Consumer complaint received 2020-01-17
Company: HEARTLAND PAYMENT SYSTEMS INC
State: GA
Product: Student loan
Sub-product: Federal student loan servicing
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Sub-issue: Received bad information about your loan

Complaint:
I attended XXXX University from XX/XX/XXXX -XXXX XXXX and graduated with a XXXXXXXX in XXXX XXXX. Before graduating, I was advised that I had to pay a portion of my tuition out of pocket since I only qualified for student loans and it didnt cover all of my tuition each semester. I was advised that my out of pocket expense was roughly around $ 450-500 each month. I asked XXXX representatives at the financial aid department on two different occasions if I had any financial aid or student loan disbursements for the upcoming year I was told no twice and was explained that I had maxed out of my grants and I was only able to get a student loan to cover a portion of my tuition and the rest was left to me to pay. Once again, I called XXXX twice in XX/XX/XXXX and asked if I was going to get any more financial aid disbursements and I was told no from 2 different representatives. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I contacted XXXX bursar office and requested a history of all the financial aid refunds that were direct deposited to me during my enrollment and they sent me an email of the refunds/disbursements and I realized that there was one disbursement that I did not recognize. I contacted XXXX bursar office upon receiving the email to get more information and as stated in the email, I was advised that there was a paper check that was sent to my old address in XX/XX/XXXX in the amount of {$2100.00} and the check was cashed on XX/XX/XXXX. I informed XXXX that I did not cash the check and I called a few months prior to the date posted on the check to ask if I were going to receive any more refunds after the one I received in XXXX of XXXX and I was told no. 

After explaining and crying to XXXX bursar representative they informed me that I needed to submit a forged affidavit form and sent it to Heartland ECSI which is a third party loan servicer ; that they were going to investigate my claim and have XXXX issue me a check within 90 days. 

3 months later I contacted XXXX for an update ( I was no longer attended since I had already graduated ) and I was told that they never received a forged check affidavit or see any notes in their system that a representative sent one to me. I had explained the situation again and also stated that the last representative I spoke to sent me the forged check affidavit for me to complete and submit ; I also sent a copy of the check that was sent to my email. After explaining all of this to the representative, I was advised to sent in a another notarized affidavit along with the copy of the check to them and they will forward it to Heartland ECSI who investigate the claim and to contact them within 90 days they were going to issue me a check. I explained that I had no knowledge of any check being sent to me and most of my refunds from financial aid were direct deposited to my bank account. They apologized and advised that they were going to look into this matter. 

Another 90 days later, I called XXXX to check on the status of the forged check and was advised that I was suppose to sent the forged check affidavit and a copy of the forged check to Heartland Campus Solutions ESCI. I explained my situation again and was told that the information I sent needed to go directly to them and gave me their phone number to contact them. 

I contacted Heartland and was advised that I needed to send the notarized forged check affidavit to the them along with a copy of my ID and a police report. I informed them that its been almost a year that I have been sending in the affidavit and I felt like this wasnt going anywhere and Im just getting the run around at this point. Heartland gave me their mailing address and advised that they should have a decision within 90 days and that the school was going to issue me a check. I sent it through certified mail I contacted them 150 days later ( early XXXX ) to be told they never received anything again even when I provided them a tracking number to locate the mail I sent. I even explained that a detective called me from the XXXX precinct in XXXX XXXX and asked me questions regarding the report I filed and informed me that they may not be able to get surveillance from the check cashing center ( where the check was cashed ) since it happened back in XX/XX/XXXX but they will keep in touch if they have any updates or any other questions. After getting the run-around from XXXX and Heartland, that is when I became very suspicious of them because each time Im called back to get an update or resolution Im being told that they never received it and to send it again. 

90 days after that I called Heartland again and I was told by Heartland rep that they have no information in their system that I sent them anything or any notes regarding a forged check that was cashed and was given a fax number to sent over the affidavit, police report and a photo copy of my ID once again. When I received confirmation that the fax went through I called Heartland right away to advised that I sent over the fax and I have the confirmation that it was sent. The Heartland rep stated that they did received it and that it would take up to 90 days for the claim to be investigated.

I contacted Heartland 4 months later and they told me that the matter has been resolved and the conclusion is The correct payee received the check and cashed it. I was heartbroken and devastated that I was practically being accused of lying about not cashing a check-that was obviously not signed by me. I asked to speak to a supervisor and was advised by a supervisor that the decision was final and it was determined by their legal department. I asked the supervisor at Heartland, how can that be correct when the detectives told me they were going to let me know of any updates? they could not answer that question and told me that I would have to contact XXXX. Then I asked when was this resolved since its been almost a year and a half of going back and forth and I was told that their legal department came to the conclusion that The correct payee received the check ten days after I submitted the information by fax in XXXX of XXXX. I contacted the XXXX precinct police department in the XXXX XXXX and asked to speak to the detective handling my case and I was told that they were still looking into it but so far nothing. Therefore Heartland is lying, they do not want to help me or issue me a check like they promised. This is a student loan reimbursement check that I have to pay it back when I am completely finished with school and its not right that they can give me the run around for as long as they did to turn around and tell me I did it. I cried to them over the phone to look into this matter once more but told me the case was closed, they wasnt anything else they can do and that they will not issue a check. I explained that they should help me based off the fact that I usually got an email whenever I was going to receive funds within 24-48 hours but never sent me anything regarding a paper check that was going to be sent by regular mail. All of my disbursements and refunds that I received were through direct deposit and the only one that was sent through regular mail was stolen??? after being told I was not getting anymore funds after the last direct deposit I received in XX/XX/XXXX????. Something seems very odd here and I suspect fraudulent behavior from both companies Please help me recover the funds that were stolen from me. I have no where else to turn. Heartland rather accused me of lying instead of taking my word for it and working with the detectives to see who could have done this. Please Help me

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation