Consumer complaint received 2026-04-20 00:00:00
Product: Student loan — Private student loan
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer — Co-signer
Company: SLM CORPORATION
State: FL

Complaint narrative:
Issue : Fraudulent student loan and failure of financial institution to follow XXXX XXXX XXXX Company : Sallie Mae Bank Complaint Narrative : I am a XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX filing this on behalf of my XXXX, who is a victim of identity theft and bank fraud ( XXXX U.S.C. XXXX ). Sallie Mae allowed a fraudulent student loan to be opened using my wifes identity as a co-signer without her authorization or knowledge. The investigation has identified the following critical failures and criminal evidence : KYC/CIP Failure XXXX Sallie Mae failed to verify the co-signers identity, allowing a fraudulent application to proceed despite a deliberate " XXXX XXXX '' transposition of the co-signers phone number. The number used on the application ( XXXX ) was a deliberate near-match to my wifes actual number ( XXXX ) to intercept verification calls. Identified Suspects : The primary borrower, XXXX XXXX, and a facilitator, XXXX XXXX ( aka " XXXX, '' Phone : XXXX ), attempted to " de-escalate '' legal reporting by making unauthorized back-payments on XX/XX/XXXX, to cure a default. Notice of Default : Sallie Mae is currently attempting to collect on a defaulted fraudulent debt. Not sure derogatory marks on my wifes credit report despite being notified of the fraud. Desired Resolution : Immediate removal of all derogatory tradelines and hard inquiries from all credit bureaus. Rescission of the " Notice of Default '' and a formal " Letter of Release '' for my XXXX. Internal referral to XXXX XXXX XXXX for prosecution of the identified perpetrators. Timeline and Information regarding Identity Theft and XXXX XXXX. XX/XX/XXXX received letter in mail from Sallie Mae stating loan ( XXXX ) are past due. XXXX has no knowledge of any loan ( XXXX ) with Sallie Mae. XXXX. Called Sallie Mae XXXX to discuss the issue of the loan ( XXXX ). Talk to customer service rep who wanted information such as date of birth and social security number. We refused the request to give XXXX & XXXX XXXX and ask to talk to someone in their fraud department. XXXX. Spoke to XXXX XXXX, would not give last name, but employee id number XXXX. He confirmed he worked in XXXX XXXX. Phone number XXXX discussing he asked for the customer information number on the letter and Susans XXXX which we gave him. At that time he confirmed XXXX was listed as the co-signer on a student loan for XXXX XXXX, a then student at University XXXX XXXX XXXX in XXXX XXXX, XXXX Told him XXXX never signed as a cosigner and we live in Florida XXXX He then asked if our address was XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX, FL XXXX we confirmed it was our address. When he check the phone number he gave us ( XXXX ) XXXX, told him that was incorrect it is ( XXXX ) XXXX. Asked him how did they verify it was XXXX he said just by using the name and address. XXXX. He then gave us instructions to report it the police, go on FTC Identitytheft.com fill out a report get a number. They will send us documents to complete and we will need the police report and the number assigned by the FTC Identity documents. He said once they have that information they will complete an investigation and get back us with in XXXX days after receiving it back in their office. XXXX. Did our internet search found an XXXX XXXX in XXXX working at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX phone number XXXX. Called the number at XXXX PM asked for XXXX XXXX, operator put me through to her extension, there was no answer left her voice mail and my number. She called back at XXXX inquiring what the call was about. We told her about the issue. She said she did not anything about it and did not know how XXXX was listed as co-signer. Asked her didnt she fill out the application she did but hen gave it to a person to assist her for fee and he completed it. Asked who is he she said she didnt know him ask the name she said what sounded like coffee didnt spell it for us. The loan was taken out in XXXX. XXXX she got him through a friend that who also used him to complete a loan application. She admitted she did not know us. She had missed XXXX payments due to a dental emergency that she had done and could not pay the loan for XXXX months. Said she would call Sallie Mae to discuss payments. XXXX. Later that evening she called back form her cell phone XXXX stating she was making payment tomorrow XX/XX/XXXX to get caught up on the loan. We thanked her for calling Sallie Mae and getting back on payment schedule. XXXX. Later that night I completed an online police report with the University XXXX XXXX XXXX Police XXXX. about the incident. XXXX. At XXXX I received a call from XXXX XXXX XXXX me know she made a payment today. She let me know she graduated in XX/XX/XXXX. XXXX. I called University XXXX XXXX XXXX Police XXXX. XXXX to check to see if they received the online submission. The dispatcher checked on it. He said yes they have it and his sergeant stated it was being referred to the XXXX Chiefs office, but I needed to file with my local authorities. He said the local authorities could then get in touch the University XXXX XXXX XXXX Police Department. XXXX. While on the phone with XXXX XXXX of XXXX I received another call from a Connecticut phone number XXXX at XXXX. After getting the information from XXXX I called back the number. XXXX. XXXX PM i called the number the person who answered the phone stated his name was XXXX and he was called to see if we could de-escalate the situation involving XXXX XXXX. I asked what his relationship was with XXXX XXXX. He said friend, like family, they are like brother and sister. He went on about how nice XXXX is and there was no intent on her part. She was just trying to get a loan to finish her education. Again I asked what did he want, just to see if we could not pursue it any further, told him that I need to complete the process to clear my wifes name and protect her from further identity issues or similar situations. I asked him who was XXXX XXXX as that is the name attached to the number XXXX, he said that was him. I asked why then say you are XXXX, he said that is what he is known by sort of like using XXXX instead of XXXX. He claimed to be in real estate business. We concluded our discussion by me XXXX need to follow through the process to protect XXXX interest and mine. Conversation ended. Nothing since. XX/XX/XXXX XX/XX/XXXX XXXX AM Call from XXXX XXXX apologizing again for the issue. XXXX she called Sallie Mae to explain the co-signer being an error. She stated they are sending her forms to fill out. She asked if we can not pursue any further action and not involve the police. Told her that was not my decision as Sallie Mae fraud person stated it needed to be reported to the police and FTCIdentityTheft.com for them to process the matter and remove XXXX as co-signer. She was very concerned over her future as she tries to start a career. Told her I was sorry she was put in this position too, but all she can do if approached by law enforcement is to tell the truth. It would also help to locate the person who completed the co-signer portion so law enforcement can discuss with him. Told her to keep making payments is XXXX way to keep the matter from escalating. She explained she was desperate to finish her education and needed the loan she allowed the person to handle the matter for her, she said she is sorry she did now.

Company public response: Company believes complaint caused principally by actions of third party outside the control or direction of the company
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation