Date Received: 2018-07-03
Issue: Struggling to repay your loan
Subissue: Can't temporarily delay making payments
Consumer Complaint: I applied for deferment and was under the impression it was filled out correctly. I was never notified and when I realized my credit had been hit 28 times in 7 months, I reached out to them and started making payments. XX/XX/XXXX-XX/XX/XXXX
Company Response:
State: TX
Zip: 75056
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2018-07-03
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2018-07-02
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Received bad information about your loan
Consumer Complaint: I have worked in XXXX service s for 10+ years. I submitted my application for Public Service Loan Forgiveness, and after verifying with each of my previous agencies, they determined that all of my agencies were qualified. I then received an email from XXXX XXXX saying that I had not been making qualifying payments and would have to consider shifting my loans to them. I sent them an email question asking how my payments did not qualify and received a form letter with the same language as the website, explaining nothing. At no point did I consent to switch my loans to them. On XX/XX/2018 ( dated XX/XX/2018 ) I received a letter saying XXXX was my new service provider. Again, I did not consent or agree to this, having more questions. On XX/XX/2018 I received an email saying I had a payment due on XX/XX/XXXX that was now late. I never received anything from them stating an amount or due date. Meanwhile, I made my existing payment to my current vendor on XX/XX/XXXX. Today, I called them and was told that they had no record of me making a payment to my previous vendor and that I had to " prove it '' to them. I was also told that I had filled out the wrong form ( I filled out the one on the US Department of Education website ) and that I had to fill out the IDENTICAL form with the slightly different number on it to get a waiver on my non-qualifying payments. I was further told that reapplying with the exact same form will re-start my application and require them reverify all of my employment - a three month process, if I'm lucky. The national funding will almost certainly be gone by the time this is completed. I am beyond frustrated. I started out trying to take advantage of a lovely program that rewards community service and I now have a late payment to a vendor I didn't chose and don't trust for an amount that makes zero sense ( they say I owe {$94.00}. My original payment to my existing vendor was {$250.00} and my new payment is {$240.00} ). I'm not even sure if I should pay them. Please help! Sincerely, XXXX XXXX
Company Response:
State: OH
Zip: 452XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2018-07-02
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2018-07-02
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Problem with customer service
Consumer Complaint: I have an existing complaint in with XXXX XXXX XXXX. I have applied for Public Service Loan Forgiveness, original application date of XX/XX/XXXX. It appears that they have tried to appease the complaint, however not to my satisfaction as the information they have fed back to me is grossly inaccurate. I have been employed with XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, a XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX organization since XX/XX/XXXX. My Human Resources director has verified this with XXXX XXXX XXXX, and they told me they have record of that verification. I have recently received a letter from XXXX XXXX XXXX stating that my beginning date of employment was XX/XX/XXXX ( the date I applied for PSLF, not the beginning date of my qualified employment ). They are only counting payments that were made from this date, which is 11 payments. This is inaccurate, and I believe they are only counting payments that were made once I applied for PSLF and my loan was transferred to them as a servicer. I was previously serviced by XXXX and XXXX. I have made every single payment on time since my employment began in XXXX, so I should have around 80 qualifying payments. This means they are putting me about 6 1/2 months back in the whole process of loan forgiveness.
Company Response:
State: MI
Zip: XXXXX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2018-07-02
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2018-07-02
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Trouble with how payments are being handled
Consumer Complaint: I received a letter in my online XXXX XXXX inbox ( incidentally, a ridiculous way of receiving communications -- have to log-in to see any and all important statements / letters concerning my account ) on XX/XX/2018 stating that I need to recertify by income based repayment pan by XX/XX/2018 or face an increase in my monthly payment effective XX/XX/2018. On XX/XX/2018, I completed and submitted by IBR recertification. On XX/XX/2018, I received an email that my recertification was denied and that a letter would be sent to me with the reason for the denial. On XX/XX/2018, In received in my XXXX inbox a letter that my recertification was denied by XXXX because it was not yet time for me to recertify. I called and spoke with a XXXX representative who informed me that I would not need to recertify until later this year ... so I was good! I stated that I had gotten the email prompting me to recertify, which is why I did so, and I was assured that everything was fine -- just recertify later this year! My XXXX and XX/XX/2018 payments came and went without a problem -- my normal amount under my income-based repayment plan. However, I got an email on XX/XX/2018 stating that my bank account would be direct debited at the standard repayment amount ( approximately 40 % of my monthly income ). I log-in to my XXXX account and see this alert : " Your payment amount increased! We did not get all of your documentation for your annual Income-Driven Repayment ( IDR ) plan recertification. If you would still like your monthly payment amount based on your income and family size, please visit StudentLoans.gov to reapply. '' I call XXXX customer service, explain the issue, and was on-hold for 46 minutes waiting to talk with a loan counselor in the income repayment division. The standard repayment amount is approximately 40 % of my monthly income ( and more than my mortgage payment ). I am on an income driven plan and recertify annually because I am work in public service ( state/local government ). This " gotcha '' has very real consequences for me. I take pride in always paying my bills and being on-time with payments .... hence the reason I enrolled in direct debit and always process timely recertification for my income-based repayment plan. The fact that XXXX messed up somehow on their end means real-life consequences for me. When I finally talked to a loan counselor ( XXXX, ID # XXXX ) she said she would have to put " this in for review '' because " this should not have been denied '' ( referring to my recertification application ). I asked what my options were for the XXXX payment and was told she had put in a request for a forbearance to cover XXXX payment since I " did recertify on time '' and she " suspended the direct debit '' so the XXXX payment would not draft to my bank account. She said the review would take 7-10 business days to complete. Meanwhile, here I am, relying on XXXX to correct something that they messed up in the first place ... something that I already asked them about. I have so many more stories about this company ( assurances that ALL my loans qualified for public service forgiveness -- they did not ; past problems recertifying for income based repayment ; continued need to " defer '' and thereby add interest on to teh principle because I keep getting bad advice from their counselors ; issues consolidating loans when I finally realized they did not all qualify for PSLF five years in to repayment ; PSLF employment certification issues ; problems with payment application to consolidated versus unconsolidated loans that made my account appear delinquent when it was not ; etc ... ) .... the whole saga is frustrating, depressing, and makes me question why I ever sought higher education. Maybe a bit dramatic sounding, but the reality is student loan repayment is awful and has NOTHING to do with my actual willingness to pay back the money I borrowed or my ability to follow directions and timely submit forms and information requested by the loan provider. At the end of the day, I stress out over these loans multiple times a year and have spent countless hours waiting on the phone for XXXX to fix or explain something new they've managed to do. I set up my repayment on direct debit so can deal with this fiasco as little as I need to. The stress is unbelievable. If not for PSLF, I will be paying back money until I am in my 60s ( thanks for compounded interest and all of that jazz ), and that is simply unbelievable. I have relevant records ( letters and such ) that I can provide if requested. I have no way of blacking out identifying information in them now, so I have not attached that documentation to this complaint.
Company Response:
State: FL
Zip: 338XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2018-07-02
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2018-07-01
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Trouble with how payments are being handled
Consumer Complaint: I started my consolation in XX/XX/XXXX, My school loans total XXXX but the payment was XXXX per month so when with XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX PA XXXX, XXXX to reduce my month payments. I had a full time job but I work for a XXXX company and had to pay child support. My budget was fixed. Few years into my plan with them they offered to me a discount for non-payment. So for many years until present time they had a system that pushes me off my plan after a year or so. In the beginning year I would be reminded and helped with the paperwork. Later year, they were NO help. There answer was always to put me on forbearance for six months. Which put more money on my loan and interest too. It was a scam so I could never pay this loan off. In XX/XX/XXXX, I had taken school loan out and pay them off before ten year because it wasn't a scam. More then that I when qualified for program for working for a XXXX the more difficult they became. I sent them a copy of my income taxes but they didn't due anything to fix my problem. I got paperwork back into them and they did nothing to help fix my payment problem. For over a year they locked me out of web system but wouldn't help unlock to get my loan straighten out. Nobody would help by phone and they would push me back to a locked system. My loan when from XXXX to XXXX because they locked me out of the system. These last two year I steadily pay them XXXX a month because they would help fix my payment plan. They locked me out of payment plan all together and try to false report that I wasn't paying them XXXX a month. They reported on my credit report that I didn't make any payment but I pay XXXX a month. This company even advertises on the radio and I called them for help from the commercial. They refused to help me telling me that I need to send in my income tax again. I did but no help. There answer always to put the loan on forbearance, which jack the amount of the loan up. This company uses unfair credit practices. If I had a normal bill month that I could pay then I would. I've had this loan payment for more then 15 years but it only went up even though I paid almost every month.
Company Response:
State: NY
Zip: 10566
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2018-07-03
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2018-06-29
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Keep getting calls about your loan
Consumer Complaint: Received a phone call from XXXX ( XXXX ) XXXX about renewing my income driven repayment plan with XXXX, which I have not done so forXX/XX/2018 so this made sense I would receive such a phone call. I called the number back, they asked how much debt I had, income, dependents, family size etc, with no verification, correspondence in the mail, or any such preliminary warning of renewal. I was then asked to remit payment of roughly {$270.00} at the time of the phone call in order be placed into the new plan. Red flag number 1, my income has nearly doubled in the past year, and they want to cut my payment in half? Ok ... .Next red flag was when I asked for a letter explaining the program and its features and cost of interest etc to be mailed to my home, they said nothing is done via mail and I also can not remit the payment via XX/XX/XXXX, it had to be over the phone and that they are not associated with XX/XX/XXXX. A third red flag, no introduction or name of the representative helping me. I work at a bank, federally regulated, in the Compliance department, we see scams all the time ... .When I explained I thought this was a scam, the " representative '' told me I should have said that 10 minutes prior, and not wasted both peoples time. I haven't been spoken to so rudely by any financial representative in the past, sounded like an upset scammer who got duped!!!
Company Response:
State: NY
Zip: 121XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2018-06-29
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2018-06-29
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Received bad information about your loan
Consumer Complaint: I have been enrolled in the PSLF program since 2010. It took 9 months for them to process my application. Since then they have put my loan payments on hold numerous times sometimes for 6 months at a time while they " review '' different aspects. For more than two years I have been trying to get an accurate assessment of how far along I am in the program despite that they have held my loan payments every change they get. After losing my employment verification forms many times they received them and said I had made over XXXX patients. Then without telling me they changed and said I only made XXXX XXXX payments. I only saw this in reviewing my loans, Now for over a year I have been fighting this and they have not given me an accurate assessment of my loan payments and they have tried to limit this every chance they get. I tried to resolve this with them and the BBB with no appropriate response.
Company Response:
State: MA
Zip: 021XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2018-06-29
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2018-06-29
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Trouble with how payments are being handled
Consumer Complaint: I refinanced my student loans from XXXX to XXXX XXXX inthe amount of approximately {$360000.00}. This refinance payment from XXXX XXXX was processed by XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX. There was an overpayment of over {$4300.00}. I have asked XXXX about the status of the refund of this overpayment multiple times. I spoke by phone in XX/XX/XXXX to an agent who said refunds are processed within 30 days. It has been a month and a half. I have send their customer service department two emails, both have gone unanswered. They have provided no reasonable explanation that they would delay in issuing a refund.
Company Response:
State: MN
Zip: 559XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2018-06-29
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2018-06-29
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 XXXX 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, XXXX and XXXX XXXX XXXX with no successful resolution. XXXX, XXXX and XXXX were reporting me late. There was definitely an error on their part. I was never 30 days late XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXXXX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX.
Company Response:
State: GA
Zip: 30338
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2018-06-29
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2018-06-28
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Need information about your loan balance or loan terms
Consumer Complaint: My loans have transferred from XXXX XXXX to American Education Services. My complaint is that this servicer DOES NOT provide the information necessary in order for me to manage my loans. The website DOES NOT provide information on my scheduled payment plans, so I have no idea when my payments will be increased. The website DOES NOT provide information on how many months I am paid ahead. The servicer DOES NOT allow for overpayments to be applied to multiple loans in one account. These are ALL basic items that XXXX XXXX allowed consumers to do. This information is needed for consumers to plan and manager their student loans.
Company Response:
State: DC
Zip: 200XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2018-06-28
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A