Consumer complaint received 2025-03-16 00:00:00
Product: Student loan — Federal student loan servicing
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer — Received bad information about your loan
Company: MOHELA
State: NJ

Complaint narrative:
On XX/XX/XXXX, I learned through news reports and a U.S. Senate investigation that the U.S. Department of Education ( DOE ) had granted unauthorized access to my private student loan records to the Department of Government Efficiency ( DOGE ), led by XXXX XXXX. This unauthorized access included my Social Security number, student loan balance, FAFSA records, academic records, residential address, bank account information, email address, and full loan payment history.

DOEs Failure to Notify Borrowers : Despite this severe privacy violation, DOE never informed me that my personal financial records had been accessed by unauthorized individuals. I only became aware of this breach through public reports and congressional inquiries. I was not provided with any official notice, fraud protection measures, or explanation from DOE regarding how this happened or what steps I should take to protect myself from identity theft. 

My Actions to Fix the Issue : I submitted a complaint through StudentAid.gov to request clarification about the breach, but I have not received a response or any assurance that my records are now secure. I have had to take additional steps to monitor my credit and safeguard my financial identity, which has placed an unfair financial burden on me as a borrower. 

DOEs mishandling of my private student loan data has caused : - My private information is now at risk of unauthorized use, and I have not been given any resources to protect myself ( Risk of Identity Theft & Fraud ) - The fear of financial insecurity, fraud, and long-term credit damage has caused ongoing stress and uncertainty ( Financial & Emotional Distress ) - Many employers conduct credit screenings, and unauthorized access to my financial history could negatively impact my future job opportunities ( Employment Risks ) Requested Resolution : Due to DOEs failure to protect my private borrower records, violation of federal privacy laws, and lack of corrective action, I am seeking a full discharge of my federal student loans as a remedy for this gross mismanagement of borrower data. Additionally, I request that DOE publicly acknowledge this breach, provide fraud protection services for affected borrowers, and implement corrective measures to ensure that unauthorized personnel can no longer access student loan records. 
This complaint is NOT about my loan servicer but about the U.S. Department of Education ( DOE ) and its failure to protect my private student loan records. 
I was required to select my loan servicer in this complaint form, but the servicer is not responsible for the issue I am reporting. Instead, DOE improperly granted unauthorized access to my personal financial and student loan records to individuals outside of DOE, specifically personnel from the Department of Government Efficiency ( DOGE ), led by XXXX XXXX. 

U.S. Department of Education Federal Student Aid XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXX/XX/XXXX, news reports and a U.S. Senate investigation revealed that DOE had allowed DOGE personnel access to borrower records, including my Social Security number , student loan balance, FAFSA records , academic records, residential address, bank account information, email address, and full loan payment history. Despite this severe privacy violation, DOE never notified me that my financial records had been accessed by unauthorized individuals. I only became aware of this breach through public reports and congressional inquiries. I submitted a complaint through StudentAid.gov, but DOE has not responded or provided any remedy.

My loan servicer is not at fault for this issue, and my complaint should be directed toward DOE. However, since I was unable to select DOE in this form, I am submitting this complaint under my servicers name with the expectation that CFPB will redirect it to DOE for review.

Given DOEs failure to secure borrower data, its violation of FERPA and the Privacy Act of 1974, and the financial harm caused by this breach, I am requesting a full discharge of my federal student loans. DOE must also implement security reforms and provide affected borrowers with fraud protection and credit monitoring services.

Company public response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation