Consumer complaint received 2018-06-08
Company: AES/PHEAA
State: OR
Product: Student loan
Sub-product: Private student loan
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Sub-issue: Received bad information about your loan

Complaint:
To : Consumer Protection Financial Bureau From : XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX Date : XX/XX/XXXX Re : Complaint on American Educational Services ( AES ) private student loan servicer for XXXX XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ) HISTORY Myself, XXXX XXXX, and my husband, XXXX XXXX, are the parents of 6 children all of whom hold college degrees. We as parents are co-signers on every loan that the children have. With the ages of the children, there were times that we had two kids in college at the same time. The school loans are a mix of federal loans and private loans. The earliest private school loan was taken out ( I believe ) in XX/XX/XXXX. We have been paying on these loans since then. I was desperate as a parent to ensure that our children went to college and the private school loans were so very easy to get. There are a total of 8 different private school loans, 6 of which are serviced by American Educational Services ( AES ) and 2 by XXXX. Today our concern is with the interaction our family has had with AES. 
PLAN OF ACTION In late XX/XX/XXXX and early XX/XX/XXXX, we as parents offered to 4 of our children, who have private school loans with AES/Navient totaling $ XXXX that we would refinance our house and use whatever equity we were to get, to pay off as many of the private loans as possible. We made this offer knowing that we as the parents have been the ones paying the majority of the school loans over the years because most of the kids didnt or dont have jobs that support the hefty payments. My husband and I are fairly close to retirement and we were hoping to find a way to be sure that the kids didnt default on any loans. However, not knowing where we would land in the refinance, we all decided to see if AES would accept a Settlement Offer that would essentially wipe 4 loans off the book totaling $ XXXX. The next step was for me to talk with AES since I am listed on all the loans as someone who could speak for this idea. 
CONVERSATIONS WITH AES On XX/XX/XXXX I made a call and talked to an AES customer service representative. Though I failed to write down this womans name, I believe her employee ID # XXXX is correct. This woman advised me that I could mail or fax my Settlement Request to them at the following number, XXXX. She advised me of all the information that needed to be on this offer and she told me that AES would ensure that the owner of these loans, which is XXXX XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ) would be given our offer and we would hear back from them, XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX at XXXX XXXX I faxed this Settlement Offer to AES. 

I waited one month ( into XX/XX/XXXX ) with no answer about our Settlement Offer. I called and spoke with XXXX, employee ID # XXXX. He advised me that absolutely my offer was sent to XXXX and that I should call back in one week. 

It was now early XX/XX/XXXX and we still had not heard from AES or XXXX on the Settlement Offer. On XX/XX/XXXX I called and spoke to a very young sounding woman and I had to explain again my whole story. I believe her employee ID is # XXXX. This woman was the most frustrating person that I have had to deal with in a very long time, and Ive been a cop for 30 years. She basically refused to answer any of my concerns about a Settlement Offer and simply kept stating that AES never accepts settlement offers and that my only option was to pay in full. I told her that AES, in my mind, could not make that decision since they were only the servicer on the loan, and that I felt that XXXX needed to make the decision. I went on to tell her that I didnt want to pay off such big loans without a guarantee that I was paying the right person/entity. She heard none of this. I explained that back in XX/XX/XXXX an AES representative is the one that gave me the information on how to make a Settlement Offer. This person did not know how to answer me on that. I then asked her what XXXX   stood for since I wanted to do an internet search on them. Her answer astounded me! She told me that she could not tell me that because I didnt have the right to know that. Of course I educated her on the facts and she then told me what XXXX stood for and we agreed that she would re-submit my request. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, since I still had nothing from AES or XXXX, I called AES back again. I spoke with a lovely woman by the name of XXXX, employee ID of # XXXX. I went through my story again and she was able to find my other contacts but did also tell me that XXXX has not answered. XXXX told me that XXXX is a trust and there is a history of sending requests to them and not hearing back. I shared with XXXX that I had contacted the face behind XXXX, a man by the name of XXXX XXXX. XXXX is the founder of XXXX XXXX XXXX in XXXX XXXX, XXXX and XXXX XXXX XXXX whose corporate headquarters is in XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX. 

I did something pretty basic and looked for XXXX XXXX on XXXX. I found his name in XXXX XXXX and I sent him a private message on XXXX messenger. I sent XXXX 4 messages explaining my sincere hope that he would be able to put me into contact with a real person at XXXX who had the authority to look at my Settlement Offer. His message to me on XX/XX/XXXX was the following : XXXX, I have read all of your correspondences. 
Let me first say that I am sorry for your familys situation and I have tremendous respect for your efforts to address these loans. I have in fact been very concerned with the collection practices with respect to the XXXX loans, and I have been litigating against PHEAA/AES and all the other vendors who have been blocking my attempts remedy the situation. 
With regard to your loans, I personally am not in a position to do anything other than to find you a contact person at PHEAA/AES to speak with. I do recommend seeking legal counsel to determine what all your options are, and if you google XXXX, you will no doubt find someone willing to advise you. I wish you and your family the very best, and I will endeavor to find you a real contact person at PHEAA/AES. 

XXXX XXXX became frustrated with my continued requests and on XX/XX/XXXX, he asked that I stop contacting him. XXXX, from AES, and I ended our conversation and told me that all that they can do is to send out my offer and nothing more. 

ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS 1. In all my readings about the private student loan debacle it is said to be something similar to the subprime mortgage crises that happened about 10-12 years ago in the XXXX. My children and I have private loans out that we dispute the amount owed on the one concerning my son XXXX XXXX. I requested to see original paperwork and was told AES is not able to get that. 
2. I told AES that I wanted to speak with someone higher up in their food chain since there initial representatives have given me conflicting information and I am told that is not an option. 
3. I thought the owner of the loans, which is XXXX, is the only entity that can speak to the possibility of a Settlement Offer yet the head of XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX, tells me to speak with AES. AES tells me that XXXX will need to be the one to answer my question of a settlement offer. It is absurd to be making such a financial commitment of refinancing a house, to try to do the right thing and yet no person anywhere is able to answer all my concerns. 
4. I dont want to pay off loans unless I feel assured that I am paying the correct entity and that I agree with the loan amounts initially given are accurate. 
5. My children and I do not want to default on loans. 

DESIRED RESLOUTION WITH AES 1. We would like a person at AES, who is in a position to make a decision, to be able to discuss our proposed Settlement Offer if indeed it is AES and not XXXX that has to power to make this happen. 
2. We would like to dispute the initial loan amounts given to XXXX XXXX. 
3. We would like proof that these four loans in question, being serviced by AES, are indeed able to be located to ensure we are paying the appropriate entity. 
4. We would like to understand why XXXX is not the person/entity to talk with if that is decided to be the case.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation