Consumer complaint received 2025-11-27 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — Private student loan debt
Issue: Written notification about debt — Didn't receive enough information to verify debt
Company: Maximus Federal Services, Inc.
State: FL

Complaint narrative:
Hello, Wishing you a XXXX XXXX. I contacted Department of Educations XX/XX/XXXX ( XX/XX/XXXX ) at the contact number ( XXXX ) XXXX at : XXXX call : XX/XX/2025 at XXXX EST ( call lasted XXXXXX/XX/XXXXs, spoke with a male ) XXXX call : XX/XX/2025 at XXXX EST ( call lasted XXXXXX/XX/XXXX, spoke with a female ) XXXX call : XX/XX/2025 at XXXX EST ( call lasted XXXXXX/XX/XXXX, spoke with Agent XXXX who later transferred me to XX/XX/XXXXXXXX ) XXXX call : XX/XX/2025 at XXXX EST ( call lasted XXXXXX/XX/XXXX spoke with a female who transferred the call to supervisor XX/XX/XXXX) I contacted XXXX today to obtain information regarding my balance and to structure a game plan to obtain all legal documentation related to the debt along with payment options. 

Upon the XXXX call, while no documentation was provided that showed original paperwork signed by me that allowed any unpaid debt to be sent to XXXX, the agent was very helpful and very informative. Upon this call, the agent provided me a compromise offer to pay the debt for a total of {$4400.00}. The agent did not disclose this offer was time sensitive nor that the offer was subject to change if not accepted within this call. The agent did disclose the payment may be subject to change if I were to contact the department at another day as interest would be collected by then. 

I contacted the department back at XXXX EST the same day, spoke with a different agent, who then advised me the total amount for the compromise offer is now {$4400.00} ( an additional {$20.00} dollars ). 

I contacted the department back at XXXX EST to obtain more insight for the drastic increase of {$20.00} in such a short time frame. Once my call was transferred to the supervisor XX/XX/XXXXXXXX, XXXX advised the system updates the fee upon the time the current call is placed. XXXX also advised the initial offer of {$4400.00} had to be accepted at the time of announcement. XXXX also advised that would not place any of this information in writing. This was not announced by the first agent during our first call otherwise I wouldve stayed on the line longer to inquire further and accept the initial request. 

Upon my last call, once the call was transferred to the supervisorXX/XX/XXXXXXXX once again, I advised XXXX ; This call is being recorded. Im formally requesting a written breakdown of todays compromise offer, showing all interest and fees added since the initial request from today, XX/XX/2025 at XXXX EST with a total of {$4400.00} quote. Under XXXX policy and consumer protection regulations, Im entitled to written verification before submitting payment. I need confirmation via email, fax, or mailed letter. 

The supervisorXX/XX/XXXXXXXX declined to provide any written documentation and declined to provide written documentation to show the details he provided to me via phone. 

After confirming XXXX would not provide any written documentation of the matter at hand or our conservation XXXX was advised : Since you are declining to provide written verification of settlement terms, Ill move forward with a formal complaint to the CFPB and the Department of Education Ombudsman. 

From what I gather, each time you call XX/XX/XXXX and you are presented with a compromise offer, the system ( which could be the system the department uses, the agents use, or another matter that is not disclosed ) adds fees based on the number of times you place a call to XX/XX/XXXX andXX/XX/XXXX does not inform you at the time of the call that the offer has to be accepted at that moment for that offer to remain unchanged. 

This practice results in consumers unknowingly paying more as they are not informed this is time-sensitive and requires attention within that initial interaction. 

This practice results in consumers being misinformed, misguided or hinted that the interest factors in days later rather minutes later meaning the additional amount in my example is not reasonably tied to true interest accrual. 

I request an investigation into this matter for us American citizens to be well-versed, informed, and accurate rather than be provided information that maybe have been hinted to be XXXX thing when it is another matter, or be misinformed. 

Thank you!

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation