Consumer complaint received 2015-09-02
Product: Student loan — Non-federal student loan
Issue: Dealing with my lender or servicer — Trouble with how payments are handled
Company: SLM CORPORATION (CA)

XXXX XXXX, XXXX , CA. When I first applied for this loan, I requested that I be placed on the option to pay once I finished school. My grandmother thought it was best to pay while I was in school. I told Sallie Mae that I wanted to wait, but since my grandmother was co-signing they started my payments while I was in school. We now know that my grandmother has been XXXX and had not told us. She no longer has control over her accounts. I 've experienced XXXX hardship after another since receiving this loan, My son was born XXXX XXXX/XXXX/XXXX, he passed away XXXX/XXXX/XXXX. My sister passed away XXXX/XXXX/XXXX from XXXX. Now my grandmothers health is rapidly declining as well ( we are in the process of selling her house to consolidate bills, including this XXXX ), and my other sister had a XXXX last week XXXX/XXXX/XXXX, resulting in our family learning that she had a XXXX and had emergency surgery just last Wednesday ( XXXX/XXXX/XXXX ). When I say my family has been having hardship after hardship, I mean exactly that. My mother kept in contact with Sallie Mae, and we let them know what was going on, the last payment they received was XXXX XXXX. We submitted supporting documentation, including a Power-of-Attorney showing that my grandmother no longer had control over her bank accounts. My concern is that, I am now finally in a position where I could set up arrangements to pay this myself and I was denied the opportunity to do so. I contacted SM this morning ( XXXX/XXXX/XXXX ) to bring them up to speed, and see what arrangements I could make. I was told they sent my loan to collections XXXX XXXX, XXXX. XXXX days ago! The representative went on to say that she would have worked with us or helped us, but when she calls, my mother is busy. Not to be rude, but given everything that is going on, my mother IS busy. They either call while were at work, in the middle of doctors appointments, or in case of last week, getting ready to go into surgery. If Sallie Mae was aware of our situation and had documentation, why would they send my loan to collections and we have obviously been trying to " work '' with them as well? Beside the fact that it really bothers me that, I said time and time again ( I even called in complaining about this, years ago ) that I wanted my loan set up to be paid once I finished school! Although I needed a co-signer they should have respected my choice as I am still the XXXX responsible to pay this back. I feel like I was forced into having to repay my loan while I am still in school. I foresaw these potential complications, and I feel like I was mislead. Moving forward, I bit the dust and struggled on. Now it appears that Sallie Mae literally was upset because she could n't speak on the phone right that second? If we loose our jobs for talking to them on the phone, how are we ever going to pay off this debt??? Also, SM Reps would call and not properly Identify themselves but would want you to give your personal information over the phone. There are soo many scams out, there should be another way. XXXX instance, they called me. I said I would like to call them right back myself through their direct number. I literally called XXXX minute later, and I was told I could not speak to my account manager and she would have to call me back. I feel like my loan was sent to a third party out of spite. The same way all of the sudden they could not take my phone call and they would need to call me back. They never called back by the way. Again, I have been trying to contact them myself since last week, I wanted more information regarding loan forgiveness for public employees. I even applied for another loan ( I knew it would not get approved ), just to get their attention in hopes of receiving a call or better yet an email. To my surprise when I got through to the call center, they no longer have my account.