Consumer complaint received 2017-08-03
Company: HIGHER EDUCATION STUDENT ASSISTANCE AUTHORITY (HESAA)
State: NJ
Product: Student loan
Sub-product: Private student loan
Issue: Struggling to repay your loan
Sub-issue: Problem lowering your monthly payments

Complaint:
This is an exchange of emails I've sent and received from HESAA, with no sign in the last five years of making my loan payments more reasonable for my financial situation. 

Then why tell me it might help me? I don't know how that's NOT misleading. Also, HESAA won't think about the thousands suffering already and implement a way for them to become current? That seems asinine, for lack of a better term. Wouldn't HESAA make more money off people willing to pay back their debt, and in turn, recommend their services to the next generation? 

What will be done for us, those of us who need something NOW, and have already borrowed?

XXXX

On XXXX XXXX, 2017, at XXXX XXXX, Servicing and Collections  wrote:

XXXX,

We are not trying to mislead you but unfortunately we don't know all the
details of the upcoming program but it  will only cover future loan
recipients.


If you need further assistance, please reply to this email or call the
Servicing Unit at XXXX, Option #2,  Monday-Thursday
XXXX-XXXX, Fridays XXXX-XXXX and Saturdays XXXX-XXXX.

Thank you,

Investigator
Servicing Unit


"Attention NJClass Borrowers" We are now offering electronic billing.
Please join us in this green initiative.  Additional details can be found
in your "Manage My NJCLASS" Loans portal at www.hesaa.org or
www.njclass.org.

General Information:  To better serve you, please refer to your monthly
bill statement for additional information regarding your Federal or NJClass
loan.



From:    XXXX XXXX 
To:    Servicing and Collections ,
Date:    XX/XX/2017 XXXX XXXX
Subject:    Income based repayment program



Hello,

I was given information by your department that CURRENT borrowers would
soon be able to take advantage of an income based repayment program.
However, I'm now seeing information published that suggests it is for
PROSPECTIVE borrowers. First of all, please clarify if the program will be
available to those who have ALREADY borrowed, and not solely to those
looking to borrow in the future. Secondly, please tell me (if the program
is NOT for current borrowers) why your department would mislead me as such?
Thank you.

XXXX

---------- Forwarded message ----------

On XXXX XXXX, 2017, at XXXX XXXX, Servicing and Collections
 wrote:

XXXX,

There is a program that is coming in the near future that should help
with
your situation.  We haven't been given a release date for it but it will
base payments off of 10% of income.  Also, if your co-signer is
XXXX XXXX they can apply for a XXXX discharge and be removed from
the
loans.  Hopefully this will provide some relief, once it is available.




If you need further assistance, please reply to this email or call the
Servicing Unit at XXXX, Option #2,  Monday-Thursday
XXXX-XXXX, Fridays XXXX-XXXX and Saturdays XXXX-XXXX.

Thank you,

Investigator
Servicing Unit


"Attention NJClass Borrowers" We are now offering electronic billing.
Please join us in this green initiative.  Additional details can be found
in your "Manage My NJCLASS" Loans portal at www.hesaa.org or
www.njclass.org.

General Information:  To better serve you, please refer to your monthly
bill statement for additional information regarding your Federal or
NJClass
loan.



From:    XXXX XXXX 
To:    servicingandcollections@hesaa.org,
Date:    XX/XX/2017 XXXX XXXX
Subject:    My account





To whom it may concern:

You're likely a person just trying to get by, like me. I get it. But I am
at my breaking point.

HESAA has been garnishing my minimum wages since XX/XX/XXXX, I believe. Isn't
that enough? I mean, this is after me spending YEARS trying to get
assistance with ADJUSTING my payments, not even eliminating them. Just
helping me to pay them, since I work a minimum wage job part time and I
CAN'T afford to pay my entire month's salary of $XXXX a month to student
loans. And please don't tell me to get another job - because I am the
primary caretaker of a child and of two XXXX XXXX parents, so there
is
no time. I've begged HESAA to meet me halfway, but they refuse. So I
finally said, whatever. Let them take 10% of my wages. BECAUSE I CAN'T DO
ANYTHING ELSE. If I was sitting on a mountain of money, I'd give HESAA
what
I owe just to get them out of my life.

That being said, for the love of all that is good, STOP SENDING ME AND MY
COSIGNER MAIL about my loans. Please. Do you honestly think that I can
manage to pay the bill other than through wage garnishment? You have my
social security number - look up how much I make. I don't understand your
logic. You're already slowly bleeding me dry, but now you want to treat
me
like I actually have OPTIONS? What are those options? Enlighten me. Oh
wait, there aren't any. Why? Because your organization falsely advertises
itself as being a state entity (with the implication of government backed
repayment), only to rope in people and enslave them for 20-30 years of
their lives, all while lying and saying "we have options." Consolidation?
Tried - didn't qualify. THAT'S IT. That's your huge wonderful customer
service capacity. That's what you've told me.

I'm already giving you what you said you'd take. So do me a favor, and
STOP
SENDING ME AND MY XXXX  PATIENT COSIGNER FATHER LETTERS before I sue you
for years of on going  harassment. Trust me, I've been working on a
lawsuit.

And you know what's even worse about all this? I used to work for HESAA.
I
gave four years as a XXXX, in honest full time work, all the while
promised
a permanent job. I know all the word games that are played in your
brochures, because guess what? I once wrote about half of them, along
with
press releases and op-ed articles for HESAA. And just like all of your
other empty promises, that full time job never came to fruition either.
In
a way, I'm glad, because at least I don't have to lie on a daily basis to
earn a paycheck, however small because of HESAA.

Chances are no one will bother to respond to this, but I feel a lot
better
now. If on the extremely slim chance you'd like to have an adult
conversation about readjusting my monthly payments to reflect my
disposable
income, I'd gladly talk to you. Otherwise, have a nice day.

XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation