Date Received: 2018-11-28
Issue: Struggling to repay your loan
Subissue: Can't get other flexible options for repaying your loan
Consumer Complaint: Salliemae/Navient has ripped me off for over 10 years. They tried helping me by doing multiple forbearances to catc hup the payments I was behind on, but now I simplky cant afford it. I took out a $ XXXX loan in XXXX, now the balance is {$11000.00} and its XX/XX/XXXX. I understand there is a lawsuit against Navient for steering students and borrowers to do forbearances only to make the financial situation worse. I am struggling to make ends meet and want to try to find a way to either have this forgiven, or lower the monthly payment while actually bringing the loan down. Please help.
Company Response:
State: CA
Zip: 94404
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2018-11-28
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2018-11-28
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Don't agree with the fees charged
Consumer Complaint: In 2011 I was diagnosed with XXXX ( XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ) When I contacted the lender regarding any relief for my loans, they put my loans on foreberance and continued to charge interest on my loan. I was never offered an income based payment of 0 so that I would not accrue as much interest. I was always offerred the option where Navient would make money in interest. In addition, they told me that I had to be deemed XXXX XXXX due to the XXXX in order for them to assist me with other options. These actions on behalf of the lender have led my interest and fees to create a much larger loan amount. What can you do to assist. I can provide documents that prove my XXXX diagnosis and at the time I was living at the poverty level threshold. Please contact me if necessary ( XXXX ) XXXX XXXX Regards XXXX XXXX XXXX
Company Response:
State: CA
Zip: 92831
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2018-11-28
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2018-11-28
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Trouble with how payments are being handled
Consumer Complaint: The same issue I filed the complaint previously is still occurring. Navient continues to remove me from the plan I have requested since XXXX of 2018 which was to make biweekly payments in the amount of XXXX until XXXX of 2018. Navient states that on XX/XX/2018, you declined a Term and Rate Modification Program ( TRMP ) which would have lowered your interest rate to 3.00 percent. You decided to remain on interest only payments and bi-weekly payments were taken at that time for {$160.00} through XX/XX/2018. This is not true, yes, I declined the rate modification because I am trying to take care of this loan and start paying the principal down. Why would I request to stay on interest only payments and make XXXX biweekly to those payments when the interest payments are XXXX per month. That doesnt make any sense. Since XXXX, Navient has put me in a forbearance that was not requested, which took me out of the principal and interest payments and removed my payments that were scheduled. Then after I requested to be removed from the courtesy forbearance Navient then placed me in the interest only plan AGAIN!!!! Its like they want me to continue to pay interest and not touch the principal. Navient continues to enroll me in programs that I have not requested. Clearly the call on XX/XX/2018 stated exactly my intentions. I have since called back several times indicating what I want to do with this loan and that is make principal and interest payments. I contacted someone on XXXX XXXX, to enroll in principal and interest payments and set up biweekly payments. I want this documented, so my account is not touched and I am not removed from this payment plan. The principal of this loan is now back to where it started when I called in XX/XX/2018. If I was left on my plan when I initially called back in XXXX, this LOAN WOULD HAVE BEEN LOWERED. I can not get anyone to contact me back, but they always say someone left me a message. They are the most ridiculous loan servicing company ever. There should be consequences for the actions of Navient.
Company Response:
State: NC
Zip: XXXXX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2018-11-28
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2018-11-28
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Received bad information about your loan
Consumer Complaint: I have had countless problems with my loan company. To begin with, I was never contacted by the company after my grace period had ended. Around 6 months later, they finally contacted my father. At this point, my loans were completely delinquent. This slip up RUINED my credit score. I couldn't do anything. I couldn't buy a car on my own. This had dropped my, previously acceptable, credit score into the 400s and I was told they couldn't do anything about it. As if that wasn't enough, several years they did it to me again! I apparently had another secret 9,000 - 10,000 dollar loan that I didn't know I had. So now, on top of my already monumental student debt, I have ANOTHER loan that I'm not entirely sure where it came from. Again, they sent all this information to my father without ever even contacting me. I can not stand this company. My struggles have been ridiculous.
Company Response:
State: NC
Zip: 287XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2018-11-28
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2018-11-28
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Received bad information about your loan
Consumer Complaint: I called last week to see if I could lower my payment. I work for a non-profit, will be eligible for PSLF in a couple of years and am paying monthly payments for my oldest in college. I was told when my student loans transferred to Navient, I would be put in the plan with the lowest monthly payment, since I qualify for IDR. The rep immediately told me, I was in the best IDR for me and my only option was forbearance. I informed her per StudentLoans.gov, I was eligible for several payment plans with lower monthly payments. She immediately told me I was eligible for said plan and I could lower my payment by {$200.00} a month. She then told me how to request this change. I submitted the paperwork on the same day. Today, I get communication I will be moved into a standard repayment plan and that my IDR Recertification can not be processed as it is too early. So I call, again, and am told I have to pay the {$5.00} processing fee to have my IDR plan changed. I asked the rep if I missed something in the online process to pay this fee. No, I have to call into do it even though I agreed to the fee online. It is evident Navient is not working in the best interest of borrowers like me. I have struggled to pay my student loans for years and am committed to doing so, but I do not have a partner in my loan provider who will support my success. These are shameful and predatory business practices. Navient should correct my last 5+ years of payments to the lowest amount I should have paid in the IDR and apply the difference to my principal. Or advance my payments so I am eligible for PSLF sooner.
Company Response:
State: IN
Zip: 47203
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2018-11-28
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2018-11-28
Issue: Communication tactics
Subissue: Frequent or repeated calls
Consumer Complaint: Im supposed to be granted a 6-month grace period, a window in which they persist to call and harass me. My family and I quiver by the answering machine as they mercilessly continue to shake me down. I would have never expected the effects of my student loan experience to carry over to my family, or cause us this much emotional distress over the holidays.
Company Response:
State: PA
Zip: 19050
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2018-11-28
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2018-11-28
Issue: Incorrect information on your report
Subissue: Old information reappears or never goes away
Consumer Complaint: I have been a Navient customer since XXXX with my student loans. I have always been on the Income-based Repayment Plan as I was working internships after college. In XXXX of XXXX I applied for my new Income-based Repayment Plan and foolishly " assumed '' the payment would be {$0.00} as it has been since my graduation in XXXX of XXXX. From XXXX when I applied to current time, I have received NOTHING from Navient about payments, delinquent payments, last chance for payment or anything! However this past XX/XX/XXXX, I received an update from XXXX XXXX that I had two months of missed payments on my ten accounts! The total of these student loans is {$41000.00}. My credit report now shows 90 and 120 days late on my payments for the months of XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX. So far I have called Navient repeatedly and sent hand written letters three times to the Credit Bureau which " only accepts hand written mail. '' I am up to date on payments and set up automatic payments immediately upon receiving notification from XXXX XXXX. Navient had the incorrect phone number that I didn't even recognize and incorrect email however they had the correct physical address! During the time of XXXX to XXXX I received physical mail about pre-approval for new loans through Navient and consolidation options but nothing about the status of my current loans. I updated my info and in their records I am in good standing. However I am on dispute number two with XXXX to have the delinquent payments removed from my credit report as it was not my fault they were not paid. I never got a chance to pay my bills because they never contacted me. XXXX is happy to remove the delinquent payment request as it was not my fault however they are waiting for Navient to contact them and I have tried to contact Navient but feel I am stuck exactly where Navient wants me. This has severely affected my life as I can not get approved for loans, credit cards, apartments, gas/electric or even internet because my credit score is around. Before this incident I had never been late on a payment, paid off my credit card multiple times and was on top of my student loans however now I have to rely on my girlfriend to get approved for things. Please help me!
Company Response:
State: NV
Zip: 89178
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2018-11-28
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2018-11-28
Issue: Struggling to repay your loan
Subissue: Can't get other flexible options for repaying your loan
Consumer Complaint: I have never needed a cosigner for any purchase or credit cards. I borrowed thru Sallie Mae to supplement my Federal loans ; scholarships and grants. I did not need a cosigner to obtain these loans. During school, my interest rate was reasonable ( approx 5 % ). During school I maintained a high/excellent credit score, paying all bills on time and in full without help and without a cosigner. When I graduated in XX/XX/XXXX, Sallie Mae immediately increased my interest rate from +/-5 % to 11 % ( eleven percent ). This increased my expected monthly payment to XXXX. I was working full time as an XXXX, making about XXXX and I could not afford the payment. I immediately called in to ask for help with the payment and to avoid negative credit impact. I called I'm and spoke to a front line customer service agent who offered one ( 1 ) option. The option was that I add a cosigner to my account. The agent offered no escalation and did not indicate that I had ANY option outside of adding a cosigner to my account. I trusted the advice because I had no reason to believe that the agent was giving me poor advice. I had no reason to believe that I should escalate the call to a manager or higher level, better trained employee to ensure that the advice was good. That said, I added my Mom to my private student loan account. Note that, my Federal loans worked with me so I did not have to make ANY adjustments to my Federal loans. After I added my cosigner, to this private loan, my interest rate dropped but only to 8 %. This did make payments more reasonable. I did use some forebearance but I began paying my monthly payment and I maintained a strong, on time payment history. I was unemployed in XX/XX/XXXX for a few months and I used all of my forebearance during this period of unemployment. At the time, my cosigner was also unemployed and I was able to FORCE my way into a reduced interest rates an that helped me to obtain a very low payment for a long period of time. Yo get access to the reduced interest rate program, I had to email random Sallie Mae employees begging for help. I found email addresses of Sallie Mae marketing employees and I begged them to help me. These employees guided me to the Office of the Customer Advocate. The call center employees did not offer ANY information to me about this program. I had to desperately search for Sallie Mae staff bto get this information. After I retrurned to work full-time in XX/XX/XXXX, I was able to pay and my interest rate slowly stepped up to 5 %. I was able to pay on time even at the 5 % rate. Because of my on time payment history, I had the option to remove my cosigner, however I was afraid to because I did not want my interest rate to explode and make my payment amount double or triple. I have asked for a guarantee that my interest rate would remain stable and employees at Navient ( Sallie Mae ) will not confirm that my interest rate will be affordable. I am currently unemployed ( since XX/XX/XXXX ) and my cosigner is unemployed but collecting Social Security. I called Navient ( Sallie Mae ) to see if my monthly payment of XXXX could be temporarily reduced or modified so I am able to make payments while I search for work and while I have no income. Because I have a cosigner, Navient ( Sallie Mae ) is refusing to make any changes to or modifications to my balance due. My cosigner is collecting Social Security and while on paper this appears to be accessible, fluid income, it is not at all an option. I am financially independent and my cosigner was added to my account ONLY to bring my interest rate under control. I added my cosigner BECAUSE Sallie Mae ( Navient ) told me to add a cosigner and this was presented to me as my only option ( as stated above, upon graduation ). My concern is that there are tons of other barriers in this same situation. I am concerned that other borrowers obtained " advice '' from poorly trained front line customer service staff who do not understand ( or care to understand ) the ramifications of their financial advice. I am concerned that other Borrowers are unable to speak to professional management staff who should be trained to give good, objective advice to borrowers who experience predatory interest rates upon graduation. I am concerned that other borrowers need help like me, and like me have to FORCE their way past the front line customer service agent to get in touch with a responsible employee who has better information or access to additional information that can provide a solution to a loan related problem. I am not at all hopeful that submitting a complaint will provide ANY releif for my situation, but I do believe that the fact that there are NO consequences for dipensing poor advice to Borrowed is absolutely perpetuating and facilitating the flagrantly negligent conduct that I have witnessed from front line customer service agents. The front line agent typically does not have to care and is not required to give ALL available options to the borrower. The bare minimum is provided. The bare minimum is absolutely WHY I am in a contract with a cosigner. I did NOT get objective good financial advice from tthis group.
Company Response:
State: VA
Zip: 23228
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2018-12-02
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2018-11-28
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Don't agree with the fees charged
Consumer Complaint: I owe over {$200000.00} and the fees keep changing, customer service is extremely rude, and don't offer me much options to pay back for my loan. I took half-time courses during this past summer and Navient decided to continue with my continuation of loans when I took half-time courses just recently. When they were informed at first when I took half-time courses, I was told my loan repayment would be in effect till XX/XX/2019. All of a sudden, they decided to stop the grace period recently ( just last week ) when in fact I looked and researched that there is supposed to be a sixth month grace period when there was only three, which is unfair and unethical on their part. I know federal law requires that I have a six month period but what navient is doing is completely wrong and just not business professional like.
Company Response:
State: TX
Zip: 774XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2018-11-28
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2018-11-28
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed
Subissue: Debt was already discharged in bankruptcy and is no longer owed
Consumer Complaint: I co-signed a private student loan from Navient in XX/XX/XXXX, which was discharged in bankruptcy in XX/XX/XXXX. Navient continues to try to collect, at first directly, and now through third parties, despite multiple letters from my bankruptcy lawyer. When confronted with this information, their agents and third parties claim ignorance, and then a few weeks later a different third party attempts to collect. What is even more annoying, as I try to rebuild my credit, is that though they list the debt on my credit report as Charged Off, they update the balance every month as if it was still collecting interest, causing a negative credit impact. You can't write off a debt and still collect interest on it, that's illogical and unethical and probably illegal, I would think. It's certainly annoying.
Company Response:
State: CA
Zip: 95037
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2018-11-28
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A