Consumer complaint received 2020-01-14
Company: SLM CORPORATION
State: NV
Product: Student loan
Sub-product: Private student loan
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Sub-issue: Problem with customer service

Complaint:
I have filed a complaint with the XXXX in XX/XX/XXXX. They have since closed the case and referred me to you to file a complaint since the company, Sallie Mae, stated that they will resolve the issue but have yet to do so. Complaint ID XXXX. Here are the details surrounding the case. 
In XX/XX/XXXX, my " special '' repayment program ended and they were going to charge me and my mother ( co-signer ) XXXX $ + a month for my student loan. My mom has been paying for a few years prior due to my income and not being able to pay for it. In XX/XX/XXXX, my mom called and told Sallie Mae that we can not afford the requested payment and asked if there were anything else that can be done. They told her " there is nothing we can do until your payment is in default ''. So we didn't pay. In XXXX XX/XX/XXXX, the harassment starting getting out of control, calling all family members, my work, my PERSONAL WORK CELL PHONE, faxes verifying my work to my office, that doesn't have an HR dept, with no coversheet for anyone to see and this was all after I told them to not do it. On XX/XX/XXXX I was told I was 155 days past due ( which is not accurate which I found out later on ). I mistakenly talked to them ( employee ID XXXX ) regarding my loan. I have never seen such unprofessionalism from an employee anywhere in my life, let alone someone who is trying to collect my money. She threatened to send me to collections and then request the entire loan up front with no payment options, told me I don't know how to manage my money and that I NEED to " improve my financial situation '' " refinance my car, cut back and get a raise ''. She told me that I was a liar when I mentioned that Sallie Mae told my mom back in XXXX that the payment needed to go into default in order for them to help us. EVERY SINGLE TIME I would try and explain my situation ; how I would be homeless with my child if I tried to pay, that I live on the bare minimum, that I can not just " ask for a raise '' and get one, how I cant refinance my car because I have terrible credit because of them and already have 30 % interest on the car, she would RUDELY yell and interrupt me saying, " ma'am you need to calm down '' " you're not listening to me '' " we are here to help you ''. She told me I need to pay in the XXXX $ range and that's all they could do, although telling me she could work with me ( realistically they told me I would pay XXXX $ a month with 4 % interest rate for 2 years then it would go back to what it is ). My mom and myself have provided the financial information to them and they told my mother that there is no way she could pay since she was XXXX $ a month with her bills and they told me I have " disposable income '' since they don't take into consideration the XXXX $ I pay a month for insurance for me and my family. Throughout XXXX and XXXX I would get letters in the mail, threatened and lying, including countless voicemails, stating they " haven't heard from me in quiet some time and there are payment options that they MAY be able to offer us ''. This is a lie because I was in constant contact with them. I had to change my address in their system, change my phone number and then give them a fake XXXX voice phone number because this was getting out of control. I told the XXXX  I would like an apology, put employee # XXXX on disciplinary actions or fire her for how she treated her customers, and give me workable repayment options. On XX/XX/XXXX they responded that Sallie Mae will reach out to the consumer directly to address. I did not know what this meant, it was such a vague response. I responded to this on XX/XX/XXXX stating just that. I also stated that since the complain was received I was receiving threatening and harassing voicemails from the employee 's supervisor, still lying, saying we haven't talked to you in " quiet some time ''. After this I received a phone call from XXXX in the Customer Advocate Department. She told me what they were doing was unprofessional and out of line and advised me of my rights as a customer and the path my loan could take if I can not pay. Sometime before XXXX, I spoke to them one last time because it was a different person who called me. My mom and I called together. Again we were threatened, saying if we don't pay they could collect it all and they asked if there is ANY way we could come up with the payment ( at this point it was well over XXXX $ ) which we said no, explaining if we couldn't come up with XXXX $ a month, how would we be able to come up with XXXX $ + by XX/XX/XXXX. Then I advised her that I knew my options about the loan process, which she interrupted anytime with a threatening demeanor saying " are you sure you know your options '' and again explained what could happen and if I don't pay by XX/XX/XXXX my loan will go into the " pre-default '' department. She wouldn't stop stating this so we hung up. After XXXX XXXX, I logged into my account and noticed my loans were gone. I am thinking I was lied to, because they do not show up on my credit report and to this date, I don't know what happened and they are listed at " write off ''. On XX/XX/XXXX I received a response from the XXXX stating that Sallie Mae sent a letter to the customer on XX/XX/XXXX to address her complaint ( which I did NOT get ). ( I know they have my physical address on file because after I changed my address in the system I still received a letter at my physical address ). We will be following up with the customer by phone today, XXXX - which I received no phone call.

Company public response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation