Consumer complaint received 2019-07-14
Company: AES/PHEAA
State: TX
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:
In the process of getting my finances in order, I called PHEAA on XX/XX/XXXX in regards to my defaulted loan with my debt advocate on the line. The customer rep was XXXX XXXX ( XXXX ). XXXX proceeded to explain their rehabilitation program and the asked me a series of questions to determine the amount I would have to pay monthly which came to {$5.00}. One of the questions my debt advocate had was in regards to my tax refunds checks which are being intercepted by the Fiscal Service of the Treasury Dept. XXXX said that as soon as I enrolled in the rehab program, the checks will no longer be intercepted and said I needed to enroll in the program while she had us on the phone. She then said I needed to sign some documents right away to start the process.She then sent me the documents via email and I said I needed to sign them via XXXX and process an initial payment to verify my payment account. While on the phone, she repeatedly asked if I've received the documents and during which time my debt advocate asked her very specific questions to ascertain the fine print/terms of the 10 payment agreement since she was getting me to urgently sign the document and not give either myself nor my advocate a chance to read it. She confirmed with us that the checks will not be intercepted once I enrolled in the program. I signed the documents as soon as I received the email with XXXX on the line verifying that I signed it correctly. 

I waited till the second payment was processed to make sure there were no errors then filed my taxes On XX/XX/XXXX ( XX/XX/XXXX ), I received a letter from the Treasury Dept saying my check was intercepted and sent to PHEAA. 

I emailed XXXX immediately to find out why because she had confirmed it would not happen. She did not respond until I called PHEAA after a week on XX/XX/XXXX, and XXXX again on the line On the call on XX/XX/XXXX, I reminded XXXX of our call with my debt advocate on XX/XX/XXXX and asked why my check was intercepted and she said she had given me the wrong information that the rules were changed in XX/XX/XXXX that required 5 payments to be made before interceptions will stop. I told her I needed PHEAA to release the check to me since she gave us the wrong information and she went to speak to her supervisor. She came back and said the call was on XX/XX/XXXX was pulled and reviewed and they confirmed she did give me wrong info but she said the supervisor said the check will not be released and she said she was sorry for the wrong information but it was out of her hands now I called back on XX/XX/XXXX to complain again and see if I could get someone else. I got XXXX XXXX. I detailed my call on XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX and she looked at the notes on the account and said she could not do anything. I ask to speak with a supervisor. XXXX then put me on hold and then came back and said the supervisor said the check will not be released. I never spoke with the supervisor. I ask to speak with the supervisor 's higher up and she put me on hold again and then came back and said that she was sorry XXXX gave me the wrong info. I then ask that was she saying even though it's confirmed Kim gave me the wrong info that PHEAA will not return the check to which she responded I sign the documents and it was in the documents I signed that XXXX never gave me or my debt advocate a chance to read.The supervisors she spoke with were XXXX XXXX and XXXX XXXX. 

At this point, I have sustained very heavy financial damages as a result of the wrong information I received. And I was given the wrong info despite my debt advocate clarifying multiple times with XXXX specifically about the interception of the check. I request to have the check released.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation