Consumer complaint received 2017-10-19
Company: AES/PHEAA
State: MA
Product: Student loan
Sub-product: Private student loan
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Sub-issue: Received bad information about your loan

Complaint:
Hi Good Afternoon, I am trying to bring attention to a current issue that I am having that I know is effecting many other people also. I am hoping you would be able to help with this matter, as I am currently being told that legally I ca n't do anything about it. 

. In 2008 I took out a private student loan through XXXX. Since graduating from school I have been making these loan payments faithfully for the last 3-4 years. Since receiving this loan, the loan has been sold to the new loan servicer which is XXXX XXXX XXXX. In XXXX I had to relocate back to NY and had to suddenly leave me job. I contacted AES immediately to inform them that my income has changed as I was not employed at the time. AES ( who XXXX owns the loan, but AES is the loan servicer ) told me I am not eligible to push my payments off, or have a forbearance. They told me at best I could apply for a long term repayment option. I spoke with six different people that day because I was dumbfounded that they were telling me I had no options to pay any less than 75 or 38 dollars a month, when my income was XXXX. I knew this would negatively effect my credit score and AES was telling me this was my only option. I then asked them to send me an application for the long term repayment option. They informed me that a request was placed to be mailed an application. I called back 10 business days later and informed them that I did not receive the application. They told me they would mail out another application. Same thing, I called back 10 business days later. Only this time they told me because I have paperless inbox that the application was sent there. I went into the inbox and got the application printed. I faxed it back over that day. I called the next day to confirm they received my application. They told me it take ten days to process. I called back 10 days later, and was told they did not receive the fax. Fast forward it is not the beginning of XXXX and I ca n't get anyone to help me! 

Finally I placed a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. I was then contacted by a consumer relations analyst with AES. She informed me that if I am approved for the long term payment option then they will rectify negative reporting on my credit report. I then faxed over the information again. I then received a letter stating they needed student loan documentation. I faxed it two times with a confirmation letter, and both times it took another 10 business days ( each time ) to tell me they did not receive this information. I then contacted the analyst to voice my frustration with the process. I got her email address to scan in the documentation this time. Finally they received my documentation. Several business days later I received a letter stating they denied my request due to being 90 days past due on my loan, and because I did not have an income ( which I told them back in XXXX ). So after four months of contacting AES and stating that I do not have income to pay for the loan, I am being told too bad. This company is the worst! The customer service is the worst! and I do n't find this acceptable to treat people this way. Nor do I feel that this is ethical to refuse to offer people choices and openly tell you that if you do not pay this loan, then we will ruin your credit.

I finally am working again, and just paid off my loan. I contacted AES once more to see if they would rectify the negative credit reporting now that I have paid the loan up to date, and I was told no. I would really like any kind of help in this matter. If you google AES- American Education Services you will find hundreds of complaints similar to mine. 


Please contact me by email or phone. My email is XXXX and phone number is XXXX. 

Thank you, XXXX XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation