AES-PHEAA

2019-05-14

Bloomington, MN

Communication tactics

Debt collection: Private student loan debt

Frequent or repeated calls
Complaint: I have a student loan with American education services. My loan is past due 19 days. I have a payment set up to pay my past due balance on the loan dated 3 days from now. I am the only one that pays on the loan every month. American education calls and HARASSES my co-signer, which is my elderly grandmother. Its one thing to call and let my co signer know that my loan is past due. But they don't provide any account information such as pending payment, account activity, etc. And she has every right to know that information, especially since they are attempting to contact her. They've tried to force my grandmother to pay the balance and enroll in direct debit. This are already things i've done. I talked to a manager XXXX about AES process for a past due account. AES refused to call my grandmother and let her know that there is a payment set up on the account and the main borrower has signed up for direct debit. Its one thing to inform my reference about the past due account but AES constantly calls and agents don't take the time to read any particulars about the account because they call and demand payment as if my loans are severely past due or as if I've defaulted on my loans. I have multiple loan services and AES is the only one that operates in this manner. Management tells me its there process to keep calling and talk to my grandmother the way that they do.
Company Response: Closed with non-monetary relief

Timely Response

2019-05-14

Reader, AR

Dealing with your lender or servicer

Student loan: Federal student loan servicing

Trouble with how payments are being handled
Complaint: AES ARE CHARGING ME FOR A LOAN THAT I NEVER RECEIVED, I DID NOT ATTEND COLLEGE OR GET A LOAN IN 2006. I APPLIED BUT NEVER ATTENDED. SOMEONE FORGED MY NAME EVIDENTLY. THEY TOLD ME NOT TO MAKE CONTACT WITH THE SCHOOL. WAS SUPPOSED TO SEND ME A PACKET BUT NEVER DID.I PAID MY 1 AND 2 LOAN OFF AND NOW I HAVE A 3 AND 4 LOAN THAT I NEVER APPLIED FOR.
Company Response: Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2019-05-14

Dealing with your lender or servicer

Student loan: Federal student loan servicing

Trouble with how payments are being handled
Company Response: Closed with non-monetary relief

Timely Response

2019-05-14

MI

Struggling to repay your loan

Student loan: Private student loan

Can't temporarily delay making payments
Complaint: AES/XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, PA XXXX USA ( XXXX ) XXXX AES/XXXX XXXX gave me a private school loan on XX/XX/XXXX for {$75000.00}. This loan was found to be not exempt from bankruptcy. I filed bankruptcy in XX/XX/XXXX and they kept sending bills. XXXX XXXX XXXX in XXXX Michigan has found this loan to be dischargeable in my previous bankruptcy and has sent notification more than 2 months ago to them. They were asked for an accounting of all payments made since bankruptcy and for the monies to be returned to me promptly. I have no responses from them nor has the attorney. I have paid nearly 40,000 to them in payments in the last 7+ years that they were NOT entitled to. I would like my payments refunded and the incorrect non-payment information and the account blemishes removed from my credit. I was instructed by legal counsel to stop paying them and they have ruined my credit based on payments they are not owed and that they owe me back XXXX.
Company Response: Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2019-05-13

Oak Grove, MO

Dealing with your lender or servicer

Student loan: Federal student loan servicing

Don't agree with the fees charged
Complaint: On XX/XX/XXXX I enrolled in a program for XXXX at XXXX XXXX. Due to personal reasons I was forced to switch to the XXXX XXXX program and was still charged for XXXX classes. There was a very poorly handled situation with this program and I was forced to transfer to XXXX XXXX XXXX program on XX/XX/XXXX. I graduated from this program in XXXX. Although I did receive a certificate I have not been able to find work in this field. Employers see my certificate and know it is just that - a certificate. XXXX has no record of my enrollment in XXXX, but I was charged for a XXXX class on my transcript. I believe that I am being charged for the XXXX program that I was not allowed to finish. The average tuition at the time was {$11000.00}, but I was charged over {$18000.00} and now have over {$20000.00} in outstanding Federal loans. The program education was not accredited and the credit hours were not transferable, of which I was not advised and the instructors rarely showed up for class. I never received any hands on training in the field, and subsequently was never able to find a job in the field. I never wanted to be a XXXX XXXX XXXX, but did want to be an XXXX XXXX instead. In my opinion, XXXX XXXX has put me in a position of debt that is totally fraudulent. In XXXX I began trying to reach out to obtain transcripts from the program and while I received the transcripts it still does not explain why I was charged for classes for a program that I was not allowed to complete. I also submitted a letter to the US Dept of Education on XX/XX/XXXX and was never informed of the progress of my complaint.
Company Response: Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2019-05-13

Gonzales, LA

Incorrect information on your report

Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports: Credit reporting

Account status incorrect
Company Response: Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2019-05-13

FL

Dealing with your lender or servicer

Student loan: Federal student loan servicing

Received bad information about your loan
Complaint: Fed Loan Servicing aka Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency ( PHEAA ) enacts extremely deceptive tactics against student loan holders. Fed Loan Servicing plans and executes illegal and falsified obstacles at every stage of repayment. The egregious misinformation, deception, horrific customer service, and fraudulence at every step of the needlessly insurmountable barriers Fed Loan devises to confuse and take advantage of unwitting people are conduct that needs to be investigated and brought charges against. They have even instituted call centers where the customer service employees willingly lie and deceive callers so they can quickly get them to agree to various changes, such as IDR to IBR repayment plans and then they never do what they said they were going to do. They are destroying peoples lives in this country. Literally, it seems it is somehow legal for these organizations to destroy peoples lives in the name of profit for their organization and shareholders. In XX/XX/XXXX I called to check on my account and resubmit my information for the repayment plan. At that time, they said I should change mine from IDR to IBR since it would better fit my current income better. I completed all the paperwork and completed the income verification via the IRS connection. All the paperwork was completed and sent in. I called to check XX/XX/XXXX and they said everything is fine and that all I needed to do was send in a check for {$71.00}. I sent the check in. I followed up with another phone call to verify they received the check and that everything was ok. They said based on my income the payment would be around {$41.00} per month. They said that the repayment program I was being enrolled in is the 20-year loan forgiveness program. I said that I had been in the 10-year loan forgiveness program since I was working in public service state government jobs for over 7 years. Then they said I only have 5 years on file. Then we talked about how many years was going to be subtracted from the now 20 years. They said that when it is complete that the student loans would be forgiven and there would be no income tax, nor any other tax charged to me. I said okay, I will enroll in that program. They said that in XX/XX/XXXX my account would show that I could pay the {$41.00} per month payment. I have checked back with them every two weeks to see what is going on with the account and why the payment is not available in the account. It is now XXXX and the account still does not allow me to pay {$41.00}. Please help bring enforcement action and justice to the criminals at Fed Loan Servicing and Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency. Just because they have the word assistance or servicing in their deceptively named companies does not mean they are actually helping anyone other than themselves get richer and make their shareholders richer. They are predatory lenders. They are predatory lenders taking advantage of uneducated and unwitting students in this country. Unfortunately, I can only assume that enough lawmakers agreed to allow these criminal organizations to charge upwards and over 7 % interest rate on student loans while the bank interest rate has been at historically low nearly 0 % interest rate. So not only do the banks get to benefit from peoples uneducated decisions and suffering, but also the lenders. It is an unfortunate society where it continues to support and encourage organizations to institute predatory lending and use deceptive tactics such as call centers, etc. to illegally misappropriate students information, misled customer account status, falsify employee numbers, institute processes that ensure inordinate wait times, and many other deceptive tactics used so they can continue to take advantage of student loan holders. I am not sure why these types of practices are supported by the United States Education Department and the United States Congress. I can only speculate that the government administrators and lawmakers are somehow incentivized by the corrupt practices of the loan servicers and providers. I believe they should not be that way because they are destroying peoples lives. I hope that you will help bring justice and resolve these issues and concerns.
Company Response: Closed with non-monetary relief

Timely Response

2019-05-13

NE

Struggling to repay your loan

Student loan: Federal student loan servicing

Can't get other flexible options for repaying your loan
Complaint: I evidently became ineligible for my past income-driven repayment plan in XXXX, so Fedloan had my re-apply for another repayment plan. I submitted a new repayment plan application in early XX/XX/2019. It took over 4 months to get processed. In the meantime, I had to make full payments on my student loans, which I did for two months. Also, in the meantime, I receive conflicting and confusing correspondence from Fedloan saying I had past due bills, my application was approved, my application was denied, my application could not be approved, they needed additional information, I needed to make additional payments ( even though I was making payments all the time. ) Now, my new plan has been approved, but I still have a past due bill for a full amount even though Fedloan said my new payment plan is approved. Every time I call, I get conflicting information and after spending too much time on the phone, Fedloan says they have straightened everything out. However, they can never send my any documentation of our calls, so when the next letter comes that conflicts with the last information comes, I have no method of straightening anything out. I work for a non-profit and my income has not changed. My employment is dependent on an income driven plan but Fedloan has made this impossible. I fear that I will suffer negative financial consequences when I am trying my hardest to be compliant. However, Fedloan 's inability to provide any clear or consistent directions or communication has made this impossible. I am available for any clarification. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Company Response: Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2019-05-13

OK

Dealing with your lender or servicer

Student loan: Federal student loan servicing

Keep getting calls about your loan
Complaint: Received a phone call that I believe to be a scammer looking for info on Student Loans. She called from phone number XXXX ( Florida number ) and left a voicemail. She stated her name is XXXX XXXX she didn't state the name of a company she works for. She stated there would be changes to my student loan and that I needed to call her back to discuss my repayment options. The call back number she left is XXXX. She left me a reference number XXXX. This seems to be a scam because she didn't mention my name or who my loans are through. She had none of my personal info, but she was hoping that I would call her back to give her this information and likely force me to make payments towards some scam no associated with federal student loans.
Company Response: Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2019-05-13

Carmel, CA

Dealing with your lender or servicer

Student loan: Federal student loan servicing

Received bad information about your loan
Complaint: I am working toward Public Service Loan Forgiveness. Fedloan Servicing is the services the loan. There are four months of payments that they have not counted as qualifying payments for public service loan forgiveness. The only explanation they have provided is administrative forbearance. I never requested any forbearance. I have requested that the months count or an explanation of why not multiple times in multiple forms. Payments were made each month. Often the same amount as the month before and after. My payments are automated. I pay the amount the servicer requests. As near as I can tell I met all regulatory requirements to have the payments counted. I work for the federal government a qualifying employer. I am on a qualifying plan and paying the amount set by the servicer.
Company Response: Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2019-05-13

Alexandria, VA

Dealing with your lender or servicer

Student loan: Federal student loan servicing

Received bad information about your loan
Complaint: The Consolidated Appropriations Act, XXXX provided limited, additional conditions under which you may become eligible for loan forgiveness if some or all of the payments you made on your XXXX XXXX XXXX Federal Direct Loan ( Direct Loan ) Program loans were under a nonqualifying repayment plan for Public Service Loan Forgiveness ( PSLF ). The U.S. Department of Education ( ED ) is referring to this reconsideration as the Temporary Expanded Public Service Loan Forgiveness ( TEPSLF ) opportunity. I am appealing my denial. I have several outstanding loans and the data I received from the Federal Student Aid, an Office of the U.S. Department of Education, has me in repayment for most of them starting XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX. ( see attached ) I have applied to change my repayment plan and was told that my loans are not eligible. ( see attached ) I have applied for the TEPSLF under the following guidelines : To qualify for loan forgiveness under the TEPSLF opportunity, you must have submitted the Public Service Loan Forgiveness ( PSLF ) : Application for Forgiveness ( PSLF application ) and had that application denied only because some or all of your payments were not made under a qualifying repayment plan for PSLF ; had at least 10 years of full-time employment certified by a qualifying employer and approved by FedLoan Servicing, XXXX federal loan servicer for the PSLF Program ; met the TEPSLF requirement for the amount you paid 12 months prior to applying for TEPSLF and the last payment you made before applying for TEPSLF to be at least as much as you would have paid under an income-driven repayment plan ; and made 120 qualifying payments under the new requirements for TEPSLF while working full-time for your qualifying employer or employers. Note : At a minimum, a qualifying monthly payment is a payment that you made after XXXX XXXX, XXXX ; for the full amount due as shown on your bill ; no later than 15 days after your due date ; and while employed full-time by a qualifying employer. I have met those guidelines, along with being asked to submit income and family size information to be considered for the TEPSLF opportunity. We need this information to determine what your monthly payment amount would be under an income-driven repayment plan. Once we determine that monthly income-driven payment amount, well review your most recent payment made and the payment made 12 months prior to applying for TEPSLF. To quality for TEPSLF, each of those amounts must be at least as much as the monthly income-driven repayment amount we calculate for you, among other requirements. This is a plan that my application has been denied several times. Why does my income and family size matter for this program? It is not included in the guidelines for the opportunity, but I provided the information anyway. I am asking that my payments be recalculated and an advocate be assigned to my case. I am seeing that the goal post is constantly moving when it comes to applicants seeking relief/satisfaction. I am a United States XXXX Veteran and have been a XXXX XXXX for 23 years. I pay my taxes and my student loan payments on time, in full. The system is broken and Congress is working on a fix ( see attached articles ). How long do I and other applicants have to wait until our pleas are answered let alone considered for a process that is broken and in no rush to be fixed by the Dept. of Education that continues to put up roadblocks?
Company Response: Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2019-05-12

San Francisco, CA

Dealing with your lender or servicer

Student loan: Federal student loan servicing

Trouble with how payments are being handled
Complaint: See attached documents in which I include dates, amounts, and actions that were taken by you and the company. Basically, I believe that I have completed all the payments and steps necessary to qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness, but the student loan company/servicer, FedLoan Servicing, has failed to properly account for all my payments and even has overcharged me for 3 months and refuses to refund me and continues to bill me even though I believe I already made the 120 qualifying payments. I have sent emails to XXXX as the company rep XXXX advised me to do, but the company has failed to respond in a timely manner. I have uploaded all documentation and evidence to my online account, yet the company fails to properly process the documents. I have called the company many times, getting promises that the company fails to keep. On my online account 's " File Upload History '' page, the company even took the extreme step to remove my " reason for upload '' and change the reason to something else, and never advised me that or why the company did this. I am attaching 16 documents, the filenames of which are : 1. File Upload History as of XXXX.pdf 2. XXXX Other - File Upload.pdf 3. XXXX Other - File Upload.pdf 4. XXXX Other - File Upload.pdf 5. XXXX Other - File Upload.pdf 6. XXXX Other 1 - File Upload.pdf 7. XXXX Other 1 - File Upload.pdf 8. XXXX Other 2 - File Upload.pdf 9. XXXX Other - File Upload.pdf 10. XXXX Employment Certification Form ( PSLF ) - File Upload.pdf 11. XXXX Other - File Upload.pdf 12. XXXX Application for Forgiveness ( PSLF ) - File Upload.pdf 13. XXXX email XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX to XXXX re continued failures by FedLoan servicing.pdf 14. XXXX letter to FedLoan re continued failures.pdf 15. XXXX email XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX to XXXX re Public Service Application for Forgiveness with supporting docs.pdf 16. Public Service Application for Forgiveness - XXXX XXXX - with supporting docs - XXXX escalated email.pdf The attached documents should be read in chronological order as I sent them to FedLoan Servicing. The filenames have a 2-digit month, day, and year. The first document - File Upload History as of XXXX.pdf - shows my File Upload History as well as the date and reason for upload. I sent the next 11 documents to FedLoan directly by uploading the documents to my online account. These documents have filenames ending with " File Upload ''. After these uploaded documents were not properly or timely processed, I called and complained to FedLoan, who then advised me via voicemail - not in writing, of course, so as to *not* have a paper trail - to email FedLoan via XXXX. So, the last 4 attached documents were emailed to the XXXX email address, who as of today, XX/XX/XXXX, has not acknowledged receipt or replied in any way. I believe these documents accurately and comprehensively summarize all the problems with FedLoan 's processing or failure to process my payments and my applications for Public Service Loan Forgiveness properly or timely. I believe FedLoan is engaging in fraud and theft by overcharging me, not refunding me, and not processing my payments and my applications for Public Service Loan Forgiveness properly or timely. FedLoan has failed to properly or timely communicate with me. I would be happy to sign onto any lawsuit CFPB or other entity or individual has filed against FedLoan. I would be happy to provide any other documents or information and answer any questions CFPB staff may have about these matters. There are more documents, but I am sending what are the most important and relevant ones now. My case is very well-documented with plenty of written evidence to prove my case.
Company Response: Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2019-05-12

NJ

Dealing with your lender or servicer

Student loan: Federal student loan servicing

Trouble with how payments are being handled
Complaint: This is a continuation of the complaint i have already made through the CFPB - case number XXXX I contacted XXXX from Fedloan XXXX as she was assigned to my case after submitting a formal complaint to the US department of education. She is in charge of obtaining my promissory note and reviewing my interest rates as I have received previous documentation stating my interest rate was higher then the fixed amount. I sent her an email requesting to have a discussion regarding my repayment terms now that they have been changed to 120 months- to find out what my payments would be, how much my loan amount would be reduced etc. She called me on XX/XX/XXXX I informed her of the response I received from the CFPB regarding change in payment terms. She stated that typically the 120 months would start in XX/XX/XXXX, stating that my previous XXXX years of payments under the standard repayment plan ( I have paid several hundred dollars more then the actual amount in an attempt to pay it off faster ) would not go towards the 120 months. I questioned her on this because this was FRAUDULENT behavior on the part of Fedloan. My terms from the beginning should have been 120 months ( per US department of education guidelines which they state they follow ). Now that I caught them and made the formal complaint I CAN NOW RECEIVE THE CORRECT TERMS??? If that is the case FEDLOAN is continuing to DEFRAUD ME. She then informed me that my loan accrues {$15.00} in interest per day, approximately {$480.00} a month- approximately {$5700.00} a year. THIS IS COMPLETELY INCORRECT. My XXXX XXXX states my student loan interest received by lender is {$10000.00} over the past year. If FEDLOAN doesn't credit me for the months I have paid ( started paying my loan XX/XX/XXXX under the standard repayment plan ) which is XXXX years of payments they are now defrauding me of approximately {$27000.00} or MORE. Yesterday- XX/XX/XXXX I received my new repayment terms and they were 120 months starting XX/XX/XXXX. I refuse to allow Fedloan to continue to act in corrupt ways and take advantage of me which is why I decided to submit another formal complaint.
Company Response: Closed with non-monetary relief

Timely Response

2019-05-12

Garner, NC

Dealing with your lender or servicer

Student loan: Private student loan

Problem with customer service
Company Response: Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2019-05-11

Ft Myers, FL

Problem with a credit reporting company's investigation into an existing problem

Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports: Credit reporting

Difficulty submitting a dispute or getting information about a dispute over the phone
Complaint: Some of my credit accounts are close and pay and are to to old to remain on credit file
Company Response: Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2019-05-11

New Orleans, LA

Dealing with your lender or servicer

Student loan: Federal student loan servicing

Received bad information about your loan
Company Response: Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2019-05-11

Natrona Hts, PA

Dealing with your lender or servicer

Student loan: Federal student loan servicing

Received bad information about your loan
Complaint: In XX/XX/XXXX I made all of my loans direct loans in order to participate in the Public Loan Forgiveness Program ( PSLF ). I worked with an employee of XXXX XXXX XXXX to get everything in order to begin the program of making 120 qualifying payments to then be forgiven. I went on the repayment plan I was told I needed. I paid on time for years. On XX/XX/XXXX during my annual review I spoke to an employee who told me I had made 33/120 qualifying payments. On XX/XX/XXXX I faxed over my annual employment certification form and annual documentation of income for repayment recalculation amounts. On XX/XX/XXXX I was informed via phone that I only had 11/120 payments qualified! Since I should have been well over 40 I was shocked. I spoke to many different employees and was told in the end that I wasnt on the correct repayment plan from XX/XX/XXXX to XX/XX/XXXX. Due to their error, I now have only 59 qualifying payments towards PSLF when u should be at 120 soon. They provided incorrect information to their borrower and are doing it to many. If this situation is not remedied and my qualifying payments are not adjusted to reflect the 33/120 that I was given on XX/XX/XXXX I will hire a lawyer to expose what they are doing to make this process practically impossible for all. Thank you for your help in trying to remedy this unfortunate situation.
Company Response: Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2019-05-11

Arsenal, PA

Problem with a credit reporting company's investigation into an existing problem

Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports: Credit reporting

Their investigation did not fix an error on your report
Company Response: Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2019-05-11

Princeton, NJ

Incorrect information on your report

Student loan: Federal student loan servicing

Account status incorrect
Company Response: Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2019-05-10

Echo Park, CA

Dealing with your lender or servicer

Student loan: Federal student loan servicing

Received bad information about your loan
Company Response: Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2019-05-10

Sugar Land, TX

Problem with a credit reporting company's investigation into an existing problem

Student loan: Federal student loan servicing

Investigation took more than 30 days
Company Response: Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2019-05-10

Bellewood, KY

Dealing with your lender or servicer

Student loan: Federal student loan servicing

Trouble with how payments are being handled
Company Response: Closed with non-monetary relief

Timely Response

2019-05-10

Problem with a credit reporting company's investigation into an existing problem

Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports: Credit reporting

Their investigation did not fix an error on your report
Company Response: Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2019-05-10

Val Verde, TX

Dealing with your lender or servicer

Student loan: Federal student loan servicing

Received bad information about your loan
Complaint: The information that is being reported on my student loan is accurate and I am not able to make payments or set up payment arrangement because my birthday is listed wrong. I have been denied a mortgage loan because of this delinquent showing. I have faxed and scanned copies of my social security card and drivers license because they said that was the only way to change it, but no change has taken place. I can not even set up an online account to make payments because it gets kicked back every time I get to the personal information part to enter my birthdate.
Company Response: Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2019-05-10

Glendale, AZ

False statements or representation

Debt collection: Federal student loan debt

Indicated you were committing crime by not paying debt
Company Response: Closed with explanation

Timely Response