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 2
2019-11-13
MS
Struggling to repay your loan
Student loan: Federal student loan servicing
Can't get other flexible options for repaying your loan
Complaint: My first concern is how I owe the US Department of education has multiple debt collectors which makes it much easier to go into default.
Second, one of their debt collectors, Great Lakes, has caused my credit score to lower in the past 60 days making me have a late payment that I never was able to dispute, which I can because I'm not on a stable monthly income to pay $ XXXX monthly. I also have not been contacted about the billing process. Unlike XXXX, they have not contacted me through mail, email ( if they have I'm sure i missed it because i get TONS OF DAILY MAIL ), nor by phone. The only communication that they use with me is emails and I feel its because they know I might not open them and that's because I get tons of emails and most of them are easily to be missed if I'm not expecting them. However, I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANYTHING IN THE MAIL FROM THEM TO MY PHYSICAL ADDRESS!
It seems as if Great Lakes are purposely trying to make my credit score down, like manipulating it for their own purpose. It seems as if they are trying to squeeze money I may have out of me ( which i don't have ) or trying to punish me for not paying.
This has been affecting my credit score, but have not been able to find out any details until the so-called late payment was just reported. They are manipulating my credit score for profits or payback.
PLEASE HELP ME, I feel BULLIED!!
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law Closed with explanation
2019-11-13
East Troy, WI
Struggling to repay your loan
Student loan: Federal student loan servicing
Can't temporarily delay making payments
Complaint: I noticed that my credit reported on XX/XX/2014 - XX/XX/2014 for my XXXX/XXXX account of a total of XXXX. I want you to know that I understand my financial obligations, and if it werent for a job lost during the year of 2014, Id have an excellent repayment record. I made a mistake in falling behind, but since then, I have taken control of my finances and now that I have established a great understanding of being financial literate circumstances have changed.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law Closed with explanation
2019-11-10
Winton, CA
Dealing with your lender or servicer
Student loan: Federal student loan servicing
Received bad information about your loan
Complaint: I was in forbearance and recently it has been changed by Great Lakes with out notifications. The name on the loan does not belong to me and I asked several times to verify and validate the loan that it belongs to me. Great Lakes has false information and continue to change things including the name of the school and location. I am confused and do not understand why they are doing this to people and they are very rude when trying to handle this issue. Can you please assist?
Great Lakes XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, WI XXXX
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law Closed with explanation
2019-11-09
Blairstown, IA
False statements or representation
Debt collection: Federal student loan debt
Attempted to collect wrong amount
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law Closed with explanation
2019-11-08
NV
Struggling to repay your loan
Student loan: Federal student loan servicing
Problem lowering your monthly payments
Complaint: I am 100 % XXXX veteran and my loan interest has not changed since before I joined the military. I am curious why Im paying loan debt still, President Trump passed a bill for XXXX veterans to get their student loan debts waived.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law Closed with explanation
2019-11-08
Jacksonville, FL
Dealing with your lender or servicer
Student loan: Private student loan
Don't agree with the fees charged
Complaint: Hi, I have graduated from this school back in XXXX of 2011 under the assumption that I would be guaranteed to get a job in my field of study. Not only did they not help me get a job on my field of study, but I am now up to my ears in student loan debt. I am stuck paying for a loan for a degree that has been rendered useless due to the school closing its doors. This loan has cause so much hardship Im not sure what to do at this point. Ive tried countless times to get a job in my field but as soon as I even mention XXXX XXXX name I seem to be XXXX balled. I am looking to wash this debt completely from my credit because I can not move forward with my life with this anchor of a debt holding me down. Please help.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law Closed with explanation
2019-11-07
WY
Dealing with your lender or servicer
Student loan: Federal student loan servicing
Don't agree with the fees charged
Complaint: I called Great Lakes Student Loans about additional payments that were added to my account. I was keeping detailed notes about what I owed due trying to pay off my student loans account. Also, on XX/XX/2019, I sent Great Lakes Student Loans a letter detailing and disputing additional fees on my account.
Namely, On XX/XX/2019, I had a total owed balance of {$5900.00}.
On XX/XX/2019, I paid an additional amount of {$400.00} leaving a total owed of {$5500.00}.
On XX/XX/2019, my owed balance was changed to {$5600.00}. Great Lakes Student Loans had added a total of {$160.00} to my account. There was no record of any change on my account except that Great Lakes Student Loans had changed my balance. I was not notified in anyway that there were additional charges or what the charges were for.
On XX/XX/2019, I made a payment of {$43.00} leaving a total listed balance of {$5600.00}.
At this time, my balance should have been {$5400.00}.
On XX/XX/2019, my balance was again changed. The new listing was {$5700.00}. Great Lakes Student Loans added an additional {$120.00} to my account. Again, I was not notified and there were no records of any changes listed on my account except that my balance had gone up.
On XX/XX/2019, I paid an additional payment of {$1000.00} which should have left me with a balance of {$4400.00} On XX/XX/2019 I made additional payments of {$350.00} and {$750.00}. My total owed balance should be {$3300.00}. However, my balance is {$3600.00}.
As of XX/XX/2019 I have not heard back from Great Lakes Student Loans.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law Closed with explanation
2019-11-06
Carver, MA
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
2019-11-05
Tallahassee, 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: This particular account situation that is lately filing on my own credit document has a seriously unfavorable relation to my personal ability to obtain a present loan application. I highly recommend you generate verification that XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX has been reported completely in accordance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act regulations, it's really a serious problem to mis-report. Moreconfirmation of the aforesaid item too. My proper request mustover, I was never 30 days/60 days/120 days late in any of my payments and I'm not greatly tuned in to the date opened so I prefer to ask you be investigated as soon as possible and confirmed to be correct. Thanks!
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law Closed with explanation
2019-11-05
Chula Vista, CA
Incorrect information on your report
Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports: Credit reporting
Account information incorrect
Complaint: On XX/XX/XXXX, Great Lakes posted to my XXXX report that my loan balance " increased by {$70.00} '' and it adversely impacted my credit score. My statement shows a payment made and not clearly identified as to which date the payment was processed in XXXX. It shows my correct payment of XXXX, principal payment of XXXX, and interest payment of XXXX. I called to inquire why they are erroneously posting negative information to my reports, on XX/XX/2019 and all they ever claim is " interest accrues every day. '' They do not know how to answer any questions and I held for over 15 minutes waiting for a supervisor who never came onto the call. They believe this statement explains all of their extensive errors, it does not.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law Closed with explanation
2019-11-04
Onekama, MI
False statements or representation
Debt collection: Federal student loan debt
Attempted to collect wrong amount
Complaint: Great Lakes Loan Servicing contacted me to notify me that I needed to re-certify my income-driven repayment certification. I completed the application and provided them with the information they requested, including information showing my current pay and my wife 's current pay. I explained that my income had not changed from last year. They ignored this evidence and then denied my request for IDR without explanation. I appealed the denial, again submitting the same information. They put me to the back of the line and, in the meantime, increased my payments to over {$1800.00} a month. When they finally did process my request, they asked me to fill out a form that I filled out when I first submitted my request. I explained this to them, and they moved me to the back of the line again. Because, they claim, I did not complete my IDR application on time, they capitalized my interest, adding to my balance.
This is a predatory tactic that they have now used on two occasions. The CFPB has to do something about this.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law Closed with explanation
2019-11-04
New Britain, CT
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
2019-10-29
Carver, MA
Problem with a credit reporting company's investigation into an existing problem
Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports: Credit reporting
Was not notified of investigation status or results
Complaint: I was shocked when I reviewed my credit report and found a 90-day late payment on XX/XX/2019 I am not sure how this happened, I believe that I had made my payments to you when I received my statements. My only thought is that my monthly statement did not get to me, or the payment was not applied as fast as expected. I checked my bank account and noticed that you deducted the money out of my checking account that on the month that you marked me late on my credit report.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law Closed with explanation
2019-10-29
Farmer Market, CA
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
2019-10-28
Bloomington, MN
Dealing with your lender or servicer
Student loan: Federal student loan servicing
Received bad information about your loan
Complaint: My student loans were taken out for XXXX school, and came into repayment in XX/XX/XXXX. The account was transferred to Great Lakes Education for servicing in XXXX.
The monthly payment amount of the loan was {$290.00}, and according to what has been displayed on the Great Lakes website in my profile since the time of transfer is that my " Repayment Terms '' were that starting on XX/XX/XXXX, I was required to make 106 monthly payments of {$290.00}.
Additionally, within my online account profile, the " Monthly Payment Timeline '' provided showed that making monthly payments of {$300.00}, my final payment would be in XX/XX/XXXX, which aligned with the terms noted above.
Starting in XX/XX/XXXX, I decided to start making slightly higher payments to include an extra {$100.00} each month, which the intention of paying the loan down faster. Every month since XX/XX/XXXX, I have paid {$390.00}. Based on the information provided by Great Lakes on their website related to being " paid ahead, '' I estimated that this would allow me to pay the loan off earlier than XX/XX/XXXX, as early as XXXX or XX/XX/XXXX.
After watching my loan balances over the past year, I started to become concerned that even with the amount I was paying in excess of my required payment, the balance did not seem like it would actually be paid in full earlier than XX/XX/XXXX, so last week I sent an email request to Great Lakes, asking that they look at my current balance, current payments and the information showing on my profile online to explain whether I would actually be paid in full earlier than XX/XX/XXXX.
The initial response I received stated that if I continued to make the additional payments, I would be paid in full after 19 more payments, or in XX/XX/XXXX. The assumption appeared to be that XX/XX/XXXX was " early, '' when in fact that is the date that has been given by Great Lakes online to me since they started servicing my loan as the date by which I would be paid in full if I paid only regular monthly payments of {$290.00}.
I attempted to email Great Lakes again, to ask that they specifically tell me whether the information displayed on their website was wrong, or if something had gone wrong in the application of past payments, because it did not make sense that I could pay extra each month, only to have the loan pay off exactly when it would otherwise have done if I did not make any additional principal payments. They apparently did not bother to look at my online profile, and just repeated that they had already addressed my questions.
Today ( XX/XX/XXXX ) I called Great Lakes and spoke with a representative. She actually took the time to look at my account, along with the online information in my profile, and confirmed that what has been displayed to me in their online portal has been wrong since they took over servicing in XXXX. In other words, my " Repayment Terms '' are wrong. If had not decided on my own to start paying additional money in XX/XX/XXXX and only kept making the required payments, I would definitely not have been paid in full in XX/XX/XXXX, in spite of what they specifically stated on their website.
While they admitted to the error and stated that they will make the adjustment to my profile, the representative also stated that this happens occasionally. This implies that the company knows about the potentially deceptive and misleading information provided to consumers repaying their student debt, but that they apparently do not feel that they need to proactively review or correct this for their customers.
Obviously, this is very discouraging to me, as I have been planning my finances with the expectation of being done paying my student loan earlier than XX/XX/XXXX, but I am fortunate enough that I caught it in time to make adjustments. For a consumer who reaches what they thought was their last payment date to discover that they instead must keep paying for a year or more additionally, this is unacceptable.
I do not anticipate that Great Lakes is going to provide any kind of relief to me personally, but I am filing this complaint to call attention to the fact that they are not providing accurate information to all of their customers about the actual terms of their repayment.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law Closed with explanation
2019-10-26
Washington, DC
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
2019-10-24
Columbia, SC
Attempts to collect debt not owed
Debt collection: Federal student loan debt
Debt was result of identity theft
Complaint: SECOND REQUEST : I am a victim of identity theft and this debt does not belong to me.
Please see the identity theft report and legal affidavit attached.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law Closed with explanation
2019-10-24
Quartzsite, AZ
Dealing with your lender or servicer
Student loan: Federal student loan servicing
Received bad information about your loan
Complaint: My student loans were included in my bankruptcy discharge in XX/XX/XXXX. I made Great Lakes aware of the incorrect reporting in XX/XX/XXXX, and I was given the instruction to fax over my discharge paperwork and that it would be corrected. I faxed over the documents. When I started getting collections calls, in XX/XX/XXXX I called and was instructed to email my documents to an unsecured email and it would be looked at. I sent the email, no response. Again, collections calls started in XX/XX/XXXX, and so I called in requesting a supervisor, explained my situation and was told that they never received the documents. The supervisor XXXX then proceeded to tell me how they only had one document from me and when she explained what the document said and my correction of her understanding of what that document was, I emailed my discharge paperwork for the 3rd time. Verifying that it was received and was informed that it has to be forwarded. I explained that I expected a resolution and would be filing a complaint for the mishandling of my account which is causing my debt to reflect $ XXXX more than it should and the carelessness and unresponsiveness of that company if I hadn't heard back. Now a week ago, in XX/XX/XXXX the collections calls have started again and after explaining things for the 4th time is like to file a complaint.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law Closed with explanation
2019-10-23
Phoenix, AZ
Dealing with your lender or servicer
Student loan: Federal student loan servicing
Trouble with how payments are being handled
Complaint: Per Great Lakes, my account was put on hold for an audit by the Department of Education on XX/XX/XXXX and after the audit was complete, I now have new principal balances. A Great Lakes employee stated the reason this audit was done was to reassess the way the interest was capitalized in XX/XX/XXXX creating these new principal balances and that the Dept. of Education are able to do this at any time.
The principal balance on one of my unsubsidized loans with the highest interest rate and the highest balance increased by {$760.00} while a few of my lower interest loans with lower balances decreased. I am now paying more in interest than I was before the audit due to this adjustment.
The overall total principal balance of all my loans increased by {$200.00} and I am not sure how the Dept. of Education is allowed to readjust my balances at will.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law Closed with explanation
2019-10-23
Bentley, MI
Dealing with your lender or servicer
Student loan: Federal student loan servicing
Trouble with how payments are being handled
Complaint: I graduated XXXX XXXX University in XXXX of XXXX. From that time I have been very aggressive with paying off my student loans. I have paid off roughly 1/2 of the principal balance as of today. As of XX/XX/XXXX, I began attending XXXX XXXX University to peruse a graduate level degree. On XX/XX/XXXX, I received an email stating that " Your request for a deferment has been approved ''. I had never requested a deferment for my payments as my graduate degree is sponsored by my employer and I am not taking out any student loans for it. I was able to contact Great Lakes and suspend the deferment. With this process, the next required payment for my student loans was changed from the year XXXX to XXXX of XXXX. My complaint is that two months after returning to school a deferment was made without my consent. Documentation was then falsified to appear as if I was the one who had requested this. Great Lakes falsification of my request has reset the timer on when my next payment was due by.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law Closed with explanation
2019-10-23
Euclid, OH
Dealing with your lender or servicer
Student loan: Federal student loan servicing
Received bad information about your loan
Complaint: Between 2007 and present day, I have paid my student loan payments. As a XXXX in a XXXX school in Ohio for the past 13 years, I expected to now qualify for loan forgiveness. I have come to learn that I was LIED to for years about having been " on track '' for student loan forgiveness from the various servicers on my account. It is beyond disgusting that the federal government would permit these companies to provide deliberately misleading practices and information that would harm public service workers and cause them to encounter denial for forgiveness. It is no wonder the denial rate is 99 %. These predatory companies KNEW that they could get away with ripping us off for years since it wasn't until the 10 year mark that their deliberately deceptive practices would be discovered. Please do something to help!!!
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law Closed with explanation
2019-10-22
Philadelphia, PA
Dealing with your lender or servicer
Student loan: Federal student loan servicing
Problem with customer service
Complaint: I have reason to believe that Great Lakes reps are being unwillingly involved to delay & /or prevent my loan consolidation applications from being sent, ( transferred ), to XXXX . I have requested and ordered repeatedly for the last some months since end of 2018 for them to send all of my loans, with the exception of any direct plus loans for XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, to XXXX. They have yet to do so.
XXXX mailed back my documents & application stating that Great Lakes denied them permission to process my consolidation application. Although I did hold off, I still emailed Great Lakes on several occasions, made phone calls to Great Lakes, spoke to reps, who led me to believe it was being taken care of, & specifically send notificatrions on their website, to release my loan applications for XXXX XXXX, so that the XXXX DEPT, ( who is also under investigation by " The Borrower Def, Ref, Cancellation DEPT '', along with XXXX XXXX ... ), would be unablke to continue to service or have any access to my loans & consolidations ...
Great Lakes even mailed me 30 pages of documents, stating that the XXXX-XXXX DEPT forced them to add XXXX XXXX direct plus loans to my applications without my permission. They stated that they had to due to XXXX XXXX DEPT, having jurisdiction over them! They don't have jurisdiction over me as the consolidator! I have a right to transfer my loans to another servicer if I choose. This is the matter
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law Closed with explanation
2019-10-17
Polson, MT
Dealing with your lender or servicer
Student loan: Federal student loan servicing
Problem with customer service
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law Closed with explanation
2019-10-16
KY
Dealing with your lender or servicer
Student loan: Federal student loan servicing
Received bad information about your loan
Complaint: Asking for payment history information and being sent another link that is excessively time consuming and inconclusive.
Asking about changes in the loan service providers and why my balances are still the same for XXXX and Great Lakes and not receiving a good explanation.
Asking why my payment histories and current loan balances do not add up and not getting a valid response after two hours on the phone.
Being told the reason for the math difference is because of interest which is not accurate ( the reason I consolidated specific loans is because it would save me money in interest, not the opposite ).
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law Closed with explanation
2019-10-16
Halyoke, MA
Dealing with your lender or servicer
Student loan: Federal student loan servicing
Trouble with how payments are being handled
Complaint: The servicer is insisting that their " system '' does not allow them to apply overpayments without creating a " paid ahead '' status. I do not consent to being in a " paid ahead '' status, and wish for my full monthly parent to be due, regardless of whether or not I've made an overpayment.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law Closed with explanation