Consumer complaint received 2025-03-15 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Problem with fraud alerts or security freezes — 
Company: MOHELA
State: CA

Complaint narrative:
To : U.S. Department of Education Student Privacy Policy Office XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX Washington, XXXX XXXX CC : XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  XXXX, XXXX, PA XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX  XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX, TX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX, GA XXXX XXXX XXXX Attn : XXXX XXXX  XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX CA XXXX Mohela - XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX MO XXXX Consumer Financial Protection Bureau XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX, Iowa XXXX Subject : Formal Complaint Regarding Data Breach, FERPA and Title IV Violations, and Request for Immediate Discharge of Student Loans To Whom It May Concern : I am writing to formally lodge a complaint regarding the unauthorized access and breach of my educational records, financial aid data, and IRS tax information by the U.S. Department of Education ( DOE ) and the Department of Government Efficiency ( DOGE ). This breach constitutes a direct violation of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act ( FERPA ) and Title IV regulations, as well as an egregious violation of my personal privacy and financial security. 

I recently discovered that my sensitive and legally protected records were accessed and potentially shared without my consent. This includes but is not limited to : 1. My academic records and personally identifiable information ( PII ).

2. My Free Application for Federal Student Aid ( FAFSA ) data, including financial aid history and loan information.

3. My IRS tax transcripts, which were obtained and used without proper authorization.

These actions violate my rights under FERPA ( 20 U.S.C. 1232g ; 34 CFR Part 99 ), which grants me the right to control access to my educational records, as well as Title IV of the Higher Education Act, which governs the use and protection of federal student aid information. Furthermore, unauthorized access to my IRS tax data raises serious concerns regarding potential identity theft, fraud, and violations of federal data security standards. 

Given the severity of this breach and the direct impact on my financial security and privacy, I demand the following corrective actions : 1. Immediate discharge and cancellation of all my federal student loans due to the breach of my financial aid and tax records, which invalidates the integrity of my loan agreements.

2. A formal investigation into this data breach, including details on how my records were accessed, who accessed them, and for what purpose.

3. A full report on the extent of my data exposure and the corrective measures being implemented to prevent future violations.

4. Immediate notification to XXXX  XXXX  credit bureaus ( XXXX, XXXX, XXXX, and XXXX XXXX ) to place a fraud alert and investigate any unauthorized activity that may have resulted from this breach. 

This breach has caused significant distress and concern regarding the security of my personal and financial data. If my demands are not met within 30 days, I will be left with no choice but to escalate this matter through legal channels, including filing complaints with the Federal Trade Commission ( FTC ), the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ( CFPB ), and pursuing legal action against the responsible parties. 

I request a written response addressing these concerns and outlining the immediate actions being taken to remedy this situation. Please direct all correspondence to the address listed above. 

Thank you for your prompt attention to this urgent matter. I look forward to your immediate response and resolution.

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