Consumer complaint received 2023-10-22
Product: Student loan — Federal student loan servicing
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer — Received bad information about your loan
Company: Maximus Federal Services, Inc. (GA)

Good morning, I reached out to Aidvantage to take advantage of the new presidential student loan program repaye/save that promised to lower students payments based on their income. I reached out to my servicer in ample time prior to the due date of repayment to ensure that my payment would reflect the new amount and savings. I spoke with XXXX XXXX in XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX who set me up with Repaye after I provided him my XXXX XXXX. After going through the required questions and providing him with the information he needed he confirmed that my new replayment amount would be XXXX with a due date effective XX/XX/XXXX. He explained that I would be required to recertify in XX/XX/XXXX. I agreed! He explained that the changes would take a moment to take affect but would show online soon. Shortly after our conversation, I received an email from Aidvantage on XX/XX/XXXX after our conversation saying, " we have confirmed your IDR and the amount confirmed was XXXX. '' I was confused as that was not the amount we discussed under the new plan that was my previous repayment amount showing nothing had changed. I reached back out to Aidvantage on XX/XX/XXXX and spoke to another representative who reconfirmed that I was enrolled in the new repaye program for XXXX but that the changes had not taken affect. She explained that I was not obligated to make that payment of XXXX. I continued to check my account for changes and did not see any changes take affect. On XX/XX/XXXX I sent an email to Aidvantage online via the website help form inquiring about changes and why I was unable to see the new presidential plan amount reflected on my account. I also reached out to Aidvantage via telephone on XX/XX/XXXX and spoke with XXXX XXXX who explained she saw notes in the system showing that I signed up for Repay but that the representative failed to inform me that I was required to make at least one payment on my current idr plan before switching. Totally frustrated, I inquired about the next steps and was informed it was not a problem, she could take a payment of {$5.00} that would satisfy this payment and that I was still enrolled in repaye/save with an effective payment due of XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX. She explained because I enrolled prior to the XX/XX/XXXX recertification date I was fine and that she would expedite processing. She explained that I would not see changes until closer to my due date of XX/XX/XXXX. I ended the call with this representative feeling confident everything was set up for repayment in time for the pause discontinuation. I checked my account on XXXX and did not notice any changes so I sent Aidvantage another email online just to be sure and attempted to call but the line continued to disconnect. To date I have not heard back. I checked my account on XX/XX/XXXX and noticed that my account payment due was XXXX and that there was a pending forbearance which I did not request. Thoroughly confused at this point I am not sure what to do. I received an email this morning stating that my loan terms had changed, my forbearance was ending ( which I never requested ) and my payment due was XXXX. I feel completed scammed and misinformed by Aidvantage. I feel fully taken advantage of by them and this is not acceptable. Students want accurate information. We were informed by our president that there were new options available to us and we can't even trust that our servicers will enroll us as requested. Please advise. 

Thank you XXXX