Consumer complaint received 2023-12-29
Product: Student loan — Federal student loan servicing
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer — Don't agree with the fees charged
Company: Nelnet, Inc. (MD)

I sent the following email to Nelnet on XX/XX/XXXX ( over XXXX months ago as of XX/XX/XXXX ) : XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  Hello, Account : [ XXXX ] Email : XXXX  XXXX  XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX I believe there was an error in my payment activity. 
I have included the chronological activity of the situation below : XX/XX/XXXX I filed for an Extended Graduated repayment plan. I was informed a decision would be reached within XXXX business days ( est. payment of {$510.00} ) I enrolled in autopay XX/XX/XXXX business days had passed with no response to request to change repayment plan I was billed {$480.00} XX/XX/XXXX I was billed {$510.00} XX/XX/XXXX I filed for an Extended Graduated repayment plan, again XX/XX/XXXX My new request for repayment plan change was approved XXXX business days, the time that Nelnet guaranteed would be the maximum to have my repayment plan approval decided upon, had passed before I was billed for either of the loan payments. I would like to have both of my payments refunded since they were not in accordance with the Extended Graduated repayment plan that I signed up for and I will continue with auto payments according to the repayment plan I was approved for. If it is not possible to refund both payments, I would like to request a refund for the balance difference between what I paid and the Extended Graduated repayment plan payment. 

Thank you very much for your help and I appreciate you taking the time to assist. 

Please call me at : XXXX XXXX XXXX if there is anything else that I can help clarify or information that I can or should provide. 

Regards, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  I have not received any communication from Nelnet regarding any of my points, whether email or phone call. 

I now have {$660.00} due, composed of {$280.00} past-due and {$380.00} current due, neither of the sum-totals nor the grand-total are the amount that is stipulated in my plan. I have just paid the {$660.00} to avoid the ridiculous situation of getting it put on my record for delinquent payment, but not because I agree with the charges. 

This company needs to be held to the same standard that customers are held to and needs to be fined for the financial burden it is unduly placing upon people. The fact that they charge multiple times per month is a known glitch that is openly discussed on XXXX : From XXXX months ago : XXXX XXXX XXXX From XXXX months ago XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Another : XXXX XXXX XXXX Another : XXXX XXXX XXXX Another even more recently : XXXX XXXX XXXX Another who was told by Nelnet directly that they wouldn't be double-charged and then they were : XXXX XXXX XXXX Another : XXXX XXXX XXXX Incorrect totals : XXXX XXXX XXXX Another double charge : XXXX XXXX XXXX That is only the XXXX page of XXXX searches returned when searching for " Nelnet double charged XXXX '' Each of those XXXX threads has a litany of people experiencing the same issue that is shown in the comments, with people pursuing all available options, including waiting on hold for hours upon hours.

This is simply criminal. Individual people and small-businesses would be in court for criminal activity if they did the same thing that Nelnet has been doing constantly. 

The Federal government needs to sort out this absolutely criminal practice that is jeopardizing and sometimes even outright destroying peoples ' livelihoods. 
Solutions could include a Nelnet refund program, paid with damages and accrued interest per the time it takes Nelnet to refund starting from the date of the double charge, just like how they charge customers ; stopping student loan payments until the company can be auditing for criminal practices with Nelnet to pay the Federal government for the issue that they have caused as being the student loan administrator. There are a plethora of solutions available, all of which are painful for Nelnet, and until any of them are put into effect, it is the student loan borrowers and their livelihoods that are paying the price for Nelnet 's lack of capability, ineptitude, and outright criminal activity.