Consumer complaint received 2021-04-30
Company: HEARTLAND PAYMENT SYSTEMS INC
State: IL
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Federal student loan debt
Issue: Took or threatened to take negative or legal action
Sub-issue: Threatened or suggested your credit would be damaged

Complaint:
In XX/XX/XXXX, I sent in my XXXX  student loan payment via check. It was returned to me with a letter that said my acct. was paid in full. I also pay for credit monitoring with XXXX, who contacted me later that month to inform me that my credit score had dropped due to a missed payment to ECSI. 

In XX/XX/XXXX, I contacted ECSI via online chat to explain the situation, and that I wanted the mark on my credit fixed since it was ECSI 's error. The representative told me that the only way to resolve this was to apply for a forbearance. Which I did, and asked that repayments be resumed in XXXX XXXX. 

In XXXX XXXX I sent in another check. Although online, my acct. still listed me as being delinquent. Again my check was returned to me with the same letter. 

In XXXX. XXXX ECSI notified me that my acct was deferred due to COVID, yet my acct. still read as past due. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I contact ECSI via phone. I spoke with a man named XXXX ( XXXX ). I sat on hold for 24 minutes while he talked to a supervisor. XXXX told me that he had submitted my case for investigation. He asked that I email copies of the paperwork ECSI had sent to me, which I did later that day to XXXX. 

On XXXX XXXX, XXXX, I called again and spoke with XXXX ( XXXX ) to follow up for approx. 40 minutes. She said that no investigation had been started. That even though I had received this letter, and my check that they had no record of it. She said that the only solution was for me to write my acct. # in the memo line. Also, though I can not change my name online, and had contact via chat multiple times to change it they still had my debt listed in my maiden name. When I asked about resolving the mark on my credit, she told me that the only way to fix it was to send in hard copies of what they sent to me. I explained that I had already done it. She said that they do not check the previous email I was supplied. In fact, ECSI does not have an email because of privacy concerns. I told her I could not produce paper copies since I do not have a working printer or access to a fax. She said that maybe next month ( XX/XX/XXXX ), someone might happen to check the email I was given in XXXX. I pressed further, asking why I the customer, on top of interest, should pay for them to resolve their error. She said that she couldn't tell me anything different and forwarded me to her supervisor XXXX XXXX. XXXX came back and gave me her personal email and requested that I send her hard copies. 

In XX/XX/XXXX I filed a complaint with the Attorney Generals Office. And received another call. They tried to collect payment on the first two payments I missed. I explained again that I had not missed these payments. That they had been sent back to me in error. I rehashed all that I previously stated. After I pressed the woman I spoke with told me they had contacted XXXX  XXXX who agreed to fix my credit. She said if I did not pay these two missed payments though then they would not fix my credit. 

I then asked about the federal deferment. Didn't that mean that payment was not due until it ended? She said yes, no payment was due until it ended. 

On XXXX  XXXX I logged onto my old student acct to download a copy of my unofficial transcripts for a job application. I wasn't able to access them as there was a hold on my acct. 

I called and left a message with XXXX  XXXX that was returned by XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX. At first she could not find my in the system because she needed my maidan name. She reread all my notes to me from the conversations I'd had with ECSI. She said the last notes read that they tried to collect payment and I refused. I told her about how I asked about the federal deferment and was told payment was not due until it ends. I asked her if that was not the case? 

She explained that she didn't really know the answer to my questions but since her supervisor, XXXX XXXX was the one who handled it she'd have her call me. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, XXXX called and left me a voicemail explaining that in her opinion I'd refused payment and that XXXX  Federal Loans do not full under the umbrella of deferred payment even though ESCI on multiple occasions told me it did. As a result, ECSI sent my debt to collects with XXXX XXXX and I'd have to work with them to resolve it. 

ECSI is using predatory methods to increase revenue. The only way you can make payments to ECSI without an additional fee is via check or enrolling in their automatic payment plan. 

I think they are purposely employing tactics to generate revenue through fear by forcing people to incur late payment fees and, in turn, pay additional fees to quickly resolve a payment issue online and avoid a mark on their credit. They also threaten customers with these facts to coerce payment. 

They also attempted to collect the debt from myself and my husband even though we were not married when I signed for it. This debt has only been in my name.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation