Consumer complaint received 2026-04-04 00:00:00
Product: Student loan — Federal student loan servicing
Issue: Struggling to repay your loan — Bankruptcy
Company: Servicer under contract with Federal Student Aid
State: GA

Complaint narrative:
RE : FORMAL DISPUTE AND NOTICE OF UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS OF PERSONAL DATA BY DOGE PERSONNEL To the Agent assigned to this case : I am writing to formally dispute the unauthorized access, disclosure, and inspection of my personally identifiable information ( PII ) and protected tax information. This access was granted by the Department of Education ( ED ) to individuals associated with the Department of Government Efficiency ( DOGE ) without my knowledge, consent, or the required legal notices. I am a student loan borrower whose records are maintained by the Department. I demand an accounting of all disclosures of my records pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a ( c ) of the Privacy Act of 1974. XXXX. The Nature of the Violation Based on sworn testimony, congressional correspondence, and investigative reporting, the Department granted DOGE affiliates access to internal systems that house the sensitive data of millions of Americans. Specifically, the Department admitted to granting " XXXX employee [ ] read-only access '' to the Financial Management System ( FMS ) and Partner Connect. Both systems contain data regarding Title IV loans and grants, including Social Security numbers, income information, and bank account details. Furthermore, reports confirm that XXXX gained entry to the National Student Loan Data System ( NSLDS ) and other datasets containing the tax information of FAFSA applicants. XXXX. Violations of the Privacy Act of 1974 ( 5 U.S.C. 552a ) The Departments conduct violates the Privacy Act in several key respects : Unauthorized Disclosure ( 5 U.S.C. 552a ( b ) ) : The Privacy Act prohibits the disclosure of records without the written request or consent of the subject individual, absent specific statutory exceptions. DOGE is not a " need to know '' recipient under routine use definitions, nor a law enforcement agency with a proper request. The Department failed to provide a XXXX-day notice to Congress or the public before altering the " routine use '' of my data to allow DOGE access. Failure to Maintain Accurate Accounting ( 5 U.S.C. 552a ( c ) ) : The Department has failed to maintain an accurate accounting of the disclosures of my records. When asked by Congress, the Department " refused to disclose whether and to what extent DOGE had access to student loan borrowers data, specifically ''. This lack of transparency is a direct violation of the Act. 3. Request for Immediate Action Therefore, I demand the following : Complete Accounting : Provide a full, certified accounting of every DOGE affiliate or " special government employee '' who has accessed, copied, downloaded, or viewed my electronic records ( including XXXX, XXXX, XXXX XXXX, or XXXX ). This must include the date, time, specific data fields viewed, and the stated purpose of access. Verification of Deletion : Given that the Inspector General has opened an investigation into " infiltration '' of these systems, I demand written certification that any data downloaded or copied by unauthorized personnel has been returned or destroyed and is not being held in private servers or non-governmental systems. Compliance with Injunctions : As the XXXX XXXX previously noted the risk that " permitting DOGE unfettered access ... lets the proverbial genie out of the bottle '', I demand to know how the Department intends to remedy the irreversible exposure of my personal information. If I do not receive a response within XXXX business days, or if I discover further misuse of my data ( such as identity theft or improper credit monitoring by third parties ), I will consider this a willful and intentional violation of the Privacy Act. Under 5 U.S.C. 552a ( g ) ( 1 ) ( D ), I reserve the right to file a civil action against the agency for actual and statutory damages. Sincerely, XXXX XXXX

Company response to consumer: Untimely response