Consumer complaint received 2025-08-21 00:00:00
Product: Student loan — Private student loan
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer — Trouble with how payments are being handled
Company: Stratus Financial LLC
State: PA

Complaint narrative:
I took out a loan with Stratus Financial for {$100000.00} to XXXX XXXX XXXX at XXXX in XXXX, DE. Stratus was the only financing option available at this school when I enrolled, even though it had a very poor reputation amongst instructors and students. In reality, only about {$31000.00} was ever disbursed to the school, partly after I explicitly revoked authorization in writing to make any further disbursements ( approximately $ XXXX before XX/XX/scrub>, 2025, and $ XXXX after authorization was revoked ). 
Despite this, I have already repaid {$100000.00} to Stratus more than triple the actual disbursed amount. Instead of correcting my account and refunding the remaining {$88000.00}, Stratus continues to treat the loan as if the full {$100000.00} was disbursed. They are now demanding additional monthly payments of {$2000.00} and have reported false delinquencies to XXXX. 

On XX/XX/year>2025, I formally notified Stratus in writing that I was revoking authorization for any further disbursements. Stratus ignored this and still disbursed an additional {$9000.00} to XXXX afterward. 

Since then, dealing with XXXX has been extremely difficult. 

When I requested a refund, I was first told this was possible and routine. Then Stratus changed its position. Initially nobody made it clear what was required to get this resolved, and they are now insisting I provide written confirmation from the school that I am no longer enrolled, despite having been in contact with the school themselves. This has been a challenge as the school seems to be stalling on Stratus behalf.

I have been rotated between multiple staff and departments, each repeating the same excuses or creating new barriers instead of resolving the issue. It seems there is no internal communication within Stratus.

After weeks of delay, Stratus began sending delinquency notices and late fees, even though I have paid far more than was disbursed. This has damaged my credit and caused serious financial harm.

Stratus has withheld {$88000.00} for more than 60 days. I run a business and could have used these funds productively. Their delays, bad faith behavior, and false reporting have caused significant financial XXXX  and business losses.

Stratus will likely point to a clause in the loan agreement that says funds are fully disbursed when allocated in their books. This clause is unfair and abusive. It allows Stratus to charge interest and principal on money that was never actually received by the borrower or the school. Worse, Stratus used this clause to ignore my written revocation of authorization and to withhold {$88000.00} indefinitely while still demanding repayment. 

XXXX has also contributed to the problem by refusing to provide a simple confirmation of my non-enrollment ; despite acknowledging I had no flights scheduled after XX/XX/XXXX and their system showing I had not completed the required continuation paperwork and was not enrolled in a program. It seems the school was already aware of issues regarding Stratus 's lending practices but did not offer any other options for financing. I believe XXXX financial relationship with Stratus has made them unwilling to cooperate. 

This is not an isolated paperwork issue it is a deliberate pattern of stalling, misapplication of payments, and abusive servicing practices. It seems to me that Stratus Financial is engaged in predatory lending practices.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation