vivekkopthsd/cfpb-consumer-complaints huggingface dataset:
Consumer complaint received 2015-10-20 00:00:00
Product: Student loan — Non-federal student loan
Issue: Dealing with my lender or servicer — Received bad information about my loan
Company: SLM CORPORATION
State: DC

Complaint narrative:
I cosigned a loan for a student at XXXX University in XXXX, MA, issued by Sallie Mae. The borrower cut all communication from me right after the loan was transferred to the school, and refused to have my name taken off as the cosigner. Now the borrower is delaying payments, and is forcing me to pay off the payments assigned to the loan or have my credit score diminish. Right after this happened, I contacted Sallie Mae and asked for an application to have my case heard and considered for a cosigner release. They told me that only the borrower can have the account considered for cosigner release, which is something I was not told about or agreed to when cosigning the loan. I was told that I have equal responsibility over the loan, yet when it comes to any action towards the loan - whether it 's actually have my cosign released or having my cosigner release form even considered - is something only the borrower can forgo. This has put my financial situation at high risk, and at the whim of the borrower - and something that Sallie Mae would n't even consider for cosigner release since only the borrower can do that. I was then advised by the escalation team that since I do have equal responsibility of the loan, I can request XXXX University to return the loan in full and then my cosign would be terminated. The escalation team told me that this is a practice they have done before and are willing to do for me since this is a relevantly new loan. When I contacted XXXX, I was told they would do this for me and that I should send an official demand letter stating my case and they would talk to Sallie Mae to make sure this was acceptable, and if it was, then they would exercise my right to have the loan returned. After a long delay, they responded to me after two weeks - at this point I have already been asked to pay off interest payments on the loan - and told me that they do not have any obligations to the cosigner and that they would not return the loan. Now my credit score or my financial account is in jeopardy and at the whim of the borrower, even though I was only following the advice Sallie Mae had given me, and only had given to me when I made it clear that unequal treatment over actions taken on the loan is not something I agreed to.

Company public response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation
Consumer complaint received 2016-04-06 00:00:00
Product: Student loan — Non-federal student loan
Issue: Can't repay my loan — Can't decrease my monthly payments
Company: SLM CORPORATION
State: OH

Complaint narrative:
Regardless of income, my monthly payment from the beginning of my loans ( of around {$410.00} ) to what will be the end near the end of the loans ( {$600.00} ) is simply too much to pay given my income ( currently around {$28000.00} annually ). These loans are through Sallie Mae. They repeatedly harass my co-signers, refuse to change my monthly payment, or adjust my interest rate ( despite my consistent, never-failing payments ). I received my XXXX in XXXX from XXXX and am fulfilling my dream doing exactly what I want, teaching and playing music. I love my life but find it EXTREMELY difficult to find true financial security ( including buying a car, home, and leisure ). The stress and mental wear that this situation continues to cause me day to day is absolutely awful. It affects every aspect of my life ( including my relationships and overall outlook ).

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation
Consumer complaint received 2016-02-27 00:00:00
Product: Student loan — Non-federal student loan
Issue: Dealing with my lender or servicer — Trouble with how payments are handled
Company: SLM CORPORATION
State: DC

Complaint narrative:
I signed up for auto payment on my Sallie Mae account, to take advantage of the reduced interest. Because Sallie Mae does not allow me to set up my own auto payment amount, the {$25.00} dollar payment is not enough to cover the interest. So I have tried to ways to make additional payments to pay down the principal. One way is through the Sallie Mae site, but my payment was used for interest. When I called Sallie Mae, they said that it was because I paid before the due date that I should use my banks Bill pay. I have now used my bank bill pay, and my payment was still used for interest. I called again and Sallie Mae stated that it is because it was a day after my due date. I have auto payment so I do n't understand how my additional payment would be used for future interest.

Company public response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation
Consumer complaint received 2017-03-19 00:00:00
Product: Student loan — Non-federal student loan
Issue: Dealing with my lender or servicer — Trouble with how payments are handled
Company: Earnest Inc.
State: MA

Complaint narrative:
I submitted and had a student loan consolidation approved by Earnest LLC ( earnest.com ) on XX/XX/2017. They had stated payoff of loans being consolidated would be completed within 7-10 business days. 

They then stated they were experiencing delays, and stated 30 days. Then emailed again and said 60 days. Now XXXX 60 days has past and I have had no pay-off. Interest rates have now risen, so using Earnest is proving to be a costly mistake. 

Any help would be greatly appreciated to get the payoff completed.

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief
Consumer complaint received 2017-01-25 00:00:00
Product: Student loan — Non-federal student loan
Issue: Dealing with my lender or servicer — Trouble with how payments are handled
Company: SLM CORPORATION
State: WA

Complaint narrative:
I 've called Sallie Mae a few times now to try and get an extended loan for lower monthly payments. They will not offer me this, they instead tell me my two options are putting my loan into forbearance for three months if i pay them a {$50.00} " good faith '' fee OR if i just flat out do n't pay my loan a collection agency will call me and help me set up a payment plan. Both of these options only hurt me and help them in the long run. How are they allowed to try and force me into collecting large amounts of interest or late fees?

Company public response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation
Consumer complaint received 2016-03-09 00:00:00
Product: Consumer Loan — Vehicle loan
Issue: Managing the loan or lease — 
Company: Consumer Portfolio Services, Inc.
State: WI

Complaint narrative:
I bought a new car from XXXX XXXX of XXXX in XX/XX/XXXX and they got me financed through Consumer Portfolio Services ( CPS ). Later I found that they hard pulled my credit 10 times to get this deal to work. From the start XXXX was nothing but nasty to me. I decided for my first payment to send in my payment with a check instead of incurring a {$12.00} fee for paying online or over the phone. I sent it in plenty of time for the mail to reach them by my due date. The day after my due date I got several calls a day from them. When I did talk to a representative, things got so bad that I asked to speak to someone else. This person explained to me that a 3rd party processor receives the checks and until they have completed processing payments which could be XXXX to XXXX business days after they received my check that it would be considered late. Because of this they changed my due date from XXXX/XXXX/XXXX to XXXX/XXXX/XXXX. I verbally approved this over the phone and they sent me a letter that verifies the change. As time went on I 've received several letters from CPS stating that my payment due date has changed. I have XXXX letters in my records XXXX from XXXX/XXXX/XXXX and XXXX/XXXX/XXXX. I did not ask for nor approve these changes. What they have done was extending my maturity date out a month each time which means longer loan term and more interest collected for them. The only time I have ever asked for an extension was XXXX/XXXX/XXXX which I called and asked for, they sent me paperwork, I signed and sent back for their approval. The last piece to this is the interest they are collecting. I noticed that I have been paying on this car for a little less than 2 years and my loan balance is not moving, and most of my payments they are applying to interest. I called the week of XXXX/XXXX/XXXX to speak to a representative on my interest and how they calculate how much is applied to each of my payments. She had told me that my loan is a simple interest loan with 16 % interest annually based on my original loan amount. She told me that my yearly interest amount is {$3500.00} which multiplied by 6 years equals {$21000.00} almost the same amount as my loan. Although on my sales contract it states that my interest for the life of the loan is {$12000.00}. That 's a big difference. There has been a lot of interest applied to my payments and hardly none to the principal. This company is a scam. They are harassing with their phone calls, nasty to me when I do talk to them, changing my loan terms by giving me a " courtesy due date change '' without my authorization and taking more for interest than what my finance contract states. These people are predatory lenders and they need to be stopped and the car dealers that are using them are not helping people with poor credit rebuild!!

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation
Consumer complaint received 2016-08-16 00:00:00
Product: Consumer Loan — Vehicle loan
Issue: Shopping for a loan or lease — 
Company: Consumer Portfolio Services, Inc.
State: CA

Complaint narrative:
I did not give verbal and/or written permission for Consumer Portfolio Services to pull my credit report on XXXX XXXX, 2016. Per Federal Credit Reporting Act this is an ILLEGAL act to make an " Hard '' inquiry which decreased my credit score on my credit report. When asked to show me proof of authorization this company could not provide it. This inquiry needs to be deleted from my credit report.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation
Consumer complaint received 2015-11-24 00:00:00
Product: Student loan — Non-federal student loan
Issue: Dealing with my lender or servicer — Trouble with how payments are handled
Company: SLM CORPORATION
State: NY

Complaint narrative:
I have XXXX loans that I make auto-payments on every month from Sallie Mae. I was told my account was " delinquent '' due to non-payment for four months. This was not true because there was money deducted every month from my checking account along with updated payment history on SallieMae.com. Interestingly enough, the person that was " handling '' my account admitted it to being Sallie Mae 's mistake. She also said she 'd make sure that the mistake would not be reported on my credit report. Fast forward to two months later and the issue was placed on my credit. I have gone through so much with this company ; I have never been more stressed in my life. I thought that this was a loan company that would let me look forward to a great college education but I ca n't when I 'm being backed against a wall for their mistakes. They are not loyal to their customers and they certainly have no remorse for their wrong doings.

Company public response: Company believes complaint is the result of an isolated error
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation
Consumer complaint received 2016-08-16 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — Other (i.e. phone, health club, etc.)
Issue: Cont'd attempts collect debt not owed — Debt resulted from identity theft
Company: Advanced Collection Bureau, Inc.
State: TX

Complaint narrative:
I am a victim of identity theft. Several years ago my bank, XXXX, had a data breach. My sensitive information including name, social security number, date of birth and address were sent to over XXXX people. Several accounts were open in my name without my knowledge or consent. This account was opened as a result of this identity theft. Later I also suffered a hack due to XXXX and XXXX. I have attached documentation of the identity theft and hack. I disputed this directly with the company and did not get a response.

Company public response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation
Consumer complaint received 2015-06-16 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — Other (i.e. phone, health club, etc.)
Issue: Cont'd attempts collect debt not owed — Debt is not mine
Company: Coast to Coast Financial Solutions, Inc.
State: NV

Complaint narrative:
The following collection company Coast to Coast Financial XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXAccount number XXXXplaced a account on my credit report without ever contacting me in any form. 
I have written this company asking for documentation several times regarding this account and have never received a response from them. 
They are violating my rights under the FCRA

Company public response: Company chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation
Consumer complaint received 2016-10-09 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — Credit card
Issue: Taking/threatening an illegal action — Sued where didn't live/sign for debt
Company: Second Round Limited Partnership, Austin, TX Branch
State: CA

Complaint narrative:
I received paper work from my place of work that I had a wage garnishment. I looked over the paper work and the creditor sued me in XXXX XXXX county. I have never received a letter that I was being sued, and I never lived in XXXX XXXX county nor did I take out the credit in that county. I have always lived in XXXX county and took out the debit in XXXX county.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation
Consumer complaint received 2016-04-18 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — Credit card
Issue: Cont'd attempts collect debt not owed — Debt resulted from identity theft
Company: Second Round Limited Partnership, Austin, TX Branch
State: TX

Complaint narrative:
This creditor called " XXXX '', say that i owe them XXXX dollars of items that i have no idea what they are talking about, and it happen XX/XX/XXXX -XX/XX/XXXX i have know idea who stole me Identity was stole about that time dealing with a Tax issues thats the only time that i knew of any Idenitiy fraud. So debt collector called Second Round LP send a statement of payment to me thats when i contacted Bureau of Consumer Financial.

Company response to consumer: Closed
Consumer complaint received 2016-09-16 00:00:00
Product: Consumer Loan — Vehicle loan
Issue: Problems when you are unable to pay — 
Company: LOBEL FINANCIAL CORPORATION
State: CA

Complaint narrative:
Lobel Financial assessed a mandatory insurance policy on a vehicle financed through them even though the proper and required proof of insurance was provided to their legal and insurance departments on several occasions by myself and by my insurance agents. 

The policy premiums for the coverage assessed on the vehicle were prorated on a monthly basis and added to the monthly payment on the vehicle. Despite repeated phone calls and faxes by my insurance agents the assessment went in for a period of approximately 30 months. Additional attempts to provide proof of coverage were to no avail. Lobel Financial was informed the account should have been credited for the accrued mandatory insurance premiums by XX/XX/2016 else legal action would be brought. 

Company representatives provided assurances that the insurance issue would be taken care of and that the amount credited back to the loan balance would be used to offset future payments due. On XX/XX/XXXX the company proceded to repossess the vehicle on grounds of missed payments on the account. On XX/XX/XXXX upon contacting the company to cure the loan to recuperate the vehicle the company representatives stated that the only available venue to get the car back would be to pay the remaining balance in full. 

Their excuse for proceeding in such manner was the allegation that the vehicle was being used to commute back and forth from XXXX contrary to the loan terms. Upon review of the loan documents said clause is obscure and unclear and therefore subject to many interpretations.

Company public response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation
Consumer complaint received 2017-02-14 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — Non-federal student loan
Issue: Cont'd attempts collect debt not owed — Debt is not mine
Company: The Phoenix Recovery Group
State: FL

Complaint narrative:
I received a call from Phoenix Recovery Group They keep calling asking for {$4000.00} they say I cosines for an apartment for my Daughter. I told them that I signed only the first lease but that she stayed after the lease was over and I did not consigned the second lease. They just keep calling and have reported it to the credit beaurow. I am 100 % VA XXXX and this is making me very disturbed. I have a copy of the second lease showing I am not on it

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation
Consumer complaint received 2016-01-20 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — Other (i.e. phone, health club, etc.)
Issue: False statements or representation — Attempted to collect wrong amount
Company: Capital Accounts, LLC
State: GA

Complaint narrative:
Contacted me XXXX XXXX attempting to collect a garbage bill that was 3 years old that I had no idea I owed. Their amount was the wrong amount and I disputed it. They sent an updated invoice in XXXX and called in XXXX. I paid the amount on their bill at which point they notified me that they placed this on my credit report. The operator was beyond rude and would not let me verify that the information he was reading to me was incorrect. I will be suing this company for defamation as I paid for a debt that was not valid.

Company public response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation
Consumer complaint received 2016-10-20 00:00:00
Product: Credit reporting — 
Issue: Incorrect information on credit report — Account status
Company: National Consumer Telecom & Utilities Exchange, Inc.
State: GA

Complaint narrative:
This reporting service claims to fix errors on my report but they never reflect the corrected version ( s ). The first page of their mailing ( s ), state the correction is made but if you look at the actual report in the same mailing, it does not reflect the correction. 

Personally, I do n't think they have a clue as I have called them over five times about the same issues. 

XXXX advised me to be careful of giving these people any information. 

Also, I fax identification documents, police reports, etc..because of identity theft. They state they do n't have the documents I sent and then all of a sudden, out of nowhere, they find them. 

They are supposed to give me a " Legislative Security Freeze '' but my reports list a " general freeze ''. This allows them to illegally charge me for future lifts of my freeze. 

Because of these tactics they are direct violation of the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation
Consumer complaint received 2016-08-12 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — 
Issue: Billing disputes — 
Company: STERLING JEWELERS, INC.
State: CA

Complaint narrative:
I returned XXXX items to Kay jewlers in the XXXX XXXX, CA mall on XXXX/XXXX/16. Sales person assured me that the money was instantly refunded. Card is still stating a balance of {$2700.00}. The balance owed should be {$0.00} since I no longer have the purchased items. {$0.00} in merchandise = {$0.00} owed. Please correct the {$2.00}, XXXX balance on my account to {$0.00} immediately, as I should no longer have a balance as all merchandise was returned. I called four different times and all four times the people on the phone assured me that they will send a ticket to the XXXX or it department and they will set the balance to {$0.00} since I returned all purchased merchandise.

Company public response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation
Consumer complaint received 2015-11-04 00:00:00
Product: Student loan — Non-federal student loan
Issue: Can't repay my loan — Can't get flexible payment options
Company: LOAN TO LEARN
State: OR

Complaint narrative:
The name of the institution that has my student loan is Loantolearn.com, which I found through XXXX XXXX. 

The situation is that I acquired this loan in XX/XX/XXXX for {$16000.00} and as of XX/XX/XXXX, I still owe over {$12000.00} on it. There 's just no movement on it whatsoever. At the rate I am paying, it will take me an additional 11 years to pay off this debt. 

I was divorced after nine years in XX/XX/XXXX and I do not have that second income to assist in paying my debts. I make a quarter of what my ex-husband made, so I 'm struggling with debt that was in my name but shared in the marriage. I have closed any and all credit accounts so that I am no longer incurring any new debt, and am living paycheck to paycheck. It 's been hard. 

What I would like to do is try to negotiate a lower APR and/or split the balance and just pay that. I can pay it off closer to 3 years as opposed to XXXX, actually 21 years, since I got this loan in XX/XX/XXXX.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation
Consumer complaint received 2017-03-20 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — I do not know
Issue: Disclosure verification of debt — Not given enough info to verify debt
Company: Stellar Recovery, Inc.
State: GA

Complaint narrative:
I received a letter from Stellar Recovery for an alleged debt in the amount of {$620.00} on XX/XX/2017. I responded to the letter requesting debt validation on XX/XX/2017 via certified mail. Letter was delivered on XX/XX/2017 but the credit agency never responded for which, they should have responded within 30 days. The said debt collector is now in violation of FTC compliance.

Company public response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation
Consumer complaint received 2015-03-28 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — Medical
Issue: Cont'd attempts collect debt not owed — Debt was paid
Company: American Collections Enterprise, Inc.
State: MD

Complaint narrative:
This company promised to delete items from my credit bureau files in return for payment in full on XXXX medical accounts. They promised to provide written documentation and electronically delete the items immediately. They never sent the deletion letters as promised and demanded I send a self addressed envelope fro a " second mailing '' per the company policy. I have received the letters for my records but the items remain on my credit files months after the agreement and payment.

Company public response: Company chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation
Consumer complaint received 2016-08-11 00:00:00
Product: Debt collection — Payday loan
Issue: Cont'd attempts collect debt not owed — Debt was paid
Company: Lendmark Financial Services
State: CA

Complaint narrative:
This debtor continues to make up to XXXX phone calls a day at work and to my " emergency contacts '' to collect a debt that payments continue to be made on. They will call up to every two hours to work continuing to harass not only myself but my place of business.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation