Consumer complaint received 2018-02-02
Company: Student Advisor Center LLC
State: PA
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Other debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed
Sub-issue: Debt is not yours

Complaint:
I was contacted by a company called Student Advisors in summer of 2017. They claimed they were working with the Federal government to help people out of student debt by consolidating multiple loans into one with a lower interest rate. In order for these services, they told me they charge a fee ( around {$1300.00} ) which I could pay in installments. I signed up for this, and signed an agreement that outlined the services they stated they were going to provide. One month later when I realized my student loans were not consolidated, I tried calling Student Advisors, and did not get an answer. I tried multiple phone numbers, left multiple messages, and never heard anything backfor months. Eventually I just gave up and chocked it up to a missed opportunity/near miss. That was until several months later when I checked my credit report and saw a credit account opened under my name from a company called XXXX XXXX. I looked into this and realized that this was the fee I was paying for the loan consolidation which I enlisted for. I called XXXX XXXX to cancel this account, stating to them that I never received the services I signed up for. They told me that they are just a third party, who bought my contract from student advisors. They said they could not close my account, and I still owe them all this money, and that they can not do anything about it because I signed a contract. No matter how much you try to reason with these people, they argue because they know they are wrong. This is criminal, and they should be persecuted by the law. They keep telling me to take it up with Student Advisors. How can I take something up with a company that doesnt exist, or if they do,  wont return my calls. Even when I explain to the people at XXXX XXXX that in my contract there is a clear clause that states all payments shall be returned to consumer if the product isnt delivered, they still argue. I rejected the response to the BBB by XXXX XXXX because : The claims that are being made are false. I never received the goods which I signed up for. This is XXXX XXXX, and completely illegal, although somehow these companies are flying under the radar. They are holding me accountable for paying for goods which I never received, and threatening my credit with it. Anybody can look at all the complaints filed against them and see that this is a criminal organization, or, if they are legit, they are doing business with a criminal organization, and should be held accountable. The Federal Government will have to intervene if they will not comply. Regarding the phone number provided, I have called dozens of times. Most of the time it goes straight to a " generic voicemail, '' and the call is never returned. It is obviously a scam, and XXXX XXXX by claiming they are a " third party '' is obviously colluding with them and this is how they are getting away with fraud and robbery. I invite anybody to call that number that XXXX keeps on giving to me. Out of nearly three dozen phone calls, I had ONE answered by chance. When I explained my concern, the girl was very nice, but said she is not in the " correct department, '' and would take a message to have " customer service call me back. '' Needless to say this never happened, and they are continuing to elude the victims. I, too have recorded voice calls, and documents which outline the terms of the negotiation ... which were never met on the seller 's part. Now the creditor should refund my money and break ties with this " XXXX XXXX '' company, if they truly are not criminals, that is. If they are committing these Federal Crimes intentionally, then of course they will not do some work on their own end and contact the people they claim to be a " legitimate business partner. ''

Company response to consumer: Untimely response