Consumer complaint received 2025-11-27 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting or other personal consumer reports — Credit reporting
Issue: Problem with a company's investigation into an existing problem — Their investigation did not fix an error on your report
Company: Nelnet, Inc.
State: TX

Complaint narrative:
In XXXX, Nelnet began reporting my federal Direct Loans ( account XXXX, reported as XX/XX/XXXXNELNET ending XXXX XXXX ) as XXXX days late starting in XX/XX/XXXX. I am disputing this because the late reporting does not fairly reflect what actually happened with my account. I was actively trying to manage my loans and get them into an appropriate relief status, but I was blocked by technical and verification failures in Nelnets systems, not by any refusal to pay or communicate. 

XXXX. History of using relief options and being proactive Before these issues, I consistently used federal relief options to keep my loans in good standing whenever I had hardship : XX/XX/XXXX I submitted an Income-Driven Repayment ( IDR ) application. 

XX/XX/XXXX I was granted a hardship forbearance. 

XX/XX/XXXX I submitted an unemployment deferment. 

XXXX XXXX I was placed into a natural-disaster forbearance. 

This shows a long-term pattern of being proactive and responsible with my loans, not ignoring them. 

XXXX. Early XXXX could not log in or request relief, despite asking In early XXXX, when the new delinquencies eventually appeared, I could not log in to my Nelnet account or reset my password. The forgot password reset password emails never arrived after many attempts over months, so I had no way to access the online portal to apply for deferment/forbearance/IDR. 

Because I could not log in, I replied directly to Nelnets emails : XX/XX/XXXX : After receiving an important message telling me to log in, I replied from my email on file with Nelnet ( XXXX ) : I can not login to my account. Please defer my loan. 

XX/XX/XXXX : After receiving a XXXX notice on XXXX XXXX, I replied : Please defer I cant login. 

I received no meaningful help with the login issue, and no deferment was applied, even though I clearly stated both that I could not log in and that I was requesting deferment. 

XXXX. Multiple calls that never made it to a representative Throughout XXXX, I made many calls to Nelnets servicing number ( XXXX ). My phone records show calls on : XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX, and finally was verified with the ability to talk to a representative to actually get support Thursday, XX/XX/XXXX. 

On these unverified calls before XXXX XXXX, the interactive voice response ( IVR ) system repeatedly said it could not verify my account information even though I entered the correct information multiple times. Because the IVR could not complete verification, the system would not transfer me to a live representative, and those calls did not generate notes in my Nelnet account history. 

In other words, my phone records show that I was actively trying to contact Nelnet, but their system would not let me through or log those attempts. This is a key technical failure that prevented me from getting help or relief before the late codes were applied. Even though I have provided proof to Nelnet many times they have denied my request to update the delinquent credit reporting even though after I have been verified XXXX XXXX, a representative helped me unlock my account, reset my password, and apply for an IDF plan, consequently, they approved my IDF plan application XXXX XXXX, XXXX. 

XXXX. Continued technical issues and documented hardship On XX/XX/XXXX, I wrote in an email in response to a loan forgiveness program ( kept as evidence ) : I cant login to my Nelnet account I dont know what Im supposed to do. Every number I call is automated and I cant talk to anyone. 

This was during the same time period that Nelnet is now reporting as XXXX days late, and it shows I was confused and stuck because I couldnt access my account or reach a person. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I finally passed the automated privacy verification for the first time in months. I used that opportunity to request a deferment due to hardship. However, instead of connecting me to a representative or fixing the login problem, the system just told me to log in online, which I still could not do because password-reset emails were not coming through. By that time, the delinquency codes were already accruing, but I was clearly trying to get the loans into the proper status. 

XXXX. Account finally unlocked and XX/XX/XXXX/forbearance granted On XX/XX/XXXX, I finally reached a live Nelnet representative who was able to : Unlock my account, Help me successfully reset my password, and Get me logged in for the first time in many months. 

As soon as I had access, I immediately submitted a new IDR application with that representatives help. 

By XX/XX/XXXX, Nelnet had approved my IDR application with a required monthly payment of {$0.00} and placed all loans in XXXX XXXX, with a next payment due date of XX/XX/XXXX, and a current amount due of {$0.00}. This result is consistent with what I had been trying to accomplish all along ( an IDR / relief status due to hardship ) and inconsistent with the idea that I simply ignored my loans for months. 

XXXX. Chat escalation and ongoing verification issues On XX/XX/XXXX, I used XXXX online chat and spoke with an agent ( XXXX ). I gave a written timeline, explained the technical issues, and how my credit had dropped and I couldnt get a car as needed for travel to work. She confirmed that my letter and documents were in my file and told me to email and upload everything as urgent so it could be reviewed for credit reporting. 

Even on XX/XX/XXXX, the representative XXXX, still initially had trouble getting the system to verify my account information, which in fact she had to reverify all my info because the automated system didn't properly pass along my verification info, showing that the verification problems were ongoing and not just a one-time user error. 

XXXX. Nelnets response and harm to me Despite all of this, Nelnet sent me a letter on XX/XX/XXXX saying no adjustment is needed and that my late payments were accurately reported because my deferral/forbearance request came after delinquency. Their letter treats this as if I simply waited too long to ask for forbearance, instead of acknowledging that : I reached out early ( emails in XXXX asking for deferment when I could not log in ), I made many documented calls that didnt reach an agent because the XXXX would not verify me, I was blocked by technical issues from accessing my account or using the relief tools, and Once they unlocked my account, I was almost immediately approved for {$0.00} IDR and Administrative Forbearance through XX/XX/XXXX. 

Because of these Nelnet tradelines showing XXXX days late : My credit score has fallen from about XXXX in XX/XX/XXXX to about XXXX by late XX/XX/XXXX. 

My car is broken, and I can not get affordable financing for a replacement because lenders see me as severely delinquent. 

I have negative income on my last tax return and can not afford the large down payments and extremely high interest rates that my current credit profile would require to get reliable transportation to travel to work. 

I have never intentionally paid any other credit obligation late. The way Nelnet is reporting this account makes it look like I ignored my student loans for months, when in reality I was doing everything I couldemails, calls, chatto get them properly deferred or placed in IDR/forbearance, but Nelnets systems failed me. 

For these reasons, I believe Nelnets reporting is not fair, not fully accurate, and not complete, and that its investigation of my disputes has not taken into account all of the evidence I have provided. I am asking the CFPB to ensure Nelnet conducts a reasonable, good-faith reinvestigation and corrects the late reporting so that my history reflects the reality of technical servicing failures and my ongoing efforts to manage my loans responsibly.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation