Consumer complaint received 2020-10-03
Company: Nelnet, Inc.
State: NJ
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:
I graduated from college in XX/XX/XXXX. I started working for a school system in an urban community XXXX XXXX NJ fall of XXXX. 
In XX/XX/XXXX I heard on the news student loans would be on a forbearance requirement. I did not know or understand what that was. Then on XX/XX/XXXX, I received an email from Nelnet my federal student loan servicer saying encouraging me to postpone payments for 12 months to get your account up to date and avoid default by replying yes to the same email. 
I replied to that email immediately indicating Yes to accept the forbearance offer provided since that was all they were asking me to do. 
Approx. 1 week later on XX/XX/XXXX, I received an email to reset my password. I reset my password with Nelnet. At that time I checked on my status of the loans and they were considered on time and my loans were also put into XXXX forbearance status until XX/XX/XXXX. 
My work location is now closed for rest of school season. 
I received an email on my credit protection service in XX/XX/XXXX, my credit scores dropped significantly. I opened up my credit report and I was current on my student loans and all other creditors to that date in XXXX XXXX. MY credit reporting service provided solutions to up my scores by paying down some debt only. There was no indication of student loans or anything else being late. 

In XX/XX/XXXX I pulled a credit report and that report indicated I was late for 16 payments. This was surprising to me. 

I then contacted Nelnet and they told me they have been mailing me notices. I have never received any notices from them by mail. They also said they tried calling me However, I never received a call from them. I asked them what address they had to contact me and that was wrong so I corrected that with them on the phone. I also asked them what phone number they had and that was wrong. I don't know whose phone that was they had. I've had the same phone number since I was XXXX years old. I corrected my phone with them also. I was then told by them on the same call I was also contacted by email. I never received any emails from Nelnet, I asked them what email they had and they had my correct email. However, my 1st email from Nelnet was XX/XX/XXXX encouraging me to have my loans in forbearance. 

So I asked them to correct my status of being late and they refused. I offered to pay to the current status they refuse to help. They said they contacted me several times. Again I never received any contact from Nelnet about requiring paying my student loans to begin or that I was late. 
XX/XX/XXXX I had another conversation which also included my dad on the phone with my permission and theirs, They said they only tried to contact me by email. But I never received any emails until XX/XX/XXXX which was only to encourage me to provide my status in forbearance. They said an email was my preferred way to be contacted. But my dad and I also asked them why wouldn't you exhaust all ways to contact me if this is so important. They told me I was never mailed a letter, then said I was mailed and then said I was only emailed. Even waited on the phone several minutes for a supervisor. Such confusion and of course they won't put any of this in writing They did not have an answer other than just shift blame unto me. 

I'm am accusing Nelnet of failure to service properly my ability to repay my loans on time. Their refusal to reverse late status is unacceptable. It is unlawful according to consumer law. I had no indications or notifications of payment due to begin or showing I was late until XX/XX/XXXX when I did a more thorough check on my credit report. Their refusal to accept responsibility for lack of servicing is another violation. No contact was made and no attempts to fully exhaust remedies to contact what they indicated as delinquency is unlawful. They had my parent 's contact info. I know this because I couldn't even obtain a loan unless my parents were on the FASFA and my parent 's full information was listed and free for their use as an emergency contact. I lived on my own since I was XXXX years old. They did nothing. I was fully able and willing to pay those 16 payments, upon finding out about this delinquency which was no way my fault. In the fall of XXXX, I was working in my field of schooling. I began working the fall after I graduated from college. I worked into XX/XX/XXXX until the pandemic and When schools closed my employment also stopped. Nelnet was quick to find me and encourage a forbearance and I received and acknowledged. But this was the first time I was contacted by Nelnet. 

I have spoken with Nelnet several times and documented these conversations and asked for supervisors and all they could do is shift the blame onto me. 

Upon graduation, I was never notified to begin making any payments. I was never notified of any late payments. I was never notified even after default was placed on my account until I checked my credit trade lines in XXXX of XXXX. Immediately upon finding out, I made every effort to contact Nelnet and to rectify the situation. I needed my perfect credit situation corrected that they tarnished because of their lack of servicing properly for the federal student loans and myself. 
Their lack of servicing for the loan and myself have caused irrefutable harm to my credit which was perfect. I'm pregnant now and I was looking to purchase a new home. I also need a new car to get to work. I can't do either since I am considered in default and late on government-backed loans. Loans that could and would have been on time if they notified me properly as due or late or made proper attempts to find me. I am also afraid my credit status will affect my ability to continue working since good credit is a concern and requirement.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation