GREAT LAKES

2017-07-26

Brooklyn, NY

Struggling to repay your loan

Student loan: Private student loan

Can't get other flexible options for repaying your loan
Complaint: I graduated from the XXXX XXXX XXXX in XXXX. When I left college, I had {$11000.00} in debt. Pursuing an artistic career, I took a series of low-paying jobs, and only paid the minimum amount on my loan. When financial problems surfaced, I would take forbearances. But -- I did make payments. Though I have found the history of my loans on the Federal Student Aid page, I can not find a record of my payments. Do you know where I might get this information? My loan was sold twice -- once to XXXX in XX/XX/XXXX, then to Great Lakes in XX/XX/XXXX. Though I have made many payments throughout the years, my loan has metastasized from {$11000.00} to XXXX, not including the interest, which totals {$8100.00}. I admit that in my XXXX I was not diligent about understanding what I was signing up for. Now, even though I make a solid income, I still run into financial difficulties now and then -- recently, my mother became sick and XXXX XXXX, necessitating a great deal of travel for me. While I pay down that travel debt, I am not making payments on my loans. I despair of ever being able to pay them in full, and question whether that jump from {$11000.00} to {$69000.00} is a legitimate debt. I am attaching the documents I found on the Federal Student Aid page. Is there any recourse? Thank you for reading.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2017-07-25

Manhattan, NY

Written notification about debt

Debt collection: Federal student loan debt

Notification didn't disclose it was an attempt to collect a debt
Company Response: Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2017-07-24

Dayton, OH

Dealing with your lender or servicer

Student loan: Private student loan

Trouble with how payments are being handled
Complaint: On XXXX XXXX, 2017 my wages began to be garnished without any prior notification written or by phone. I had no idea who it was that was garnishing my wages, but after searching I found out that it was Great Lakes Financial. After discovering this I got in contact with them. They told me that in order to stop the garnishment I needed to send them last years tax information. I sent in my tax information on XXXX XXXX, 2017 but I also informed them that it was not an accurate representation of my family 's current situation, as we now had an additional dependent in a XXXX XXXX and also that my wife was no longer a full time worker but a part time worker and that she had been on XXXX leave for 4 months ( XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX) and had received partial pay during this time and no pay toward the end of the XXXX leave. They never took this into account during there calculations. On XXXX XXXX, 2017 I set up payment plan for my student loans. It was discovered that I met the financial requirements for hardship at XXXX XXXX monthly payments. They did n't tell me that even with me making payments that they would not remove the garnishment. XXXX XXXX, XXXX I submitted more financial information and how the wage garnishment was effectively putting my family of XXXX in to red to the company, to which they acknowledged but said I would have to continue to pay the hardship rate of XXXX XXXX monthly for 5 payments and continue to have 15 % of my wages garnished. The company said that even though my family was in hardship they would not remove the garnishment. I do n't understand how it is that my family qualifies for hardship but is still be expected to pay for the loan and have wages garnished each pay check and survive. It has become a struggle to even afford baby formula and we are falling behind on our bills. I feel that I was mislead especially in the beginning of the process and given incomplete and incorrect information, Great Lakes seemed uncaring of the financial situation my family is in, even going as far to say that in order for them to address the situation i need to send them an eviction notice. I understand that i am responsible for the loan and I plan to repay it. If I had received notification I would have addressed this issue sooner. I feel the stain that has been put on my family by the current payment is n't sustainable and is unnecessary. I also filed a XXXX ( XXXX loan forbearance form ) which I should be covered under but have n't gotten a response.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2017-07-24

Kalamazoo, MI

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

Timely Response

2017-07-24

Detroit, MI

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
Complaint: Great lakes educational loan services has been reporting loans more than 120 days late when the loans were paid in full by a student loan consolidation.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2017-07-22

Santa Rsa Bch, FL

Struggling to repay your loan

Student loan: Private student loan

Problem lowering your monthly payments
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2017-07-22

Los Angeles, CA

Threatened to contact someone or share information improperly

Debt collection: Federal student loan debt

Contacted your employer
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2017-07-22

Wasilla, AK

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

Timely Response

2017-07-21

NJ

Struggling to repay your loan

Student loan: Federal student loan servicing

Can't temporarily delay making payments
Complaint: I was contacted by XXXX XXXX XXXX on a daily basis for months pressuring me to enroll. I finally gave into their high pressure sales tactics and I enrolled. Shortly after enrolling, I became homeless and could not continue to obtain my degree. My loan is now in default and I do n't know what to do.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2017-07-21

NY

Incorrect information on your report

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

Account information incorrect
Complaint: Denied credit. when reviewing credit report from XXXX found GLELSI/XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX indicating open balance of XXXX. XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, WI XXXX BYMAILONLY This account was fully paid off. XXXX dispute site non-functional.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2017-07-20

Keizer, OR

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

Timely Response

2017-07-20

Fresno, CA

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

Timely Response

2017-07-19

Lk Buena Vis, FL

Incorrect information on your report

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

Account status incorrect
Complaint: I called Great Lakes to let them know that they reported wrong information and dropped my credit report almost XXXX points. They told me that they could not do anything to fix this issue! That 's incredible!
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2017-07-18

Bremen, GA

Dealing with your lender or servicer

Student loan: Federal student loan servicing

Received bad information about your loan
Complaint: I graduated in XXXX and promptly consolidated all of my student debt into an income-based repayment plan. My original consolidation loan with the Dept. of Education was sold to Great Lakes. For the past six years, Great Lake has refused to recognize that I have a consolidation loan. They say that " We have put you into a standard repayment plan. '' and then want me to sign up for a NEW consolidation loan. If I do that, the terms of my existing loan will be negated, which I do not want to give up. Great Lakes says they do n't have a copy of my original promissory note, which I do have a copy of and have sent them. They STILL refuse to accept my existing consolidation loan. My original student debt was {$60000.00}. In 7 years they have added so many penalties and interest that today ( XXXX XXXX ) I owe more than {$80000.00}. I will never be able to pay this off. They list my loans as defaulted, which mean I will never be able to buy a house, get a credit card, or improve my credit rating. This has RUINED me financially. I have attempted many times to talk to Great Lakes and sent them copies of my promissory note, but they refuse to abide by the terms of my consolidation contract. I tried the federal student loan ombudsman, but that was as a complete waste of time. I have lost any hope of ever repaying this or getting help to resolve the dispute. Great Lakes simply refuses to acknowledge that I have a LEGAL, BINDING, EXISTING consolidation loan and only wants me to sign up for a new, higher-interest loan with them. I 've given up and just accept the fact that I am financially ruined for life .
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2017-07-17

E Town, KY

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

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

Problem with personal statement of dispute
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2017-07-17

Flint, MI

Attempts to collect debt not owed

Debt collection: Federal student loan debt

Debt is not yours
Complaint: In XXXX 2017 I was contacted by phone at my employer in an attempt to collect a student loan debt. I have no student loans and informed the debt collector of that. I verified my middle name does not match that of the debtor they are trying to collect on. On XXXX / XXXX /1 7 I was informed by my employer that the debt collector had filed a wage garnishment. The paperwork received states it is for an individual with my same first and last name, but with a different SSN, middle initial, and address than me. It appears the only thing the debtor and I have in common are a first and last name. The debt collector was informed that I am not the debtor on the XXXX 2017 phone call and proceeded with an improper wage garnishment. The debt collector is XXXX XXXX XXXX . XXXX XXXX XXXX , XXXX , CA XXXX . The account # is XXXX .
Company Response: Company believes complaint is the result of an isolated error Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2017-07-16

Irving, TX

Incorrect information on your report

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

Account status incorrect
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2017-07-14

Asheville, NC

Dealing with your lender or servicer

Student loan: Federal student loan servicing

Trouble with how payments are being handled
Complaint: My issue is regarding excess payment allocation. Great Lakes Educational Loan Services is the servicer of my Stafford loans. I have 4 Stafford loans in total, each with a different interest rate. The highest interest loan is called " Loan Token 330. '' My monthly payment date for these loans is the XX/XX/XXXX of every month. In XX/XX/XXXX, I paid my monthly payment via autopay on XX/XX/XXXX. I also wished to make an excess payment in the amount of {$800.00} toward Loan Token 330. I called the Great Lakes customer service phone number on XX/XX/XXXX to make the excess payment. Great Lakes customer service was closed on XX/XX/XXXX due to the XX/XX/XXXX holiday, so I was not able to reach customer service. <P/> Great Lakes customer service reopened on XX/XX/XXXX, so I called on XX/XX/XXXX to make my excess payment. The customer service representative promised over the phone that my excess payment would be applied to Loan Token 330 only, and promised it would not be applied to my XX/XX/XXXX monthly payment. <P/> I logged into my Great Lakes online account on XX/XX/XXXX and saw that the excess payment was applied to my next monthly payment, instead of being applied to Loan Token 330 only. <P/> I called Great Lakes again on XX/XX/XXXX. For the first time, Great Lakes customer service explained to me that an excess payment must be made on the monthly payment due date if it is to be applied to a particular loan, and not to the next monthly payment. This information is not available anywhere on the Great Lakes website. The Great Lakes website states that an excess payment will go toward the next monthly payment first, but it does not state anywhere that the excess payment must be made on the monthly payment date to avoid this. Furthermore, I was told conflicting information during my phone call on XX/XX/XXXX : Great Lakes customer service told me that the excess payment would apply to Loan Token 330 only. <P/> During the call on XX/XX/XXXX, Great Lakes customer service told me that an " exception '' would be made for my payment, because they were closed on my payment due date, and because their customer service told me incorrect information on XX/XX/XXXX. The " exception '' would fix my excess payment so that it would go toward Loan Token 330 instead of my XX/XX/XXXX payment. <P/> On XX/XX/XXXX, I called Great Lakes again and was informed that the " exception '' did not go through and my excess payment would remain applied to my XX/XX/XXXX payment, rather than to Loan Token 330. <P/> I want the CFPB to help me get my excess payment applied to my desired loan.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2017-07-13

Grosse Ile, MI

Dealing with your lender or servicer

Student loan: Federal student loan servicing

Received bad information about your loan
Complaint: I was charged a late fee of {$3.00} for the month of XX/XX/XXXX. This fee was paid on X/XX/17. On Monday, XXXX/XXXX/XXXX I called and spoke with a manager ( XXXX ) at extension XXXX asking the fee be removed. XXXX checked my payment history and verbally confirmed over the phone with me that the late fee of {$3.00} had been paid ( in XX/XX/XXXX ) and he was unsure why it was still on my account. XXXX stated he would put the request through and have the {$3.00} fee removed and my account current again. He confirmed he would call me on Wednesday ( X/XX/17 ) to confirm this was taken care of. On Thursday, X/XX/17 I followed up to speak with another manager only to be informed they are not removing that late fee of {$3.00}. I have paid above and beyond the late fee of {$3.00}. My monthly payments are {$60.00}. You will see below my payment history and how in-fact the late fee of {$3.00} has been paid. On X/XX/17 I made 2 payments of {$67.00} ( this covered the XX/XX/XXXX late fee of XXXX and covered and ensured that XX/XX/XXXX was paid on time ) On X/XX/17 I paid ( on-time ) {$63.00} when I only owe {$60.00} each month.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2017-07-13

Savannah, GA

Struggling to repay your loan

Student loan: Federal student loan servicing

Problem lowering your monthly payments
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2017-07-12

Bow, NH

False statements or representation

Debt collection: Federal student loan debt

Impersonated attorney, law enforcement, or government official
Complaint: The complaint deals with XXXX XXXX XXXX, a company who claimed they were the Department of Education when I called for student debt relief. <P/>I went on XXXX to search Great Lakes Customer Service to see if I could get relief for my loans in XXXX since I was unable to afford payments. The number of XXXX XXXX XXXX was listed first and listed under Great Lakes Customer Service. Originally was told XXXX was the Department of Education Was told in XX/XX/XXXX I would not need to pay any money and be on income based repayment Received consolidation form ( apparently I need to consolidate before going to income based repayment ) Two payments of XXXX and another payment of XXXX was pulled from my XXXX XXXX XXXX checking account. XX/XX/XXXX got an email from Great Lakes saying I owed the full amount for loans XX/XX/XXXX, applied for Income Based Repayment myself Attempted to reach XXXX for weeks - no answer XX/XX/XXXX Attempted to email XXXX XXXX XXXX and was refused, they were not accepting any emails to that inbox Submitted a complaint on their site, and finally got a phone call Finally got someone on the phone Said they consolidated The only way to get income-based is to consolidate They told me that in XXXX, the amount I owed Great Lakes was only interest XX/XX/XXXX Spoke to XXXX from Great Lakes No consolidation is needed to qualify for Income Based Repayment Full amount owed - not interest Spoke to XXXX from Great Lakes Consolidation was part of Income Based Repayment, though unnecessary. Great Lakes received Income Base Repayment form in XXXX filled out consolidation and income I filled out in XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ( where the money was taken from ) Disputed the charges since it was difficult to get ahold of them and what I paid for was n't done. <P/>XX/XX/XXXX Called XXXX for follow up XX/XX/XXXX Received call from XXXX, reason of complaint was never filed Unsure if file made it to supervisor Said if I filed charge through the bank, there was nothing they could do Told me I should be thankful for their help. ( " You did n't go into debt because of our program, you went into debt because you took out a loan for XXXX XXXX XXXX dollars ) Was unwilling to listen to my arguments, interupted every time I tried to explain my problem.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2017-07-12

Brooklyn, NY

Dealing with your lender or servicer

Student loan: Federal student loan servicing

Trouble with how payments are being handled
Complaint: I tried to pay my student loan in full with Great Lakes on the due date of XX/XX/XXXX in the amount of {$13000.00} by phone. The phone payment computer was not working and it finally took my payment on XX/XX/XXXX using an agent. Instead of a XXXX -XXXX- balance, I am being billed for a {$51.00} balance plus interest since XX/XX/XXXX. Great Lakes is only posting my payment in full ( {$13000.00} ) as am " Amount Paid Ahead '' causing me to incur interest. The customer service representative told me that I must still pay daily interest even though I paid in full. This disputed balance is being reported on my credit report. The technical difficulty in accepting payment was caused by Great Lakes. It is outrageous for someone to have their credit crippled due to Great Lakes error. Especially with the payment of {$13000.00} in one lump sum having been made.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2017-07-11

Omaha, NE

Incorrect information on your report

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

Information is missing that should be on the report
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2017-07-11

Addicks Barker, TX

Credit monitoring or identity theft protection services

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

Billing dispute for services
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law Closed with explanation

Timely Response

2017-07-10

Cambridge, MA

Dealing with your lender or servicer

Student loan: Federal student loan servicing

Don't agree with the fees charged
Complaint: I had two loans with Great Lakes, one XXXX Plus and one private. In 2013, the co-signer of the private loan paid off their balance and I was left with a balance of {$9000.00}. Great Lakes wiped the {$9000.00} off my account and I was only left with the XXXX Plus loan. <P/>In XXXX, I applied for a consolidation loan of all my federal loans and chose GL as the provider. They added on the old {$9000.00} from the PRIVATE loan to my consolidation loans and did n't tell me. Repeated attempts to find out why they added {$9000.00} to my federal consolidation loans have gone unanswered. <P/>This is a criminal act and needs to be looked into.
Company Response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law Closed with explanation

Timely Response