In addition, XXXX XXXX agreed to reverse the interest capitalization even that occurred on XX/XX/XXXX. However, XXXX XXXX experienced some difficulties with the adjustment initially, which caused a delay in the completion of the process. After receiving your CFPB inquiry, we contacted XXXX XXXX on your behalf to request for the interest capitalization reversal adjustment to be expedited. You may be assured that XXXX XXXX reversed the interest capitalization on XX/XX/XXXX. A summary of financial activity has been sent to you under separate cover to confirm the XX/XX/XXXX interest capitalization reversal and resulting payment reapplications for the Direct Consolidation Loan. On behalf of our agency, we sincerely apologize for any confusion or inconvenience that you may have experienced with the processing of the recertification application and with the interest capitalization reversal. No additional action is planned by the Office of Consumer Advocacy at this time. For questions regarding your account, please feel free to contact XXXX XXXX directly at XXXX. Loan counselors are available Monday through Friday from XXXX XXXX to XXXX XXXX, ET. DESCRIPTION OF NON-MONETARY RELIEF The interest capitalization effective XX/XX/XXXX was reversed on the Direct Consolidation Loan. '' HOWEVER, THE INTEREST CAPITALIZATION WAS NOT REVERSED. I WAS SENT A STATEMENT WITH THE SAME INCORRECT AMOUNT SHOWN : {$340000.00} PRINCIPAL WITH {$21000.00} IN OUTSTANDING INTEREST FOR A TOTAL BALANCE OF {$360000.00}. THIS IS INCORRECT STILL. {$1100.00} OF CAPITALIZED INTEREST WAS ADDED TO MY ACCOUNT IN XX/XX/XXXX, AND {$1800.00} OF CAPITALIZED INTEREST WAS ADDED TO MY ACCOUNT ON XX/XX/XXXX, FOR A TOTAL OF {$12000.00} OF CAPITALIZED INTEREST ADDED TO MY ACCOUNT. TODAY XX/XX/XXXX I WAS SENT AN ACCOUNT SUMMARY WITH AGAIN THE WRONG TOTAL ON IT. THE BALANCE ON MY ACCOUNT REMAINS EXACTLY THE SAME- HOW THEN COULD THE INTEREST HAVE BEEN REMOVED? Am I missing something? So basically, this request was closed when XXXX XXXX said my interest was reversed, but YET AGAIN THEY ACTUALLY NEVER DID AND NEVER FOLLOWED THROUGH. This is now beyond fradulent, and I do not understand how this can be allowed by a government agency that is supposed to be protecting the consumer. I, the consumer, am continuously lied to, so I am submitting yet another complaint. Please contact me as soon as possible. Thank you.
Company Response:
State: NY
Zip: 11040
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2019-01-09
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2019-01-09
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 have a loan with XXXX. I have always made my payments on time. For some reason I realized that there was a late payment on my credit report. As you can see, I have always had a stellar payment record with this company. I tried contacting both XXXX, XXXX and XXXX with no successful resolution. XXXX and XXXX were reporting me late. There was definitely an error on their part. I was never 30 days late XXXX - XX/XX/XXXX / XXXX - XX/XX/XXXX.
Company Response:
State: FL
Zip: XXXXX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2019-01-09
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2019-01-09
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Received bad information about your loan
Consumer Complaint: XXXX XXXX consolidated my student loans and disbursed funds without my express consent or authorization. I originally had six separate subsidized loans, two of which were at a 2.32 % interest rate, two at a 3.4 % rate, and two at a 6.8 % rate. I also had two unsubsidized loans, both at a 6.8 % interest rate. After the unauthorized consolidation, my account now shows that I have two loans, one subsidized and one unsubsidized, both of which have a 5.375 % interest rate. This significantly increased the interest rate on four of my loans and also significantly increased my monthly payment. XXXX XXXX called me and emailed me many times urging me to apply for a consolidation as they said it could help lower my monthly payment and/or interest rates. Their sales people were very pushy and, in hindsight, very deceptive. They kept telling me they wanted to help me and made it seem as if I was losing money by not applying. After years of being pressured by XXXX XXXX, I finally decided to submit an application to, in their words, see what kind of rates and monthly payment they would offer. '' I submit an application, but I did NOT have a chance to review their proposed terms before they disbursed the funds for the consolidation. I did NOT accept their terms, and I did NOT authorize a disbursement of funds. Standard industry practice dictates that the borrower applies for a loan, and then lender will either deny the application or propose terms for the loan. The borrower then has the choice whether or not to accept the terms and move forward with the disbursement. I had no choice in this case ; XXXX XXXX automatically consolidated my loans and disbursed the funds without my knowledge, express consent, or authorization. It was not made expressly known, in any part of the application, that XXXX XXXX would automatically consolidate my loans and disburse funds without any confirmation from me, the borrower. I was lead to believe, by the application process, that I would have a chance to review their newly proposed terms and interest rates before I decided to accept or reject them. Once again, I did NOT have a chance to review the proposed terms, I did NOT accept the terms, and I did NOT authorize a disbursement of funds. I have called XXXX XXXX multiple times and have sent two letters trying to resolve this issue to no avail. They keep telling me that they are unable to reverse the consolidation and I have been given the run-around every time. I was very professional and cordial in my attempts to resolve this issue but many of the employees I spoke to, including supervisors and department heads, were extremely rude, unprofessional, and/or unresponsive to me. Some of them even hung up on me. I plan to fight this until the end, even if I have to take legal action, so any help the CFPB can offer will be greatly appreciated. I have submit a complaint to the XXXX and I also plan on contacting the media in an effort to help inform others who have been taken advantage of in the same way. This kind of practice is blatant fraud and extortion and it should not be allowed. Thank you very much for your time. I look forward to your help in resolving this matter.
Company Response:
State: CA
Zip: 94303
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2019-01-09
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2019-01-08
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Received bad information about your loan
Consumer Complaint: XXXX XXXX refuses to accurately calculate the number of qualifying payments I have made on my student loan toward Public Service Loan Forgiveness. I sent in my last public service Employment Certification Form in XX/XX/XXXX and now it's XX/XX/XXXX and XXXX XXXX still has NOT calculated my qualifying payments accurately. As of the XX/XX/XXXX date, I have made 68 qualifying payments. XXXX has reported to me random numbers, all less than 68. In fact, just recently it lowered the number of payments I made without explanation, without documentation, without reason. That it takes XXXX XXXX nearly a year to count up payments accurately is a terribly sad indictment on the competence of this agency and its representatives. It's time for Federal intervention.
Company Response:
State: TX
Zip: 76107
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2019-01-08
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2019-01-08
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Need information about your loan balance or loan terms
Consumer Complaint: I have several loans being managed by XXXX XXXX. All of these loans have been enrolled in an income based repayment plan, according to the rules for Public Student Loan Forgiveness ( PSLF ), for the better part of 6-7 years. During this time I have worked for a 501c and have submitted my Employee Certification Form every year. I make my income based repayments ( IBR ) every month and have not missed one. However, every month I am sent a loan detail summary and the total payments XXXX XXXX says I have towards my PSLF is inaccurate. Some of the loans show as little as 3 payments, others a bit higher, but none of them show the correct number of payments for the amount of time I have been enrolled in this program. On XX/XX/2018 I called XXXX XXXX about the incorrect qualifying PSLF payments shown on my monthly statement. I spent several hours on the phone and spoke to a few different employees from different departments ( employee ID XXXX and XXXX ). Ultimately I was told all of my payments would have to be researched and verified against all of the Employee Certification Letters I submitted. I was told this would take about 6 months. It is now 8 months after I had this conversation. I have received no follow up from XXXX XXXX and my monthly statements from them continue to show incorrect qualifying PSLF payments. In fact, since my phone conversation, the total number of qualifying PSLF payments on my monthly statement has not changed. Every month the numbers are the same. It feels hopeless calling this company over and over again, reiterating the same story and hearing the same thing. I feel like this will never get addressed.
Company Response:
State: CA
Zip: 91030
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2019-01-08
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2019-01-08
Issue: Struggling to repay your loan
Subissue: Can't get other flexible options for repaying your loan
Consumer Complaint: On XX/XX/2018 I was let go of my position so I immediately submitted an income-based repayment to the federal student loan office my payment at the time was {$160.00} a month. Once I submitted my paperwork they took me off of income based repayment and they raise my monthly payment amount to {$260.00} how I was expected to pay {$260.00} a month when I had just lost my job I don't know luckily I have a car so I worked for XXXX in order to make that money I made as many payments as I could in XX/XX/2018 I got a job with the XXXX I worked with the XXXX for 3 months before putting in my two weeks notice because it was a very toxic environment and it was not the type of environment that I wanted to be working in I was being bullied at work by my co-workers who are in the training and they were saying things like they would kill themselves if they had to sit next to me and making fun of people and talking badly behind other people 's back when I brought it up to my supervisor and management they did absolutely nothing to correct it. So I put in my two weeks notice and I was let go immediately. I got another position with the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX making {$11.00} an hour plus tips. I worked there for three weeks and then I got into a car wreck a deer came out of nowhere and hit the side of my vehicle just as the deer hit me I turned to make a left turn and I stopped to check on the damage will Justice I made that left turn to pull into the church so that I can look at the damage some other vehicle came out of nowhere and hit the back of my car my car had to be taken to the Collision company and I was fired the very next day because I called in because I couldn't get to work I live 45 minutes away from a bus stop. During this time I had applied for income-based repayment three times and they kept raising how much I owed every month first they raised it by XXXX dollars then they asked me to pay {$280.00} a month in XX/XX/XXXX they asked me to pay {$340.00} and right now my father being the generous person that he is assisted me and paid off an entire student loan for me about {$3600.00} he made this payment on the XX/XX/XXXX the payment has not been processed and did not go through until yesterday the XX/XX/XXXX because of this processing of this payment my income based repayment recalculation has yet to be recalculated they want me to pay {$280.00} even though I just made a {$3600.00} payment. I have even written letters to the student company explaining to them that last year had been very difficult for me I had never been fired and yet in one year I was fired twice. I'm pretty much at my Wit 's End and I'm tired of dealing with them not to mention the fact that last year in XX/XX/XXXX when I got fired my took pity on me paid off {$1000.00}. I owed {$22000.00}. He paid off {$1000.00} generously, so I owed {$21000.00} this was back in XX/XX/XXXX I believe. Now because I have been working XXXX all last year for 6 months I have been making as many minimum payments as I could my Dad paid {$1000.00} and XX/XX/XXXX said I could be a head by three months so I made about {$50.00} payments for XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX. By the end of XX/XX/XXXX had already started my position with the XXXX so I was able to make the {$50.00} payment in XX/XX/XXXX because I was paid ahead. However I still owe {$21000.00}. How is it that I'm making payments and I owe more than what I did since XX/XX/XXXX when my father paid {$1000.00}? Also they raised my interest rate without telling me and without notice. This wouldn't be so frustrating if it weren't for the fact that I have been busting my XXXX to pay off my student loans as fast as possible and yet the price still keeps going up even though I'm making payments and I'm paid ahead so I think there's something wrong with the student loan department and I think they're stealing money from students and I'm lucky that I owe only {$21000.00} because I can just imagine the frustration of people who are paying {$500.00} a month on their student loan payment and yet there's nothing there student loans go up because they asked to be put on an income-based repayment plan it makes no sense to me and so I want to report this to you but I also want to report this and find a pro bono lawyer because I think they're stealing money from people in this needs to be investigated ASAP. The woman that I talked to even told me she would help me out because I was very nice but she said for other people if they're rude I make it even more difficult for them she told me this over the phone and I'm not sure what her name is but I thought that was extremely unprofessional because it doesn't matter if a person is rude or not student loans are very frustrating and it's no wonder that we are seeing more school shootings we are seeing more people freaking out and doing horrible things to each other and it's because we're constantly under stress from people who just want to take money from you and steal from you like the federal student loans are doing to me so now I'm taking out the measly {$3000.00} I have in savings I'm XXXX years old and I have {$3000.00} in life savings okay because of my student loans and I'm going to take out those measly {$3000.00} so that I can pay off yet another student loan that way that's one less loan to worry about but guess what that leaves me with a XXXX emergency savings that leaves me with XXXX savings XXXX years old, over 15 years of full-time work and I barely have {$3000.00} to show for it. How am I supposed to make it through life how am I supposed to retire and I'm lucky because I don't have kids I'm not married but I can just imagine the people who have children and who are married. Something needs to be done and it needs to be investigated
Company Response:
State: TX
Zip: 78748
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2019-01-24
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2019-01-08
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Received bad information about your loan
Consumer Complaint: On XX/XX/XXXX I submitted paperwork to XXXX XXXX to see if my current student loans applied for the PSLF program. I had been working full time as an employee for XXXX XXXX XXXX since XX/XX/XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX I received a rejection letter from XXXX XXXX stating that my current loans were not eligible for the PSLF program. On XX/XX/XXXX I called XXXX XXXX and asked what I needed to do to have my loans qualify for the PSLF program. The customer service representative at that time said I needed to consolidate my current loans with my current lender at the time ( XXXX ) in order to have them qualify for the PSLF program through XXXX XXXX XXXX. I then called my current lender at the time and started the process of consolidating my Direct Stafford loans and they were officially consolidated on XX/XX/XXXX. I then reapplied for the PSLF program and was accepted. My loans were officially transferred to XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX. At this time I had already been working for a XXXX job for six years and had been in repayment status for my student loans. All those qualifying payments over those six years should have been applied to my PSLF repayment schedule. I then received an email in XX/XX/XXXX from XXXX XXXX stating that I could view the amount of qualifying payments that were applied to my PSLF over the course of the last year. When I went to check I expected to see an accumulation of 7 years of payments, but there were only the payments I had made since my loans had officially transferred to XXXX XXXX in XX/XX/XXXX. I then called XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX to see why there were not more payments applied to my running balance for the PSLF and I was informed by a customer representative from XXXX XXXX that when I consolidated my loans prior to transferring them to XXXX XXXX that it null and voided any previous payments I had made on those loans. I was extremely upset, because the only reason I applied for the PSLF program is because I knew I had 6 years of payments that would set me up well to have my loans paid off in the 10 years or 120 payments whichever came first. If I would of known that consolidating my loans would null all those qualifying payments I WOULD OF NEVER DONE THAT. No one from XXXX educated me on this crucial point. I then spoke to another representative from XXXX XXXX on that same day because I could not wrap my head around why I was told to consolidate when this would start me completely over on my repayment. I was then told directly from the customer service representative on XX/XX/XXXX that I was misinformed from XXXX XXXX and wrongly sent a denial letter that stated my loans were not eligible when in fact my Direct Stafford loans were eligible for the program and they did not need to be consolidated prior to transferring. I am seeking to have this fixed and to have my payments that I made over those six years prior to being told I had to consolidate applied to my running balance of my payments for my PSLF. This whole situation makes XXXX XXXX look extremely devious and further enforces the stigma around the PSLF program and why people are so frustrated with the process. I have attached official documents from XXXX, showing my loans prior to consolidation and documents showing the consolidation process and the denial letter from XXXX XXXX.
Company Response:
State: IA
Zip: 501XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2019-01-08
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A