Consumer complaint received 2016-05-09
Company: AES/PHEAA
State: GA
Product: Student loan
Sub-product: Non-federal student loan
Issue: Dealing with my lender or servicer
Sub-issue: Received bad information about my loan

Complaint:
XX/XX/XXXX, my XXXX private student loans, which are serviced by AES came out of their affordable payment plan that they were once in. At this same time, my husband also fell very ill and we did n't know what was wrong with him. By XXXX XXXX, we had met our {$6600.00} deductible with his medical bills, and was still trying to work out some sort of affordable payment arrangement with AES, but they refused to even negotiate a payment even close to what we once were paying. By XXXX XXXX, we had met our {$6600.00} medical insurance deductible again! This time we had also received a medical diagnosis of XXXX XXXX . I realized that he was not going to be working like he once was, and may not be able to walk much longer, and that meeting our high deductible might be a yearly thing. I began to seek better employment with better benefits. However, he was the major breadwinner for our family. I continued to try to negotiate with AES. I was able to lower my other private student loans ( through Navient ) with hardly any trouble at all, but AES was rude and ruthless. Everytime I called, I was given different information. I was told to let it go later and then call back in and I would better options. I was told to write a letter detailing the situation with my husband ( I can forward a copy upon request to you ), which I did. The response was seemed very generated, callous and unresearched considered the fact that they told us we could not have loan forgiveness ( which was never requested in the letter, showing me it was never read, and that we should apply for a lower payment program, which is what I asked for but was told we did n't qualify. So, I called and requested this, and was told, again we didnt qualify for this. I exhausted all forbearance time. Eventually, I was told that if I paid {$200.00}, {$100.00} per loan, the past due amount would be applied to the rear of the loan and everything would be fine. I was read terms and conditions. I agreed and paid. I received a letter in the mail saying I did n't qualify. I called them back and was told that to disregard the letter it was in reference to another program I had tried to do. I received my bill for XX/XX/XXXX. It showed the past due amount still on the bill. I called them back. They said it was just because I needed to be accepted into the program, and needed to make 3 payments first. I said okay. I got XX/XX/XXXX bill. It had late fees on it- seriously!!! So, I sent them an email, and was told that it was because I still owed the late amounts ... when I questioned this- I never got a response back- NEVER. Then today, out of nowhere, I get a call from my husband who tells me that they have sent my loan to default for lack of payment. Now, he gets upset and has to go back to the hospital because stress is a trigger for an exerbation with XXXX . When I call AES and ask them about this, they just say, well you were suppose to pay that ... BUT I DID!!! I did exactly what they told me to do- all of it? I am a police officer! I have changed jobs to have better insurance but I still do n't make enough money to pay their inflated payments ... .. please help me!! I do n't know what to do. My poor husband is going to die and they just do n't care. All they care about is their money. When I ask them for help I get oh! we ca n't help you- that 's up to NCT ... When I asked them today about all of this, again they blame NCT. Why do I never get to speak with NCT? Why do they get to treat people like this? Why does XXXX treat people so much better and have so many more options? I have copies of emails and other things if you need these. I just need an advocate to help me. they say they record these calls but they ca n't access them? They tell me they can see where I was misinformed but all they say is im sorry! I am still a paying customer! I can only go on what THEY tell me. Should n't they be liable for their words?

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation