Date Received: 2022-02-26
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Trouble with how payments are being handled
Consumer Complaint: XXXX loans transferred were the first loans to transfer to Fed Loan Servicing as I'm pursuing Public Service Loan Forgiveness ( PSLF ). Payment was set at {$41.00} on XX/XX/XXXX under the IBR plan. I was then notified on XX/XX/XXXX that my payment was recalculated at {$80.00} under the REPAYE plan. The TEPSLF was announced in XX/XX/XXXX. I consolidated my Navient loans, which were transferred to Fed Loan Servicing. On XX/XX/XXXX, I received notification I had 2 new payments that had been calculated. One payment was calculated under the ICR plan at {$170.00} and the other payment had been calculated under the REPAYE plan at {$160.00}. I've been paying XXXX and Navient every month, without fail, for the past seven years and my payments have always been affordable ; I've never struggled to make meet my student loan obligations or other financial responsibilities. My prior payments were set at {$39.00} and {$28.00} respectively. I've tried, exhaustively, to discuss this matter with representatives of Fed Loan Servicing to no avail. My income has not increased since the initial payment notification dated XX/XX/XXXX. In fact, my tax return indicated that my income actually decreased from last year. No representative can intelligently explain why there are 2 payments when they are a singular servicer, other than to state there are Parent Plus loans, which were consolidated into a loan and no longer stand on their own. Additionally, the representatives I've spoken to insist that the loan that includes the Parent Plus loans is not eligible for an income based repayment plan, contradictory to what is indicated on the Department of Education 's website regarding the Temporary Extended Public Service Loan Forgiveness waiver. Efforts to reach someone at the Department of Education have met with negative results as well. I continue to be given phone number after number only to be told I've reached the wrong department. I've filled out numerous applications for payments plans, been denied, told I've filled them out incorrectly, had them deleted, and have no idea where to turn for assistance. I am petrified of losing everything I have worked so hard to achieve simply due to a change of loan servicers. Any assistance is greatly appreciated.
Company Response:
State: OH
Zip: 44012
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2022-02-26
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2022-02-26
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Problem with customer service
Consumer Complaint: I previously tried to Fax my Public Loan Service Forgiveness application to required Fedloan Fax # XXXX and paid a fax service to fax but Fedloan fax number would not allow transmit after numerous attempts. I ended up having to mail my application. After awaiting weeks I received response from Fedloan that my application was " MISSING INFORMATION ''. The MISSING INFORMATION criteria they defined is truly " either missing or you submitted the form with an electronic signature '' and is then not in the right format. Fedloan needs a dictionary as having a signature is not the same as missing. To my understanding electronic and digital mediums are widely used and accepted methods of providing signature and exactly how I, and many, are able to agree to acquire student loans. It benefits the loan servicer to make any excuse to not correctly process applications as borrowers like myself continue to accrue loan interest. As if that is not enough, I was on phone over 1 hour on hold unable to reach a representative with Fedloan to discuss the validity and reasoning of Fedloan not accepting electronic signature. Additionally they make the process tremendous endeavor by not having working fax number sufficient to handle probably the volume and mounds of documentation Fedloan makes borrowers sift through and handle ... when email is the easiest most convenient easy to track solution. Additionally when trying to make complaint to US Dept of Edu about this issue they also make it difficult to even provide a simple complaint email as each of these entities from student loan provider to related agencies rather people waste time on the phone losing the desire to call the servicers and agencies out on their poor, lame, and shameful execution of customer service and do the complete opposite of what should be done to help borrowers/people navigate through the ridiculous processes, wait times, and excuses to be slow to help fulfill responsibilities of responsible loan service implementing a government sponsored program that essentially the same people who work pay through taxes, etc. essentially fund ... .ridiculous. Lastly, I reviewed an online copy of Code of Federal Regulations 34 CFR 685.219 - Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program available through govinfo.gov/ and nowhere in the document is mention of any forbiddance of " electronic signature ''. Fedloan with help of US Dept of Edu are making the process more challenging at the burden of borrowers and taxpayers as people need again to waste time having to jump through all the loops to even get the basics done such as having working fax #, using email, having somewhat decent wait time when calling for questions. Terrible experience and I hope things get fixed as this is silly and terrible that thousands of borrowers are likely facing the same challenges and issues with these agencies. There is too much financial implications to these transactions for large loan servicers to do as they please in making things difficult for borrowers especially when there are programs to help borrowers that the servicers again are implementing with little desire to make things easy.
Company Response:
State: TX
Zip: XXXXX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2022-02-26
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2022-02-25
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Problem with customer service
Consumer Complaint: I submitted a XXXX application over 100 days ago and still have not heard ANYTHING back!
Company Response:
State: MA
Zip: 011XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2022-02-25
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2022-02-25
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Problem with customer service
Consumer Complaint: I have been attempting to reach FEDLOAN by phone / email ( multiple times ) for hours on end only to be put on hold from one department to the other then disconnected. On XX/XX/22 I spent 3 hours on hold and tried to call 4 different times hoping someone would help me with my issue. This is as i said one of many attempts I have submitted multiple documents to verify that my employer is a recognized organization that falls under the loan forgiveness. they have accepted 6 payments. I have been paying on my income driven loan for over two years and they have not honored the agreement. This company is completely incapable of providing the service and should be dismissed from the contract they are getting. Please put an end to this for me and others. i have multiple friends than
Company Response:
State: CA
Zip: XXXXX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2022-02-25
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2022-02-25
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Received bad information about your loan
Consumer Complaint: Hello, I am writing in reference to a partial forgiveness that was done on my account. I have been with FedLoan for at least 10 years now and have received conflicting information which I'm sure you understand is frustrating. My complaint actually covers loans obtained at both the XXXX XXXX XXXX ( XXXX, SC ) and XXXX University. However, the site would only allow me to enter one school. To give you a little background, after the announcement of the Limited Waiver on XX/XX/XXXX, I received an email on XXXX as many did- from DOE stating that at least 77 payments that were deemed " unqualifiable '' would now be added to my overall PSLF payment count. On XX/XX/XXXX, I called the DOE to see what I needed to do next to make sure all my ducks were in a row. The rep told me that the DOE had no information and that I needed to contact my loan servicer, FedLoan, since they are the administrators of the PSLF program and would be able to tell me exactly what I needed to do to benefit from the waiver. In the meantime, some questions arose for me pertaining obtaining a refund on the payments I'd made during the pandemic. So on XX/XX/XXXX, I spoke with 2 FedLoan reps regarding 2 things : 1 ) information on refund possibility, and XXXX ) what I needed to do next to maximize benefit from the new Limited Waiver. The rep helped clarify my refund issue but stated that since all of my loans were Direct Loans, I didn't need to consolidate. This is the crux of my issue. So at this time, I am feeling pretty confident that I needed to do nothing else and that it was just a waiting game at that point. I have my 2 jobs complete new ECF forms so that any missing qualifying employment dates could be added. The forms were received by FedLoan on XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX, I receive notification that 2 of my loans had been forgiven, however the counts on the remaining 9 loans were not updated. On that same day, I contacted FedLoan about this and what was going on, why only 2 loans were addressed. I spoke with XXXX at FedLoan who informed that my counts prior to reveiw were 41, and that with the update and dates of the loans they were forgiven. He also informed me that had I CONSOLIDATED, all of my loans may have been forgiven at one time!!!! How disappointing to hear this after I'd spoken to a FedLoan rep and told I didn't need to! XXXX was very nice and patient while I tried to wrap my head around what he was telling me. He said that because all of the remaining loans have the same payment count of XXXX, there really wasn't a need to consolidate at this point and just wait to see how the Waiver would affect these remaining loans. He was very encouraging which I really appreciate but it was so disheartening to have this happen. On XX/XX/XXXX, I received another email from the DOE providing a status update on the Waiver progress. It confirmed that I am one of more than a million borrowers which will benefit from the limited waiver. What this means, I do not know. To date, my account still shows that my last ECF/PSLF form ( submitted XX/XX/XXXX ) has been received and that payment count is in progress. I just would like some clarification of why all counts were not added at the same time the counts for the 2 loans were. It's obvious that the " at least '' 77 payments were added to the 41 count balance as a result of the waiver. Why wasn't it added to the payment counts for the other 9 loans? I was misinformed by FedLoan and I'd also like to know why. I see people who have just consolidated to FedLoan 30-days ago getting full forgiveness while I wait after having done what was advised. While I am happy for those borrowers, I was mislead and told incorrect information, and now I am left confused and having to figure it out. This is very important to me and it would mean a lot to have my loans totally forgiven as it would be a game changer for me and my family. I know that on a grander scheme of things, I may be just another number but behind ever number is a person and a family.
Company Response:
State: SC
Zip: 29414
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2022-02-25
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2022-02-24
Issue: Struggling to repay your loan
Subissue: Can't get other flexible options for repaying your loan
Consumer Complaint: I have received both XXXX Grants and federal student loans since I began my higher education journey in 2003. While attending both my XXXX and XXXX studies ( XXXX XXXX College, UT XXXX and XXXX University ), I worked full-time and/or was on paid internships for the bulk of that time ; so that I could try to keep my school loan borrowing amounts as low as possible. I am now being told that I could have been offered income based repayments while I was still in school and working full-time. Instead, I was placed on deferments for the duration of time that I was in school ; to include the six month grace period afterwards. I very likely would have qualified for the {$0.00} IDR payments during periods of employment from XXXX ; however, was never offered that as an option. After graduating with my XXXX XXXX XXXX, I started out in low pay, non-profit work environments to gain experience ; and, for years off and on, I could not afford my monthly school loan payment. Each time I contacted FedLoan to let them know that I couldn't make a full payment, I was always steered towards financial hardship deferments. It has come to my attention that they had the authority and power to offer me the option of lower monthly payments or partial payments ; but that was never the information I was given. Thousands of other student borrowers have reported very similar stories ; and this creates significant ethical and possible legal concerns due to the nature of the student loan industry already having a dark cloud due to noted manipulation of borrowers by certain loan companies that I will not name here as it's well known information due to recent, large scale settlements. I am more than willing, if given the opportunity, to pay all previous periods of forbearance and deferment so that those payments can be counted towards my XXXX payments to achieve XXXX. I am not asking for a handout ; I am simply asking that a wrong be righted. I have worked as a public servant for almost 15 years ; and am taking care of XXXX XXXX family members. I am respectfully requesting that periods of forbearance and deferment be considered for XXXX forgiveness by FedLoan and the DOE ; to include allowing borrowers to retroactively lift those forbearances/deferments and pay the amounts that would have been owed at that time. Thank you for your time and consideration in this matter.
Company Response:
State: TX
Zip: 766XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2022-02-24
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2022-02-24
Issue: Incorrect information on your report
Subissue: Information belongs to someone else
Consumer Complaint: American Education Services has not validated my debt pursuant to 15 USC 1692g. Your claims are false and your company is in violation of the FCRA and FDCPA, as well as TILA. A statement is not a bill. I continue to assert there are billing errors 15 USC 1666. The credit reporting agencies are right to delete the account because under the FCRA they can only furnish a report in accordance with the consumers request. I request that you immediately stop reporting on my consumer report and my co-signers consumer report until you are able to accurately validate the debt. Pursuant to 15 USC 1692 ( g ) ( 4 ) Validation of debts, if you have evidence to validate your claim that the alleged debt does not constitute fraudulent misrepresentation and that one owes this alleged debt, this is a demand that, within 20 days, you provide such verification/validation and supporting evidence signed and certified under penalty of perjury to substantiate your claim. Until the requirements of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act have been complied with and your claim is verified/validated, you have no consent to continue any collection activities. 15 USC 1692j states, It is unlawful to design, compile, and furnish any form knowing that such form would be used to create the false belief in a consumer that a person other than the creditor of such consumer is participating in the collection of or in an attempt to collect a debt such consumer allegedly owes such creditor, when in fact such person is not participating AES is causing harm to both consumers, myself and my co-signer by furnishing such forms as described by 15 USC 1692j ( a ) and as such, shall be liable to the same extent and in the same manner as a debt collector is liable under 15 USC 1692k of the FDCPA. and is also liable under the FCRA and TILA. I am completing and submitting the paperwork to further assert this alleged debt is fraudulent. In the meantime, no late payments may be reported on my consumer report or that of my co-signer or that would be a violation of 15 USC 1681a ( 2 ) Exclusions.Except as provided in paragraph ( 3 ), the term consumer report does not include ( A ) subject to section 1681s3 of this title, any ( i ) report containing information solely as to transactions or experiences between the consumer and the person making the report.
Company Response:
State: IL
Zip: 60611
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2022-02-24
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2022-02-24
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Problem with customer service
Consumer Complaint: The customer service I've experience by the Department of Education ( DOE ) or lack of receiving have been a complete horrendous nightmare. As a military veteran I've submitted numerous applications for XXXX XXXX due to XXXX XXXX fraudulent practices I have an application that I submitted on XX/XX/XXXX as of today XX/XX/XXXX I have yet received a response regarding the matter except that it's still in review. Given XX/XX/XXXX Media coverage by DOE regarding military veterans/students that attended and was scammed by XXXX XXXX XXXX that matter was discharged. I've also submitted PSLF application numerous times in which I qualify for that ( the latest submission XX/XX/XXXX ), as of XX/XX/XXXX I havent received any notification status on that as well. By being a military veteran and a current civil servant employee, this is beyond unprofessional to keep a matter lingering for this long especially when I hear " thank you for service '' when I called to inquiry about my applications at this point people only saying that to feel somewhat patriotic but to continue to string along a military veteran the organization isn't any better than the organization XXXX XXXX that defrauded them. That is a true sign of an organization character, is this how you thank a military veteran for their service? I have filed numerous complaints with the CFPB and my local representatives regrading this matter, even they have been told they must wait an additional 6mths to inquire about my application. Ive been constantly attempting to file a complaint via the OMBUDSMEN on the DOE site since XX/XX/XXXX, when I hit submit the submission page fails, Ive tried on different web browsers, the same thing, when I called in regarding my complaint I was told to keep trying its a glitch in their system. And still nothing resolved.
Company Response:
State: NJ
Zip: 08054
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2022-02-24
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2022-02-24
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Received bad information about your loan
Consumer Complaint: I was a struggling XXXX XXXX XXXX when I was working on my XXXX XXXX. When I graduated I knew I was interested in the PSLF program. I reached out to my current loans and consolidated with FedLoan Servicing in 2012. I was really struggling financially to pay bills, feed my family, etc so I reached out and asked about my options and told them I HAD TO CONTINUE getting credit toward my 120 payments. I was advised to take an economic hardship and that it would count toward the 120 qualifying payments. I was told by MULTIPLE workers at FedLoan and therefore wasted years of time as they are now saying it doesnt count. I am begging for the DOE and FedLoan to count those payments, so many of us are counting on them. We were lied to. We were told wrong information numerous times. We were misled. We will now be putting our family in yet another financial hardship because of these lies. I have stayed with my non-profit company BECAUSE of the PSLF program and now I am back to square one. Please make them do what is right and what they said to all of us from the beginning. Thank you.
Company Response:
State: OH
Zip: 45248
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2022-02-24
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2022-02-24
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Received bad information about your loan
Consumer Complaint: I am currently on the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program through FedLoan Servicing. Every year I have to re-certify my IDR for my monthly payment amount. I kept receiving pop up notices on FedLoans website, emails, and reminders that I HAD to re-certify or my monthly payments would triple. So in XXXX I re-certified my IDR and my monthly payments almost doubled. Later, through my own research, I learned that I DID NOT have to re-certify for at least another year due to the Covid Relief actions by the government during the student loan forbearance period ( which ends in XX/XX/2022 ). Yet, this information was not conveyed to me by FedLoan through any means. In fact, it was buried in their website and not readily accessible unless you were looking for it, unlike all of the notifications stating I HAD to re-certify or face harsh financial burdens. I contacted FedLoan in the middle of XXXX, again in the middle of XXXX, and a third time this month in XXXX regarding them cancelling my latest IDR request ( that nearly doubled my monthly payments ) and reset it back to what it was prior to my re-certification in XXXX. I have heard nothing back. I did receive one generic reply but it said nothing about the questions and concerns I had. I contacted the Department of Education regarding the matter and they said I had to take it up with FedLoan. Which I did, but to no avail. FedLoan is still continuing their predatory behavior by not being forthright with the information that YOU DO NOT NEED TO RE-CERTIFY your monthly IDR until next year. I was informed the exact opposite of this. I am just asking that my monthly repayments resume in XXXX the same they were before the government forbearance was issued. FedLoan was supposed to be hiring more staff and extending hours to deal with the new PSLF temporary waiver, but it has been nearly three months since I have heard a reply to three separate inquiries regarding the same matter. I would like the issue resolved before student loan repayments resume and I have made that abundantly clear to FedLoan, but again, no response. This predatory and purposefully misleading nonsense was supposed to be cleared up, but it appears it is still very much alive and present. Best, XXXX XXXX
Company Response:
State: CT
Zip: 06457
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2022-02-24
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A