Date Received: 2022-10-12
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'm XXXX XXXX, I need your Help in contacting this company. I made an effort to contact them to find out who had opened an account in my name and why. I'm disappointed that this serious problem is now affecting my credit score. I don't allow anybody to use my name, birthdate, or any other details since it also violates data privacy. They need to identify the person who opened the account in my name and give them the data rather than me. Kindly help me in resolving this.
Company Response:
State: DE
Zip: 19973
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2022-10-12
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2022-10-13
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Received bad information about your loan
Consumer Complaint: Submitted a refund request of XXXX payments made throughout the COVID-19 pause for a total of {$5000.00} on XX/XX/XXXX. Already submitted a CFPB complaint few weeks ago and Great Lakes replied back to me asking me to be patient with no ETA given. Called Great Lakes today on XX/XX/XXXX for an update of my refund request and was told it was still processing but the REP told me to cancel the initial request and resubmit it due to " new guidelines '' for how they sent out refund requests. The REP told me the Department of Education might have overlooked my request so resubmitting it might be faster. Before I gave her my permission to resubmit it she already comes back to tell me " Don't worry it's already resubmitted. '' So now my refund request is supposedly submitted on XX/XX/XXXX instead of XX/XX/XXXX. Now I feel like I am back to stage 1 behind everyone else? How is that fair? And what's the reason behind it? Each time I call Great Lakes the REPS gives me a different answers. Don't even know who is lying or not anymore. I've been told by various students/ex students who have their loan balance reinstated and refunds already processed or received and they requested early XXXX later than my initial XX/XX/XXXX request. Some Great Lakes REPS said it's processed in the order it is received but other REPS are telling me it is done by no random order? So which one is true? Who is lying and who is telling the truth? What they are doing it's unacceptable!!! The reps are nice but sorry to say they seem a bit clueless. I called 3 times in 1 day and each one have something different to say? What gives? Nobody in the Great Lakes department is on the same page at work.
Company Response:
State: PA
Zip: 19149
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2022-10-13
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2022-10-12
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Problem with customer service
Consumer Complaint: On XX/XX/XXXX I filed a request to be refunded for student loan payments made during the COVID pause. The amount equals {$8400.00} for XXXX payments made from XX/XX/XXXX to XX/XX/XXXX. Nelnet the servicer for my loans said that I would be sent a confirmation email and further instructions within ten business days which would have been on XX/XX/XXXX. However, I have not received any confirmation or instructions to date. I called the servicer twice, and they can not provide updates or an expected timeline for my request confirmation or a refund. They just said it's being processed, but they missed the initial deadline dates given by the customer service representative when the refund request was filed.
Company Response:
State: FL
Zip: 33193
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2022-10-12
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2022-10-12
Issue: Improper use of your report
Subissue: Report provided to employer without your written authorization
Consumer Complaint: After looking through my consumer report in the beginning of XXXX of 2022 I noticed inaccurate accounts and information on my consumer report. The consumer reporting agencies never gave me my right to opt out and furthermore they never asked for permission to furnish this information. Further they have assumed this vital role and have infringed my right to privacy selling my information to a 3rd party debt collector and pursuant to 15 USC 1681 ( 4 ) my privacy has been invaded and damages have been done, the damages arose were to my mental health and my ability to get an apartment. Also, in pursuant to 15 USC 6802 obligations with respect to disclosures of personal information, ( b ) Opt out. A financial institution may not disclose nonpublic personal information to a non-affiliated third party. I have the right to opt out, but they are not giving me the right to. XXXX, XXXX, and XXXX private policy explain how they protect the privacy of the consumer, but they allowed 3rd party debt collectors into my consumer report. Also in Pursuant to 15 USC 1681a ( 2 ) ( b ) The term consumer report means any written, oral, or other communication of any information by a consumer reporting agency bearing on a consumers credit worthiness, credit standing, credit capacity, character, general reputation, personal characteristics, or mode of living which is used or expected to be used or collected in whole or in part for the purpose of serving as a factor in establishing the consumers eligibility. Exclusions, the term consumer report does not include any authorization or approval of a specific extension of credit directly or indirectly by the issuer of a credit card or similar device. In pursuant to 15 USC1602 the term credit card means any card, plate, coupon book or other credit device existing for the purpose of obtaining money, property, labor, or services on credit. By any card that includes my drivers license, Social security card. To put everything together my student loan was approved but my social security number and drivers license were used a transaction of obtaining money and by law this can not be on my consumer report.
Company Response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
State: MD
Zip: 20707
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2022-10-12
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2022-10-12
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Need information about your loan balance or loan terms
Consumer Complaint: Initially called on XX/XX/2022 to request a refund on eligible loan payments. The service lady mentioned all three payments and assured me the refund request for all three would be submitted and my original loan balance reinstated. On XX/XX/2022 I finally saw movement in my account but realized only one payment was removed and the balance for the payment of {$5500.00} was reinstated. It is now XX/XX/2022 and I have yet to see anymore payments being removed from my account. I called on XX/XX/2022 to see if there were any updates and the service lady could not see anything more than the refund being processed, she could not tell me whether or not all payment refunds were requested. I asked her to submit another request for the remaining two payments but I am unable to wait another XXXX weeks just to get the rest of my money back.
Company Response:
State: CA
Zip: 932XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2022-10-12
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2022-10-12
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Problem with customer service
Consumer Complaint: Im XXXX, I requested all of the payments I made on my student loan to be refunded, along with many others. I was later sent an email stating the request was denied. I called them to clear it up and they stated that the request was submitted and it would take 4-6 weeks and that I would later get an email stating that the request was approved. As we are approaching XXXX weeks, I have called to check the status and there were no changes. My loan is still showing as paid off and every time Ive spoken to a representative, they have all given very different information and nothing is clear from how the payments will be refunded to the communication from Nelnet representatives, etc. others have received their refunds also with little communication from Nelnet. Their balances were reinstated before they received their refund and nearly XXXX weeks later my balance still shows no change. When I call for status updates, they act flustered and do not want to deal with it, hence why no information given is clear and I am perpetually confused about what is going on with my refund.
Company Response:
State: IL
Zip: 622XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2022-10-12
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2022-10-12
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: This is not a duplicate nor is this complaint being filed by a third party, I am filing this complaint myself. Please see this complaint is processed to the letter of the law. We've talked to the bank & they've agreed to remove the accounts. BUT XXXX has some internal block which they're claiming they can use to not remove the accounts because they feel they're above the law. When questioned why they're not accepting the dispute letter they claim they have an internal policy ( which is OUTSIDE FCRA laws ) & they're unwilling to explain why they won't accept the dispute letter ( which is a FEDERAL LAW ). So XXXX feels they're above the letter of the law & will not explain their policy... XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX Date Opened XX/XX/XXXX Balance {$0.00}, XXXX XXXX Date XXXX XX/XX/XXXX Balance {$0.00}, XXXX XXXX Date Opened XX/XX/XXXX Balance {$0.00}
Company Response:
State: NJ
Zip: 08701
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2022-10-27
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2022-10-12
Issue: Struggling to repay your loan
Subissue: Can't get other flexible options for repaying your loan
Consumer Complaint: Hello. In XXXX I started at XXXX XXXX. I was in the military, and had to apply for multiple student loans. I paid them as much as possible, and it was over & beyond the GI Bill. I got out of the military, and graduated with an XXXX in XXXX. I had a hard time getting a job due to the degree. Employers didn't view my degree as a legit degree. XXXX never told me I would have such an issue. I eventually moved out of state due to cost of living, and had to start putting my loans on forbearance & deferment. I had taken out Federal & private loans. XXXX encouraged that. In XXXX XXXX went under due to fraud. I was told to apply for Borrower Defense. I did. I waited, and waited, and waited. I'm still waiting 6 years later. Every time I call, they say it's processing. In the meantime it's on my credit- and it's affecting my debt to income. I've complained, but I'm never heard. Typical time for Borrower Defense is 36 months. I know people who have applied and it was resolved in 6 -12 months time. Now the government has announced that anyone who went to XXXX will have their loans 100 % forgiven. There are lawsuits going on involving Borrower Defense & XXXX. But there's no communication with me about it. The government has said that loans will be 100 % taken care of, and even repayment for monies spent. But letters went out back in XXXX, I never got one. I don't know if there is anything you can do, but, I need help. I am hoping you're able to. Thank you. XXXX XXXX
Company Response:
State: NM
Zip: 87120
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2022-10-12
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2022-10-12
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Received bad information about your loan
Consumer Complaint: To whom it may concern, I am about to apply for Public Service Loan Forgiveness ( PSLF ), however I have a significant issue as it relates to income recertification and my current servicer that I think would be easiest to resolve prior to my transferring to XXXX upon submitting my PSLF application. As someone in the process of applying for PSLF, I felt I was provided misleading information by my loan servicer, My Great Lakes, which resulted in an increase in my IDR payment plan from {$0.00} a month starting XX/XX/XXXX to {$450.00} a month, and they continue to provide me conflicting information each time I contact them. Unfortunately, in my efforts to resolve this issue with My Great Lakes directly, they have declined to provide any clear and convincing evidence my issue has been ( or will be resolved ). They have provided misleading instructions and conflicting responses towards resolving my issue multiple times ( as detailed below ). My Great Lakes in their prior email instructions to me from XXXX and as instructed on various parts of their website, instructed that I was required to recertify my income annually to keep my Income Driven repayment plan ( IDR plan ; required to be eligible for PSLF ) while simultaneously omitting key information from me that income recertification was *not required this year, * rather at the earliest it needed to be done was XXXX XXXX something I found out by chance using social media rather than from my loan servicer. Please see attached emails and attached web pages from My Great Lakes, consolidated to one document for each, all of which explicitly state I must recertify each year to maintain my IDR plan while also making no reference to inform borrowers this was not required until at earliest, XX/XX/XXXX. Relevant text is highlighted for ease of reference and relevant documents are titled : " XXXX IDR application and income recertification '' and " My Great Lakes Webpages. '' Moreover, when navigating to studentaid.gov to recertify as directed by my servicer, there is no mention on the recertification webpage either to inform borrowers of the updated guidance that it is not required until at earliest XX/XX/XXXX, rather the opposite which is outdated ( see document from studentaid.gov webpage and relevant highlighted text for ease of reference, Apply for or Manage Your Income-Driven Repayment Plan _ Federal Student Aid ). After it recently came to my attention that I had been misled by my servicers instructions to recertify 1 year earlier than necessary, which was not required and subsequently increased my monthly payment while trying to pursue PSLF, I called My Great Lakes on XX/XX/XXXX requesting that I be returned to my previous IDR payment plan as I was provided false information. The customer service representative on XX/XX/XXXX ( whose name I do not recall but who was very understanding of the situation ) spoke to their supervisor on how I could be helped and they returned back saying their supervisor ( name not provided ) had told them my only recourse was to return to studentaid.gov and to resubmit a new income recertification saying my income was {$0.00}. This did not sound appropriate but in case they were right I went to studentaid.gov to submit a new recertification and as previously thought, this would be fraudulent. So the next day I called My Great Lakes back ( XX/XX/XXXX ) and spoke to a different representative, XXXX, to discuss the removal of the unnecessary early income recertification and explained to her what I was instructed to do on XX/XX/XXXX, reportedly by a supervisor, was not permissible due to fraud. In a rather confusing interaction I can not rationally explain, XXXX said she could help me but in order to do so I needed to reconfirm information I had provided in the income recertification I wanted removed and that she could not proceed in helping me without this reconfirmation ( she also would not explain why she needed this information again which she already had and I told her I did not know the information off the top of my head and to reference the information she already had ). She then proceeded to tell me she manually calculated my payment ( $ XXXX unchanged from the income recertification I wanted removed ) and this number was calculated based on the information that was in the income recertification I wanted removed. Confused, as this was not what I had asked for and she did not help me as she had previously said she could, I asked instead to speak directly with a supervisor. I then spoke with a supervisor named XXXX, who said she can not accommodate my request. She stated instead, I had been notified by email from My Great Lakes regarding extension of the student loan pause and the income recertification. As I had read all of my emails from My Great Lakes and having never read such an email, I asked for this reported email to be resent so I can confirm this information as accurate, but she said it can not be resent ( no reason provided ). I then inquired about the name ( s ) and date ( s ) of said email ( s ) that were reportedly sent, but she then told me she could not provide me this information or the exact details of what was in these reported emails as she did not know that information; including if there was even any notification to borrowers that the income recertification was not required annually. I subsequently searched my email inbox for *all* emails received from My Great Lakes from XXXXpresent and I could not find any email that mentioned that income recertification was not required until at earliest XX/XX/XXXX as XXXX implied initially. I did find an email from My Great Lakes in XXXX titled, Extension of your student loan flexibilities, which she said sounds like the correct email however at no point in that email did it provide any information to suggest income recertification was delayed, let alone till XX/XX/XXXX ( see attached email, " Important XXXX XXXX extension of loan '' for said email ). When I mentioned this not being in that email which she had thought was correct, she continued to not be able to provide me any email or information on these reported emails from My Great Lakes that updated borrowers about income recertification no longer being required annually, just that the pause on payments had been extended. She then stated actually the information regarding income recertification not being required until at earliest XX/XX/XXXX was never communicated to me due the chaotic situation as it relates to student loans which necessitated that My Great Lakes maneuver flexibly given the evolving guidance from the Biden Administration ( unlike before when she said My Great Lakes did communicate this to me but could not provide me with said email nor could I find it ). Due to the chaos accompanying the student loan pause/being provided misleading information, I requested My Great Lakes grant me the same level of flexibility given their instructions on recertification were never updated to reflect such changes, however she declined to accommodate without reason. In ending the conversation, I requested to be provided with my customer service history/notes for my record, however, XXXX refused and instead informed me I must have a lawyer submit this request in writing to even be considered. Given My Great Lakes had been providing me conflicting information, I called back again on XX/XX/XXXX, and I spoke to XXXX who then stated I can obtain my customer service history/notes, unlike what XXXX had said. She then returned stating she was wrong and unable to. She did say I *can* have my most recent income recertification removed as I had been requesting as long as the recertification was within the last XXXX years, however she advised me not to do this as this would increase my monthly payments, however she was unaware of the recertification deadline being moved back to XX/XX/XXXX and I clarified my prior monthly payment plan would be {$0.00} per month until my income needed to be recertified at XX/XX/XXXX. After discussing further, she said she will have the most recent recertification removed and this request will take ~15 days to process. She stated I should receive a receipt of this request by email within 7-10 days and she has never heard of these types of requests ever being rejected. On XX/XX/XXXX, after having never received any receipt regarding my request, I called My Great Lakes again and I spoke with XXXX XXXX ' She stated she did not see any request to remove my most recent income recertification, rather she saw a request was sent on XX/XX/XXXX to reuse the income recertification from XX/XX/XXXX ( the opposite of what I requested which was to have the XX/XX/XXXX income recertification removed ). Paraphrased, she said she will submit another request to have the most recent income recertification from XX/XX/XXXX be removed and for me to be placed on my prior IDR plan from XX/XX/XXXX until my income was required to be recertified again at the earliest, XX/XX/XXXX. She stated she submitted the request at XXXX pm eastern time, XXXX central time, on XX/XX/XXXX. ' She stated that removal of the income recertification will not be an issue at all and it should take 3-5 days to receive confirmation via message on my My Great Lakes account. As I need to be on an IDR plan to apply for the PSLF, I asked and she confirmed that I will not be removed from my IDR plan ( my specific IDR is called 'REPAYE ' should this matter ), rather I will only have my payment amount be reverted to that of XX/XX/XXXX. As someone wanting to apply for PSLF, the decision to voluntarily increase ones monthly payments when pursuing forgiveness when not required is one that only makes sense in the context of being misled, in this case by my servicers email instructions, their website, and the omission of key information updating borrowers on student loan guidance. At no point did My Great Lakes ever provide this information to me, instead misinforming me of my responsibilities as it relates to maintaining my IDR plan, stating that I was required to recertify my income when I was not required to do so which resulted in a drastic increase in monthly payments. Meanwhile, their customer service reps/supervisors have also only provided conflicting information which only serves to confuse and misguide borrowers. Though after contacting them today, XX/XX/XXXX, and being told they will remove the income recertification from XX/XX/XXXX and place me back on my payment plan from XX/XX/XXXX, they told me the same thing on XX/XX/XXXX which never came to fruition and I can not trust ( or rely on ) any information provided by this servicer or the representatives. I would greatly appreciate this matter looked into and having the same level of flexibility and patience extended to me as I have with them.
Company Response:
State: PA
Zip: 19147
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2022-10-25
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2022-10-11
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Subissue: Received bad information about your loan
Consumer Complaint: On XX/XX/XXXX, I requested a refund for my student loans, as I am eligible for $ XXXX back through the current PSLF program. I got an email on XX/XX/XXXX saying my request for a refund was denied for missing information. When I called back they said I needed to verbally state that I understood I would have to pay any balance reinstated that was not forgiven. I had no idea I had to explicitly state this and was never asked this by a Nelnet customer service member. After I verbally stated, they told me it would take another 4-8weeks to approve the refund. After calling again today, they now say the amount of time it will take is indefinite. Its extremely frustrating because had the Nelnet customer service rep gave me to correct information the first time, the process wouldn't have needed to be restarted. I was extremely proactive by in calling back in XXXX, only for this entire ordeal to be delayed for no reason of my own,
Company Response:
State: MA
Zip: 01201
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2022-10-11
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A