Date Received: 2021-09-08
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Received bad information about your loan
Consumer Complaint: My sons student loans were done via sallie Mae/federal student loans site. At some point they were transferred to Navient for servicing. I have recently noticed that they are listed as private loans and not federal loans. We never applied or dealt with any banks, credit unions or other financial institutions.I have no idea when or how this happened but I did not understand the significance of the loan type until recently. My son was approved for covid forbearance ; however, the latest extension applies only to federal loans. We would like his loan type corrected.
Company Response:
State: MD
Zip: 21133
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2021-09-08
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2021-09-08
Issue: Struggling to repay your loan
Subissue: Can't temporarily delay making payments
Consumer Complaint: I need to apply to stop payment temporarily because of loss of income. I filled out and submitted an application and they do not acknowledge that I can not make payments as of now.
Company Response:
State: NJ
Zip: 077XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2021-09-08
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2021-09-08
Issue: Getting a loan
Subissue: Fraudulent loan
Consumer Complaint: Started at XXXX XXXX in XX/XX/XXXX. This school has now been declared fraudulent. They signed me up in financial aid for a couple government loans but then said that those ran out and told me they have a new government funding. I was under the impression it was Sallie Mae. They said because it was different requirements that I would have to have co signer. I asked my dad, he signed thinking it was a federal loan as well. They had me sign these 5 times over my time at XXXX. There was them 5 loans. When I graduated ( XX/XX/XXXX ) and began getting my bills I realized they were private loans. Originally they told me I owed {$65000.00}. Then it went to {$55000.00}. I kept putting them in forbearance at Sallie Maes request because I could not afford the $ XXXX/mth payments. This went on for a couple years. In that time they changed to Navient, they appeared to be working with us. They were receiving payments for $ XXXX/mth for interest only payments. Overall balanced still went up as well. When that agreement ended they wanted {$1000.00} a month. Again, we could not afford that so they threatened us with lawsuits, liens on my parents house, garnished wages. They called my company, family members I have no contact with. Twice over the next 3 years they agreed if we could give them lump some they would discharge the loan. First time was for {$4000.00}. My father paid. They said we misunderstood the agreement, continued to report us to credit agency, call company/family members. The last time was in XXXX of XXXX. They said if we paid {$7000.00} the account would be settled. This was after threats of liens, garnishments. By this time we contacted the attorney general of our state Massachusetts ( XXXX XXXX ). They advised us to get this agreement and writing and said because this was a private loan they were limited, but received many similar complaints. Advised us to join class action suits. We took out a loan of {$7000.00} from our XXXX that we are still making payments on. After they received that, we didnt really hear anything. They continued to negatively report us to credit bureau and even sold the debt to multiple debt collectors. We are still being threatened by those companies. We tell them about agreement and they said they have valid claim to debt. This has destroyed our credit, which made it hard to get anything including mortgages/ car loans. When we did received any credit it was at a ridiculous interest rate. These loans ruined our plans at life as far as building a life for my family.
Company Response:
State: MA
Zip: 01886
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2021-09-08
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2021-09-09
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Received bad information about your loan
Consumer Complaint: This is my 7th complaint about a loan that I have said for several years was paid. I have asked Navient and CFPB to review my concerns on several occasions. Navient has repeatedly stated that I owed {$37000.00} for three courses in XXXX XXXX. That would be a gross overpayment of educational fees. I am submitting as evidence the ledger from the XXXX XXXX XXXX financial aid office. The ledger indicates that I only borrowed/ received {$13000.00} from Sallie Mae XXXX Navient information is an error.
Company Response:
State: MD
Zip: 20774
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2021-09-09
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2021-09-08
Issue: Problem with a credit reporting company's investigation into an existing problem
Subissue: Investigation took more than 30 days
Consumer Complaint: The department of navient education is reporting 6 late pays on all 3 of my credit reports and mailed off letters on XXXX XXXX asking them to kindly remove because that information is incorrect. and they have not done so. I also disputed this information before that
Company Response:
State: VA
Zip: 23462
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2021-09-08
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2021-09-07
Issue: Improper use of your report
Subissue: Reporting company used your report improperly
Consumer Complaint: From the years of XXXX Department of Education/ Navient has reported on my consumers credit report late/non payment which is against U.S. Code 15 1666. I did not give Department Of Education/Navient my written consent or permission to do so. No consent is identity theft!
Company Response:
State: MI
Zip: 48089
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2021-09-07
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2021-09-07
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Trouble with how payments are being handled
Consumer Complaint: Navient, my student loan provider, is known for harmful and deceptive practices that have resulted in several lawsuits starting in XXXX according to XXXX XXXX XXXX Please add changing Federal Loans to private loans to avoid the CARES Act mandate, overcharging repayment amounts on the Income Based Repayment Plan, refusing to respond to emailed requests, charging unauthorized fees, engaging in deceptive communication techniques, and engaging in harassing and retaliatory actions to these harmful practices. Changing Federal Loans to Private Status I have 11 student loans to cover finishing getting my XXXX and XXXX degrees. The first one was opened on XX/XX/XXXX and the last one was opened on XX/XX/XXXX. I graduated with my XXXX XXXX in XXXX of XXXX. All these loans were opened under Sallie Mae and were XXXX, subsidized and unsubsidized Federal Loans ( please see the Sallie Mae Repayment Plan Selection and Summary from XX/XX/XXXX ). When these loans were sold to Navient in XXXX, Navient also agreed they were Federal Loans and not Private, please see pages 1 and 4, Section 9, Definitions of the Income Driven Repayment Plan Request, which is also attached. From 2015 to XX/XX/XXXX, my payment on the Income Based Repayment plan was just the payment. In XXXX of XXXX, my loan was placed in deferment because I was unemployed. When Navient took my loans out of deferment status in XXXX of XXXX, my payment of {$74.00} included an additional monthly fee of {$11.00}. That is when my Navient changed my Federal to a Private loan to avoid the CARES Act mandate. According to Senator XXXX office, the service fees are only assigned to private loans. It appears that Navient knew my loan was a Federal loan because deferment is only for 12 months, yet Navient let the loan remain in deferment until XX/XX/XXXX, which is 16 months, which seems to imply that Navient was going to let my loans stay in deferment and then changed their minds in XX/XX/XXXX Current Payment on Income Based Repayment Plan I am at a loss at what Navient is doing, especially since they are not replying to emails. On XX/XX/XXXX, I received an email from Navient saying my new IBR monthly payment, starting on XX/XX/XXXX would be {$76.00}, however, when I went online to pay my XXXX XXXX, Navient posted that my XX/XX/XXXX payment would be {$220.00}, plus a fee of {$11.00}. ( This when I tried to resolve this issue with a Navient supervisor and ended up talking with Senator XXXX office. ) Since contacting the Senators office, President Biden and the FSA Ombudsman, Navient changed the amount due to {$220.00}, less the ONE service fee of {$11.00}. Does the mean that Navient realized they shouldnt have charged service fees for 9 months? If so, doesnt it make sense that Navient should refund {$100.00}, instead of just {$11.00}? And doesnt this mean that Navient acknowledges that my loans were not private, but Federal? And if so, they are supposed to be in deferment? If Navient is going to acknowledge that the fees were charged in error, then next payment due after XX/XX/XXXX, after the deferment ends would be {$76.00}, less {$100.00}. Which would {$0.00} due on XX/XX/XXXX and {$46.00} due on XX/XX/XXXX. No Response to Emails and Deceptive and Hostile Verbal Communication Communication with Navient has been unsuccessful. They dont respond to emails left on their website. I left emails in XXXX, XXXX and XXXX of XXXX asking what the additional monthly fees of {$11.00} were for, but didnt get a response, until after I contacted the FSA Ombudsmans office, Then, I got a very hostile phone response in the summer. The woman who called me was so hostile in her tone, that it made my stomach upset and she refused to let me speak to her supervisor. I left an email on their website on Sunday, XX/XX/XXXX and it is now Friday, XX/XX/XXXX and no response. The generic message on their website says they reply within 2 business days. It has been 5 business days since my last email. Speaking with Navient representatives is a frustrating process as they use unfair fighting techniques like being inconsistent which is defined as keeping the caller off balance by changing the focus of the issue, brown bagging which is bringing up issues that dont relate to the solving the issue at hand, blame and straight out lying. Examples of these communications styles are as follows : - On XXXX, I spoke with a Navient supervisor who said my loans had never been in deferment from XXXX to XXXX, which made me wonder if he was really looking at my account. He also said because my loans were Private Loan and not Federal, it were not eligible for deferment. - On XX/XX/XXXX, at XXXX XXXX, I spoke with someone from Navient who first, got mad at me when I interchanged you and Navient. Obviously, when I said You, I meant the corporate You, yet she took it personally and said, Stop accusing me of that She also said that my loans were not eligible for deferment because I had been paying on them, which was nonsensical. Of course, I was paying on them, Navient took it out of deferment! Just because I was doing the right thing and paying it, doesnt make it right that Navient took it out of deferment when they shouldnt have. She also said that even though my loans were Federal, they were not eligible for deferment because they were taken out before XXXX. So, there are some Navient employees who see that my loans are Federal and others that tell the Federal Student Loan Association, that my loans are Private. And again, my loans prior to XXXX, were with Sallie Mae, not Navient, I didnt start with Navient until XXXX. Charging Incorrect Amounts on Repayment Plan In addition, Navient has not been charging me the correct amount on my Income Based Repayment Plan. Per page 4, the definitions of what is calculated for a monthly payment on the Income Driven Repayment Plan Request, 15 % of discretionary income is allowed. The 15 % of discretionary income is the amount that exceeds ones adjusted gross income that exceeds 150 % of the poverty guidelines for ones state and family size. As you can see by the chart below, I was overcharged by {$110.00} per month in XXXX, {$35.00} per month in XXXX, and {$23.00} per month in XXXX. In XXXX, they undercharged me by {$77.00}. ( Please see the attached chart Chart of Incorrect Payments for IBR ) I can provide copies of bank statements to prove my payments upon request. How can I do business with a student loan servicing company that cant even calculate the annual IBR payment correctly? According to Navients website, my current payment is {$220.00}. It should be noted that the 150 % above the poverty level doesnt accurately represent what a persons discretionary income is in the Seattle/metro area, where the cost of living is so much higher than elsewhere in the state. In fact, there is an additional chart called the Wx or Weatherization Chart, which gives a more accurate representation of how much is the actual discretionary income a person in the XXXX area might have. In my case that amount is {$2900.00} for 200 % of poverty or {$3400.00} for 60 % of the mean income. Using those numbers to calculate how much my monthly payment would be, my new payment would be {$110.00} or {$32.00}, depending on which number one used. Either of these numbers would fit my budget much better than {$220.00}, plus fees, which I can not afford. Therefore, I ask that Navient be required to use the Wx Chart when determining monthly payments, because they are more in line when considering the high cost of living in the XXXX area. Harassing and Retaliatory Action In addition, Navient is now engaging in harassing and retaliatory action because I have sought help from Senator XXXX, President Biden and FSA Ombudsman. My XX/XX/XXXX payment is 7 days late. I received two phone calls asking for payment, one at XXXX XXXX and one at XXXX XXXX and I spoke with both callers. In the past, Navient would only call on a past due bill if it was over 30 days and it is against the law for companies to call demanding payment more than once a day. Conclusion In conclusion, I believe the documentation shows that my 11 student loans are Federal loans and not private, as Navient is claiming. I believe that Navient took my loans out of deferment early, in XX/XX/XXXX, and changed the loans from Federal to private at that time. Navient will not respond to my emails within their 2 business day response time. And are arbitrarily adding and subtracting service fees for no apparent reason. When I do speak to Navient representatives, they lie, are hostile and/or are deceptive. From XXXX to XXXX, Navient has not charged correct payments, per the Income Based Repayment Plan. And Navient is engaging in harassing and retaliatory actions, since I have sought help because Navient changed my Federal loans to private. What I am seeking. I believe that changing my Federal loans to a private loans and charging incorrect amounts that were not in line with the Income Based Repayment Plan are illegal practices and violate the conditions of loan ; therefore, I believe the loans should be completely forgiven. In addition, Navient not responding to emails either verbally or a written format, and verbally lying, being hostile and being deceptive when I call to speak to them, makes doing business with Navient impossible. The retaliatory and harassing actions of Navient, because I sought help are also in violation of business practices. In short, Navient has irreparably ruined this business relationship and I demand that Navient forgive all outstanding balances. Thank you for help in this matter.
Company Response:
State: WA
Zip: 98012
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2021-09-07
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2021-09-07
Issue: Incorrect information on your report
Subissue: Information belongs to someone else
Consumer Complaint: Dept. of Ed/Navient is reporting unverified student loan accounts on my credit report. I initially contacted them, in writing ( see Attachments ), and requested proof ( documents bearing my signature ), that the accounts belonged to me because I have not personally not conducted any business with any of the parties involved in this debt, and know this debt does not belong to me. Navient responded to my request for a signature bearing document with a letter ( See attachments ) stating they no longer service the loan and that it was being serviced by another company called Default Services Group. When I contacted the Default Resources group to try and resolve the issue they referred me to a debt collection company called XXXX XXXX XXXX. I have attempted to contact XXXX XXXX XXXX but as of yet have not received a response. Information reported by the 3 major Credit Bureaus in regards to the accounts on my credit file vary greatly from one agency to the next and makes it very difficult to trust the validity and accuracy of the information provided by the Dept. of Ed/Navient, and the three credit reporting agencies. ( XXXX, XXXX, and XXXX ) Case in point my credit reports from XXXX, XXXX, and XXXX shows the payment history of the Dept. of Ed/Navient accounts going from being OK to being 90 days late from XXXX. This is also the period of time where the account was being handled by a Default Services Group ( since XXXX ), and/or XXXX XXXX XXXX, and was no longer being serviced by Dept. of Ed/Navient ( see Attachments ). Also the dates and amounts reported to the 3 Credit Bureaus vary depending on which agency is reporting. This serves as proof the information being reported on my credit report is not accurate nor is being properly verified and the law is very clear on this matter and states that information reported on a credit report MUST be ACCURATE. In this case the information is not. Yet these unverified accounts remain on my credit report in violation of both the FCRA ( Fair Credit Reporting Act ). All of these discrepancies serve as proof the information being reported on my credit report is not accurate, nor is it being properly verified by in accordance with the law and needs to be removed. By publishing these inaccurate and unverified items on my credit report and distributing them to 3rd parties you are damaging my reputation and credit worthiness. The practices of the aforementioned companies are highly predatory and violate the FCRA ( Fair Credit Reporting Act ).
Company Response:
State: GA
Zip: 31088
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2021-09-07
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2021-09-06
Issue: Problem with a credit reporting company's investigation into an existing problem
Subissue: Investigation took more than 30 days
Consumer Complaint: I have tried to dispute a late payment with the credit reporting agencies and have sent three letters into Sallie Mae. Sallie Mae does not respond. I have tried to call and they say I can not talk to anyone, I can only write another letter. This loan payment was never late as I was enrolled in school like my other loans Sallie Mae owned show.
Company Response:
State: CA
Zip: 90015
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2021-09-06
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2021-09-04
Issue: Incorrect information on your report
Subissue: Account status incorrect
Consumer Complaint: I went to school at XXXX XXXX and was attending after XX/XX/08 and did not complete my program, I am eligible for this to be forgiven and I have not received any information from the Department of Education or Navient, nor have they responded to my inquiries.
Company Response:
State: OH
Zip: 45212
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2021-09-04
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A