Consumer complaint received 2017-04-07
Company: Navient Solutions, LLC.
State: FL
Product: Student loan
Sub-product: Federal student loan servicing
Issue: Dealing with my lender or servicer
Sub-issue: Received bad information about my loan

Complaint:
I was given false information from XXXX/Navient regarding qualification of my loans for the public service loan forgiveness ( PSLF ) program. This information led me to keep my loans w/ Navient, rather than changing my loans to Direct Loans which would have allowed me to qualify for the PSLF program. I had difficulty w/ attempts to inquire re : these issues w/ Navient. 
Worked for Dept. of VA as psychologist since XX/XX/XXXX & made payments on federal student loans to Navient w/ intent use PSLF program. Completed loan consolidation in XXXX, when expected rate hike was well publicized in the media. 
Received false information from Navient in XX/XX/XXXX that my loans qualified for PSLF program, such that I kept my loans totaling almost {$120000.00} w/ Navient. 
o XX/XX/XXXX, contacted Navient & spoke w/ XXXX at XXXX. Documented this call on paper for my own records. He indicated being familiar w/ the PSLF program & informed me that my payment plan qualified me for PSLF. He told me I had made 78 payments & needed to only make 42 more payments before I could apply for the program. He did not advise me I needed to complete any paperwork along the way. 
XX/XX/XXXX I learned my consolidation from Direct Loans to FFELP student loans in XX/XX/XXXX disqualified me for PSLF but was not told this in XXXX by Navient. 
Very difficult interactions w/ Navient staff in XXXX/XXXX/XXXX including dropped calls & intentionally expiring my online account o Called Navient & spoke w/ rep, explained situation, & requested to speak w/ a supervisor. My call was dropped. Called back, explained situation, & requested again to speak w/ a supervisor. Again call was dropped. Called 3rd time & spoke w/ XXXX at XXXX. Explained my call was dropped & was emphatic I be connected w/ a supervisor & not be dropped again. Was connected w/ supervisor XXXX . Told me I needed to consolidate my loans w/ XXXX. I was naturally upset to hear this after having been misled in XX/XX/XXXX. I did n't curse or personally attack anyone over the phone. I ended the call & tried to log in to my online account w/ Navient. Website said my username/password were not recognized. Attempts to recover a password were not feasible, as website indicated I did not have an account w/ Navient. Called Navient & requested to speak w/ a supervisor. Spoke w/ XXXX at XXXX after being on hold for 28 minutes. He said my account showed it had been " expired ''. I assume this was an act of retaliation towards me, as this could only have been done intentionally by a Navient employee & occurred after stressful phone call w/ the supervisor XXXX . XXXX helped restore my online account. 
Contacted Ombudsman group in XX/XX/XXXX & then contacted escalated line for Navient. Requested my records from Navient & an advocate. Was never assigned an advocate after being told by Navient staff this was due process for their company & was told I could not have my records w/o court order. 
o XX/XX/XXXX : called Navient 's escalated line & spoke w/ XXXX . Advised of situation & requested my records including from the phone call in XX/XX/XXXX. She indicated she would call me back. Heard nothing & called back on XX/XX/XXXX. Spoke w/ XXXX who sent an email request to be assigned an advocate. Was told advocate would be assigned & would be contacted in 1-2 days. Heard nothing back. Called escalated line from Navient XX/XX/XXXX & spoke XXXX XXXX XXXX He told me I would not be given my records & that Navient wo n't release my phone records w/o court order. Said Navient would n't work w/ me to help qualify my loan payments for PSLF program & needed do XXXX consolidation. He said no advocate had yet been assigned to my case, & it was pointless as any advocate would tell me the same thing. XXXX/XXXX/XXXX received Navient letter saying my FFELP loans did not qualify for PSLF program & need to apply for XXXX Consolidation.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation