Consumer complaint received 2017-05-18
Company: Navient Solutions, LLC.
State: OH
Product: Student loan
Sub-product: Federal student loan servicing
Issue: Struggling to repay your loan
Sub-issue: Can't get other flexible options for repaying your loan

Complaint:
Yes ( hi ), On     XX/XX/XXXX , I re ceived a phone call from a company identifying themselves as  XXXX   XXXX   XXXX  on behalf of Naviant. The party shared that I needed to establish a student loan payment plan, for which I was surprised was not coming off my debit card directly. Then, I realized that  my student loan payments may have been somehow suspended for one of two reasons I had n't realized : ( 1  ) in   XX/XX/XXXX ,  when I was released from duties as a   XXXX   for 'not being the right fit ', following several months of note-worthy job performance ( never being sited for any form of dereliction of duty, nor in any way deviating from the expectation -- in fact, I 'd been praised in my efforts to implement various   XXXX   and   XXXX   XXXX   XXXX   XXXX  , and having my team reach their production quotas, etc. ) ;  or ( 2 ) i n   XX/XX/XXXX ,   when I was hired by a scammer using a ( real ) company as a front to run some type of   XXXX    scam - - they 'd   XXXX   XXXX   me to separate {$4800.00} cashier 's checks, days after hire, informing me that I was required to purchase computer equipment and software from their trusted, long-time vendors, then utilize the remainder of the funds for office expenses, as required. ( BUT SINCE I 'd worked in the   XXXX  and  XXXX     XXXX   XXXX   of a  XXXX  in the past, I " knew '' it was not protocol to have a new employee, unvetted, purchase any type of equipment, let alone, receive checks to purchase one 's own equipment -- a reputable company would purchase the equipment themselves then have it delivered to the home office -- as they 'd indicated the new offices were being renovated, thus I had to work at a remote location for the next  2 to 3 m onths ... ). So, I DID NOT follow through with their heinous scheme, but rather telephoned  XXXX , the FBI and local police to report their act and receive instruction.     Since  I 'd prov ided my banking information, in order to have payroll deduction, the police told me to have all my cards changed, so I did. Because of the the devastation in going weeks having lost a job I 'd done nothing against policy to loose, receiving absolutely no income from unemployment benefits yet, as it could not begin until late   XX/XX/XXXX , ( a nd no relief funding from public aid either ), having cancelled interviews wit h two other companies due to the " fake '' hiring ( one at the 2nd-round level ), now burning the night oil in order to find " something '' suitable so that I could feed  my children, try to keep my lights, water and gas on, help my   XXXX  and  XXXX   son out financially, who were headed back to college, try to find a repair shop to estimate repairs on my SUV ( since the {$1800.00} repairs I 'd paid cash for the previous year did not " fix '' my car 's issue in the slightest -- I having later been informed by  XXXX  that it appeared the repair shop placed the original parts back on my car, however charging me {$890.00} for those parts ) so I could get my youngest son back to  XXXX  in   XX/XX/XXXX   ...     I got hired on at  XXXX , as a   XXXX   XXXX  , in a neighboring town, just after receipt of my second unemployment check, so after having recei ved only 2 payments ( and having to utilize 100 % of that to play catch-up on those debts which had occurred over the summer and early fall ), those benefits ended and I was now on hold for a paycheck for another 2 weeks, after 2  more weeks of working at  XXXX , that assignment ended, so I had to wait for a decision on yet another filed request for unemployment benefits. But during that time, a job offer for a job   XXXX  m iles south of  XXXX   (  in  XXXX  ) came in. I shared that my car was n't working properly, with the recruiters, but they pleaded that I consider taking the job, telling me that it would probably turn into full time. Figuring that I could file my taxes so that the refund could go to repair my SUV, I conceded to take the part-time temporary job in  XXXX , deciding to close out my small retirement account ( less than {$2000.00} ) in order to rent a car for that duration, until my tax return came back.     Long story short, because so much was going on, I totally was n't even aware my student loan was n't coming out automatically ; given the stress of trying to survive   XX/XX/XXXX , it ( and I believe perhaps a couple subscriptions ) had n't crossed my mind  that the residually-scheduled payments were 'not ' being made. I did receive shut-off notices in writing from DP & L to let me know that the auto-payment could not be made. I did not, however, receive any mailed, emailed, nor telephoned notices warning me that my student loan had not been paid for that duration of time, had I have known, I would have been relieved to have been notified, to re-establish payment arrangements. I finally received a call on   XX/XX/XXXX  , around  XXXX   XXXX  letting me know I 'd been behind for several months and that a new payment plan would have to be established, and " oh,  yea,  by the way, we 're keeping your tax return you 've filed! '' I was dumbfounded ; you have months to alert me in writing, or by telephone, but call me " after '' I filed my tax return to tell me you have filed paperwork to deny me my tax return of over {$6500.00} because I owe roughly {$200.00} in back payments?     When the new administration held up tax returns for another month, I could n't afford to continue to rent the rental week in and week out, so I emailed my boss, requesting consideration to decrease the number of days I was working ( but increase the hours ) ; she was so busy, and I never saw her, that despite send ing 2 emails and a voicemail, she did n't reply to me ... Because of the lengthy hold on the tax return, then the ( almost calculated ) call from the student loan collectors telling me that they 've confiscate d my tax return -- parallel to the time-frame the new administration held up tax returns ..., unable to carry the rental for another month, and having my HUD rental rate sky-rocket since the new income did n't take into account my renting a vehicle, and since my food stamps for my kids and I, were stopping due to the temporary part-time job out-of-town, I was being left with less than {$100.00} per week to take care of my family and the expenses, so I was forced to quit my job and look for one closer to home. ( I took he job in  XXXX  because I anticipated it potentially turning full-time, and the Ohio  Unemployment Benefits  rule book say that if you are offered a job and turn it down, it could be deemed an attempt to thwart the system, thus making one ineligible for continued benefits while job searching continued for something local -- I 'd sought guidance from an Unemployment Benefits associate who said it was my call, I 'd have to weigh the pros and cons ... ) I certainly would have shared my situation with  Naviant 's collectors, had I been granted knowledge of the state of my student loan prior to the call informin g me of the confiscation.     So, in the end,  XXXX   XXXX   XXXX  set up payment arrangements with me, and took all my tax return, so I 'm broke, and desperately looking for a job. My degree is in  XXXX  (   XXXX   XXXX   XXXX   XXXX   XXXX   XXXX   ) but, despite interviewing, I have yet to be offered a job. I do n't know if it has to do with the slightly new bias of class/racial climate, but if it does, I understand that and hold no remorse -- it is what it is, but it is terribly affecting my ability to lead a lifestyle where my children and I can know any form of security -- and there are hundreds of jobs open and available in my field ; and although I am not a " risk '', but rather an asset, none of those companies have extended invitation to interview, nor any offers.     Because of all the harassment of the student loan collection efforts, even FOLLOWING their confiscating my tax return, rather than contacting me last year ( their having done so seemingly well orchestrated with that unscheduled delay that took place ), I have been so under pressure while looking for a job, that I have stopped answering my phone ( probably missing out on interview opportunities ), because when I answer my telephone they say " this is a recorded line ''. I feel uncomfortable not addressing them, but considering they did n't even inform me before taking all my tax return, it really feels like I 'm now just being picked on. I have always been a productive member of society. I do n't give that agency permission to record me on some recorded line ; they took the only means for which I could fix my car in order to work, in which case ( once I learned of the matter, had I been informed the correct way ), I would have been more than happy to have begun amicable payments, as faithfully in the past. Even now, I am wondering why they are calling me, since they have confiscated my funds and have established minimal payments. I feel as though I 'm caught up in a whirlwind of harassment, like they cut opened a wound and wo n't stop sticking a fork in it, now that they 've gotten the chunk of flesh out ; and it 's hurting, so I try my best to ignore it.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation