Consumer complaint received 2024-07-10
Product: Student loan — Federal student loan servicing
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer — Received bad information about your loan
Company: HEARTLAND PAYMENT SYSTEMS INC (MO)

I am a XXXX XXXX  and I have moved XXXX hours away from my home in XXXX Due to this, I was not getting proper emails regarding my student loans from XXXX. My XXXX loan and XXXX loan ( private loan serviced by private school ), were placed into default making me ineligible for federal aid for the 23-24 academic year. I was determined to resolve the issue to regain eligibility. I reached out to the loan servicer, the school, the collections agency, who all pointed fingers at each other for what I needed to do next, and I had to read online to figure out the actual process to delegate specific steps to each entity to get out of default. After 3 months of countless emails, calls, and even making the 5 hour trip back home to meet with the director of XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, I was instructed to pay {$710.00} to cover the amount due during the gap period that I missed my payments, to allow my accounts to be pulled from collections. I did so immediately, draining my savings. But to my relief, I was instructed that my federal funding was available to me for the spring semester ( XX/XX/XXXX ). Before one of my exams, the collections agency called me to inform me of my account being again placed with them ( XX/XX/XXXX ) even though I paid the amount that was instructed to me. I called back ECSI several times during the semester to determine what had happened, but I was told several times that they didn't know either, and was refused any further information.

After calling again, ECSI said their " help desk '' was not responding and did not know why it was returned to collections. On another call, I was informed that it was taken care of and that I would have to reapply for deferment XX/XX/XXXX. 

Today, XX/XX/XXXX I just called them back to confirm the correct forms for deferment for the coming academic year, and was instructed that my account was in collections again. I was refused information regarding why it was returned. She insisted my payment was returned, but I provided proof that {$710.00} was pulled from my account back in XX/XX/XXXX. 

After two hours of arguing with the supervisor at ECSI who instructed me I refused to pay my bill and there was nothing she could do, she informed me that instead of {$710.00} I was told to pay, should have been {$760.00}. This was the first time that I have ever heard of this figure, and received no bill or any correspondence regarding this ledger and would have happily complied if I knew that is what was asked of me. At this moment, ECSI has sent an email to my XXXX institution however, I start medical school in two weeks and fear I will be denied federal funding for the coming year. 

Due to this entire process, it has caused extreme stress and has taken away time for studying and relaxing between my obligations as a medical student. I was called by collections several times before exams in which the members were extremely rude and non-compliant in giving me any information regarding my case. I am confident this has affected my performance as a student and resulted in the failure of one block due to the amount of stress inflicted by this situation and taking the call before a very high stakes exam. If this continues, I fear it will happen again and failure of another block will result in my dismissal from the medical program. 

I have spent countless time and effort to resolve this issue which was originally my fault for defaulting. However, I have gone above and beyond to resolve this issue and it appears the non-compliance of not only my XXXX institution, but my loan servicer, ECSI will perhaps now interfere with my medical education.