Consumer complaint received 2018-07-07
Product: Student loan — Private student loan
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer — Trouble with how payments are being handled
Company: Navient Solutions, LLC. (NY)

Over the last few years, especially since Navient took over, I have had repeated issues with my private, and recently federal, loans from XXXX  school ( XXXX ). My private loans have been in repayment for years, and at least once a year, Navient redirects the funds to other loans. Even when my federal loan was in economic hardship forbearance ( meaning not in repayment ), they directed private loan monies to the federal loan. Then they harassingly call me ( and my elderly father as co-signer ) to say I'm delinquent when it is their mistake is misappropriating my payment. It is SO FRUSTRATING!! It just happened again. Now that my federal loan is in repayment they misappropriated those monies as well. I am never told the same thing twice by any representatives. I brought my federal loan current in XX/XX/XXXX and then started its repayment, only to be told yesterday ( XX/XX/XXXX ) that the representative gave my the wrong amount to bring it current and that I have been charged late fees since XX/XX/XXXX on an amount I never knew was outstanding. It just can't be right. The private and federal departments are separate and seem unable to speak to one another when these issues arise making it almost impossible to resolve these errors. I was on the phone yesterday for 2 hours and 11 minutes - only to learn that, again, they had moved the money to the wrong account. I can not help but wonder if there is something illegal going on ...? They also keep suggesting that I directly deposit to them to make things easier ; or make my payments through their website. Like I would ever let them be in charge of my money. They do not know what they are doing. It really is criminal. In fact, yesterday, when I forced them to go over the details of my accounts and payment history, they informed me that one on my private loans was paid. They never let me know and payments kept electronically going to that account. They said they were just applying them to another loan group. How is this possible?? I keep threatening to get a lawyer every time I speak to them. It really is unconscionable the way they handle this business. I was also told yesterday ( XX/XX/XXXX) that when I over pay my loan amounts it makes it " harder for them to know where the money should go ''. Seriously? Isn't that what account numbers are for? Everyone knows that one of the first things you do as a student borrower is to over pay as able to decrease the amount of time you are in repayment. To me, it seems that Navient 's representatives are suggesting that I keep my payments lower to increase the amount of interest I accrue and therefore have to pay them. Bad advice - and maybe illegal to suggest ...? I am a medical professional and have run a successful practice for the last ten years. I can not believe how demeaning it is to deal with Navient. It just has to stop. For me, yesterday was the last straw. I have these loans because I have a profession that I love and spend my life helping others. I can not believe that I am forced to constantly deal with this mistreatment and mishandling of my money. If there is any way someone can assist me, I would be very grateful.