GREAT LAKES
Consumer Complaints
There are over 1568 complaints on file for GREAT LAKES. Dated between 2019-12-12 and 2012-03-26.
Complaints Page 16
2018-09-08
Plymouth, FL
Problem with a credit reporting company's investigation into an existing problem
Student loan: Federal student loan servicing
Their investigation did not fix an error on your report
Complaint: Based on the option I selected for this complaint, the 'error ' is that XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ( and the 3 major bureaus ) continue to report an unverified, invalidated account without having provided original documented proof for MONTHS. I have repeatedly disputed the student loan account with XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX and they continue to come back via the bureaus stating that the accounts ' info is all accurate, valid, verified, and mine -- all without providing a shred of proof to back this all up. Since XX/XX/2018, I have constantly asked for the original instrument of indebtedness in its original form bearing my actual, wet signature. It has been about 7 months and I still have not received this original documented proof that the account is 'mine ' and 'verified '. XXXX, in particular, has even had the audacity to tell me over the phone that they do not have to provide proof to the consumer on accounts. It is EXTREMELY DANGEROUS to my identity as a consumer for me to not know or receive original proof of a contractual agreement with a company. This opens the door to all sorts of problems. If I do not get proof from the bureaus or the original creditors, then where in the world am I supposed to get this information? As a consumer, do we not have a right to see the proof behind these so-called " valid '', " verified '', " accurate '' accounts? I am outraged that I have not received this proof from XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX or the 3 major bureaus in months. I have been monitoring my credit and making sure all accounts are validated in order to remain on my reports. I am trying to do my due diligence, but these companies are deliberately hindering this process by not giving me due process. Moreover, they are violating the FCRA & FDCPA. I demand that XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX provide the original instrument of indebtedness in its original form bearing my actual, wet signature for the disputed account. If they do not have this, then I in turn demand that they DELETE the truly unverified, invalidated, inaccurate account.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law Closed with explanation
2018-09-07
Balmville, NY
Managing an account
Checking or savings account: Other banking product or service
Problem making or receiving payments
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law Closed with explanation
2018-09-05
Lewisville, TX
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: XXXX XXXX and Great Lakes continues to send negative information to credit bureaus regarding my accounts. I have been sued by my own family, have had my XX/XX/2018 tax refund wrongly taken by the US Department of Education ( {$2000.00} ) which I included in a separate CFPB complaint, and have been facing eviction in my current place of residence. I have also had a lack of food due to lack of money.
Because the US Department of Education failed to return my {$2000.00} tax refund or give me a reason as to why it was not returned to me, my car was repossessed. Now, looking at my credit report, I can not qualify to buy a new car because my credit has been negatively reported by XXXX XXXX, who is contracted by the US Department of Education.
I would like them to take the false, negative information off my credit report. Mutliple contracted agencies are taking advantage of my terrible financial situation and I want it to stop. I want XXXX XXXX, along with ALL US Department of Education contractors to discontinue negative reporting on my credit. You are beating a dead horse. I have been faced with multiple evictions ( one because of the US Department of Education ) and have had my car repossessed because again, my refund was not returned to me. And now, as I try to fix the problem the US Department of Education and their contractors created ; they have sent numerous negative comments about my credit.
The US Department of Education and their contractors need to work with me, not against me. I need to be able to buy a car and live my life. I have NO other negative marks on my credit, except for what the US Department of Education and their contractors have submitted. I am asking you to stop, it Is ruining my life.
Company Response: Closed with explanation
2018-09-04
Orlando, FL
Dealing with your lender or servicer
Student loan: Federal student loan servicing
Trouble with how payments are being handled
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law Closed with explanation
2018-08-31
Milwaukee, WI
Struggling to repay your loan
Student loan: Private student loan
Can't temporarily delay making payments
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law Closed with explanation
2018-08-30
Falmouth, VA
Written notification about debt
Debt collection: I do not know
Didn't receive enough information to verify debt
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law Closed with explanation
2018-08-28
Stkn, CA
Struggling to repay your loan
Student loan: Federal student loan servicing
Can't get other flexible options for repaying your loan
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law Closed with explanation
2018-08-28
CO
Dealing with your lender or servicer
Student loan: Federal student loan servicing
Received bad information about your loan
Complaint: Theft Incident : Federal Student Loan What is the name of the lender or loan servicer for the fraudulent loan?
Great Lakes Name of an agency representative that you spoke to : Great Lakes Agency 's phone number : XXXX Agency 's email address : If you know, tell us when the account was opened.
XX/XX/XXXX When did you first notice the problem?
XX/XX/XXXX If you know, estimate the total fraudulent charges.
XXXX Account number : XXXX
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law Closed with explanation
2018-08-27
Fort Lauderdale, 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
Their investigation did not fix an error on your report
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law Closed with explanation
2018-08-27
Middletown, DE
Incorrect information on your report
Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports: Credit reporting
Account information incorrect
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law Closed with explanation
2018-08-27
Gloucester City, NJ
Dealing with your lender or servicer
Student loan: Private student loan
Don't agree with the fees charged
Complaint: I graduated from XXXX University back in XXXX, My degree was conferred in XXXX, My account was never updated until this year of me being a graduate, I have a lot of fees on my account and would like them to be removed so that I can get an apartment, they are not going to help with that.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law Closed with explanation
2018-08-27
Oaklevel, VA
False statements or representation
Debt collection: Federal student loan debt
Impersonated attorney, law enforcement, or government official
Complaint: I had a federal tax return offset to pay for an outstanding student loan. I first contacted XXXX to get payment history bc I disputed the amount owed. They agreed to send my records in regard to the loan via mail. They informed me that they were only the servicer of my loan but it was held by a company called " Great Lakes '' and provided me with this phone # XXXX. I called the number provided and spoke to a representative for great lakes. They could provide me no more information than XXXX could. It was at this point that the situation became legally problematic. I asked the rep why a federally subsidized loan was being held by a private company. She said that they weren't a private company. I replied, so Great Lakes is a government agency? She said yes we collect student loan debt for the federal government. I replied ok, but you are a private company collecting debt. She said no, we are a nonprofit contracted by the government. Again I pointed out that being a contractor still makes you a private company. I mentioned the truth in lending act and how presenting yourself as a government agency when collecting a debt is a crime. She said she didn't understand that and stated that they are a 3rd party agency contracted to collect federal student loan debt and asked if I needed anything else. I asked to speak to a supervisor, I was first offered to have someone call me back. I asked to instead be connected and I would wait on hold. The supervisor picked up almost inmediately and I explained the situation. They were silent on the other end of the line for an extended period. I asked if someone was there, and got a reply of yes what else can I help you with. I said it seems like your representative needs some training on regulations bc they are presenting you as a government agency. He again tried to make a vague claim of government agency. I asked him the same questions about the private nature of the company as I had to the rep. I explained that presenting a private company as an agency of the govt is a crime and the fact that both a rep and a supervisor presented it that way made me believe that they are intentionally ambiguous about this fact and that was a bigger problem legally. He told me that he wasn't a legal expert and I could take that up with their legal department. I asked to be connected to their legal department and was hung up on. If it was just a poorly trained rep who made a mistake I would understand and chalk it up to a need for better training in regards to the relationship between the company collecting federally subsidized debt and being a government agency. However the fact that a supervisor also tried to present it to me that way and disconnected my call when I asked to file a complaint with the legal department makes me believe that their policy is to willfully make the people from whom they are collecting debt believe that they are a federal agency. I have a background in XXXX and have held an XXXX license I'm very aware of the law and what constitutes a willful violation. My concern is that this is a purposeful policy intended to deceive and relies on debtors ignorance of the position a collector is in.
Company Response: Closed with explanation
2018-08-24
Auburn, IN
Struggling to repay your loan
Student loan: Federal student loan servicing
Can't get other flexible options for repaying your loan
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law Closed with explanation
2018-08-22
TX
Struggling to repay your loan
Student loan: Federal student loan servicing
Can't get other flexible options for repaying your loan
Complaint: I have been struggling for 6 years to lower my payment. They want something over 1000 a month, not only have I not found a job since i graduated but no one wants to hire me because of this college. Its embarrassing. Now they are demanding money.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law Closed with explanation
2018-08-20
CO
Dealing with your lender or servicer
Student loan: Federal student loan servicing
Trouble with how payments are being handled
Complaint: Complaint 1 : I made my payment early as I often do, though I'm on automatic payments. When you do this, there's a disclaimer saying that your additional payment will reduce your automatic withdrawal payment by the amount of the additional payment. I haven't had the payment come out twice before. It did this time, and when I asked about it, they treated me like an XXXX. I even selected " Principal Only '' for the additional in case this happened, yet they took interest from both payments. This shouldn't have come out twice, but if that's how they're going to run their business, then additional payments that have been marked for Principal Only need to be Principal Only.
Principal Interest XX/XX/2018 Pending {$100.00} XX/XX/2018 Payment {$120.00} {$100.00} {$18.00} XX/XX/2018 Payment {$110.00} {$110.00} {$0.00} Complaint 2 : I refinanced the majority of my loan in XXXX to another servicer because Great Lakes ' practices are so terrible. The balance left with Great Lakes was a little over {$6000.00}, yet they did everything they could to keep my monthly {$350.00} payment that I was paying when my balance with them was nearly $ 30k. I had to fight tooth and nail to reduce the payment to what it should be. I got through the whole hour-long process on the phone the first time, and was told I'd have to wait over the following weekend for changes to take effect. The changes never came, and the entire {$350.00} was withdrawn from my bank account. I called to see where they were at in the process of changing it, and they claimed they had no record of my call. So I went through the whole process again. I saw nothing still the following week, so I called again. Again, no record of me calling. On the third time, after threatening reporting them, my payment changes were made.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law Closed with explanation
2018-08-20
Bloomington, MN
Struggling to repay your loan
Student loan: Federal student loan servicing
Can't temporarily delay making payments
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law Closed with explanation
2018-08-18
Vernon Hill, VA
Dealing with your lender or servicer
Student loan: Federal student loan servicing
Trouble with how payments are being handled
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law Closed with explanation
2018-08-16
AZ
Dealing with your lender or servicer
Student loan: Federal student loan servicing
Don't agree with the fees charged
Complaint: XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX retroactively capitalized the interest on my loan two years in the past, and added fees and interest for the last two years in XX/XX/2018, saying that they accidentally forgot to do it two years ago. I am in the REPAYE program, so for the last two years, the federal government paid a portion of the interest for the last two years. Because they waited so long to do capitalize the interest, they added hundreds or possibly thousands of dollars to my loan that would have been paid by the government. They are required to give me at least thirty days notice before capitalizing the interest under the federal regulations governing student loans. I never received that notice, either at the time or now.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law Closed with explanation
2018-08-15
Marlboro, MD
Dealing with your lender or servicer
Student loan: Federal student loan servicing
Don't agree with the fees charged
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law Closed with explanation
2018-08-15
Albuquerque, NM
Attempts to collect debt not owed
Debt collection: Federal student loan debt
Debt is not yours
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law Closed with explanation
2018-08-14
Austell, GA
Incorrect information on your report
Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports: Credit reporting
Account information incorrect
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law Closed with explanation
2018-08-14
Eutaw, NC
Dealing with your lender or servicer
Student loan: Federal student loan servicing
Don't agree with the fees charged
Company Response: Closed with explanation
2018-08-14
Ocala, FL
Written notification about debt
Debt collection: Federal student loan debt
Didn't receive enough information to verify debt
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law Closed with explanation
2018-08-14
IA
Incorrect information on your report
Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports: Credit reporting
Account status incorrect
Complaint: On XX/XX/2018, my credit card was charged for {$20000.00} to pay off my account. I spoke with XXXX on XX/XX/2018 and she opened a ticket to make sure payments are updated because she could see that fund were received on XX/XX/2018. I received a letter dated XX/XX/2018 that said, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX reported the default of my Federal Family Education Loan. I spoke with XXXX from XXXX XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/2018 who said the account was pulled from their office and she referred me to XXXX Post Claims. I called XXXX Post Claims and spoke with XXXX on XX/XX/2018 who said the account was closed on XX/XX/2018. She said that payments may be held for 45 days from initial payment. No updates to the account for 3 months and 8 days. It appears the financial institution does not have reasonable policies and procedures to process payments timely, close accounts promptly, provide accurate disclosures or provide accurate information to the credit reporting agencies.
Company Response: Closed with explanation
2018-08-14
Dallas, TX
Dealing with your lender or servicer
Student loan: Federal student loan servicing
Trouble with how payments are being handled
Complaint: In XX/XX/XXXX, I was told by XXXX XXXX told my that my financial aid refund would be in my account ( stipend ). I was in need of my money because I was using a loaner computer, and I needed a new computer. She told me it would be in my account by XX/XX/XXXX. It was not there. Ms. XXXX told me that my federal loans paid on XX/XX/XXXX, but I still had a balance owed on the tuition. After that I was left with {$88.00}. She said they were waiting on my Pell grant to refund me for the computer and living expenses, which she promised me that it would be there any day. My Pell did not come until XX/XX/XXXX. In between that time they had told me they could expedite my funds. I am not sure what I am paying for, since they do not supply me with any award letters showing the balance I was awarded in loans for the any school year. I talked to her last week, and she told me that I get my check mailed on XX/XX/XXXX. Now I am being told that my check will have too wait another 14 days, it is a process, which they can not explain, nor do they have any administrative policy on how refund ( stipends ) are allocated to students. I have a XXXX GPA, I have been in this program for 1 and 1/2 years, I took a break, but I am a good student, so I do not understand why I am being placed on hold and I need my funds. The financial aid workers seems like they are making promises and will tell you anything to get you off the phone. There are no clear policies on how this financial aid refund process works. Most school have defined polices on how refunds ( stipends ) are reimbursed to students, they seem to have a willy nilly policy. Although they have a campus in XXXX, the financial part must be in XXXX, and they allow XXXX students to pick up their refunds ( stipends ) but will not allow me to drive down from XXXX to pick my stipend up. There is no policy on why I as a student am not allowed the same benefits as XXXX students, in regards to picking up my refund. I was also given the phone number for the financial aid director, who supposedly will release my funds, but she is conveniently on vacation until next week ( XXXX ), meaning that my check may not be released until XX/XX/XXXX. I graduate in XX/XX/XXXX. I would like to see award letters for each financial aid calendar year, I feel that they have kept some of my funds.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law Closed with explanation