Consumer complaint received 2017-07-08
Company: GREAT LAKES
State: FL
Product: Student loan
Sub-product: Private student loan
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Sub-issue: Received bad information about your loan

Complaint:
I have refinanced Federal student loans which were being serviced by XXXX ( XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX, NY XXXX ). The loan was three tiered. My current monthly payments under the second tier were {$310.00}. <P/>I received a letter from XXXX post marked XX/XX/XXXX informing me that my loan was being transferred to a new servicer Great Lakes ( XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX, WI XXXX ) effective XX/XX/XXXX. I made my last payment to XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX. I called XXXX the following week to request a copy of my loan file ( including payment history, a copy of the promissory note and loan terms ) and was told that they would not comply with this request. <P/>I received welcome letter from Great Lakes on or about XX/XX/XXXX that was dated XX/XX/XXXX. This letter provided a loan balance and stated that I would receive a billing statement with account details before my first bill was due to them. <P/>On XX/XX/XXXX, I received a billing statement from Great Lakes in the form of an email to an address that I had never provided to Great Lakes or agreed to use for purpose of receiving bills from XXXX or Great Lakes. XXXX had my email address on file but provided me paper billing statements per our agreement. The Great Lakes email-billing statement said that {$51.00} was due on or before XX/XX/XXXX and that payment could be made through mail, telephone, or online. The telephone and online payment method suggestions in the email contained embedded links rather than an actual site address or phone number. <P/>On Saturday XX/XX/XXXX at approximately XXXX, I returned to the Great Lakes email and clicked on the pay by phone link contained therein. It took me to a webpage informing me that no operators were available to take my call on this payment due date. I then clicked on the pay online link, which took me to a webpage that forced me to agree to terms and conditions with which I DO NOT AGREE ( including receiving all future billing statement by email ). I obviously had no choice but to click an agreement box in order to timely pay my bill. Additionally, I was required to make a payment of {$360.00}, rather than {$51.00}. This is an amount higher than the {$310.00} that I was obligated to pay to XXXX or the Great Lakes billing statement amount of {$51.00}. No rationale was provided on the webpage for the discrepancy in payment amount. Lastly, the site would only allow me to post my payment on XX/XX/XXXX and not the correct current date of XX/XX/XXXX. This site simply forces the user to adopt their posture by limiting other options on the payment webpage. <P/>I have collected all of the documents to support this complaint, as well as a video of my interaction with the Great Lakes website. I can provide these exhibits by USPS upon CFPB 's request. Unfortunately, I am unable to scan the items to add as attachments to this complaint. <P/>My concerns are four fold : ( 1 ) I do not agree to accept notices from Great Lakes by Email ; ( 2 ) My payment should be effectively dated XX/XX/XXXX so that no additional interest or penalties apply ; ( 3 ) I want copies of my full loan history, the loan terms, and promissory note ; and ( 4 ) I want a  statement of the corrected billing amount and the return of any overpaid principal and interest. <P/>It should be noted that the above described scenario violates p provisions of the FDPA and Florida Statutes Chapter 559. Please feel free to contact me by phone ( This offer is to the CFPB and not Great Lakes ) for any additional information.

Company public response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation