Consumer complaint received 2025-02-27 00:00:00
Product: Student loan — Private student loan
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer — Received bad information about your loan
Company: SLM CORPORATION
State: CO

Complaint narrative:
Complaint Against Sallie Mae : Misinformation, Lack of Documentation, and Poor Customer Service I am filing this complaint due to miscommunication, lack of transparency, and inconsistent information provided by multiple Sallie Mae representatives regarding my private student loan repayment plan. Despite numerous attempts to resolve the issue directly with the company, I have not received written documentation supporting their claims, leading to significant frustration and confusion.

Timeline of Events XX/XX/XXXX I enrolled in a 15-month automatic repayment plan with monthly payments of {$640.00}, which were withdrawn at the end of each month. 
XX/XX/XXXX My 15-month automatic payment period ended. I expected to continue making payments at the end of each month as I had been doing. 
XX/XX/XXXX I was notified that I needed to make a payment of around {$1000.00} immediately to bring my account current. This contradicted my prior understanding of my repayment terms. I was never informed in writing that my due date would change. 
XX/XX/XXXX I called Sallie Mae customer service for clarification. The representative could not explain why my due date had changed to the 10th of each month and could not provide documentation supporting this change. I was transferred to a supervisor, who stated that he would call me back within 72 hours to explain the issue and help me bring my account current. As of XX/XX/XXXX, I have not received a callback. 
XX/XX/XXXX I called SallieMae back and I spoke with multiple representatives and received contradictory information : One representative claimed I had verbally agreed to the due date change but could not provide written proof. When I requested access to the recorded call where I allegedly agreed to this, I was told I could not receive the recording due to privacy policies. Instead, a supervisor would review the recording and confirm the agreement, but I would still not receive any documentation.

Another representative stated that my due date had always been the 10th, but during the 15-month repayment period, the company adjusted when payments were withdrawn. However, I was never informed of this arrangement, and Sallie Mae refused to provide written documentation proving that I had agreed to it.

I was also given conflicting information about my payment amounts : One representative told me I needed to pay {$1000.00} immediately to bring my account current. 
Another representative later stated this was incorrect and that I only needed to pay {$440.00}, with an upcoming payment of {$620.00} due on XX/XX/XXXX. She clarified that the {$1000.00} included both XXXX and XXXX payments but was not actually required in full at that time. 
XX/XX/XXXX After escalating the issue multiple times, I finally spoke to a representative who clearly explained that my due date had always been the 10th and that my prior 15-month repayment plan had only adjusted the withdrawal dates. However, the only documentation she could provide was my monthly statements, which stated the due date was the 10thbut not that my payments had been adjusted. 
XX/XX/XXXX I made a payment of {$440.00} to bring my account current. However, given the repeated miscommunication, I am not confident that my account is actually current. 

Why I Am Filing This Complaint 1. Failure to Provide Clear, Written Documentation Sallie Mae has not provided any written proof that I agreed to have my due date set as the 10th of each month following my 15-month repayment plan. A representative stated this was based on a verbal agreement, which is not legally enforceable.

2. Misinformation and Lack of Transparency I received conflicting explanations from multiple representatives. It took multiple calls and escalationsspanning over three days and more than 1.5 hours on the phoneto receive a somewhat clear answer.

3. Unprofessional and Dismissive Customer Service I was transferred repeatedly, spoken to condescendingly, and even hung up on when I asked for clear answers.

One representative, instead of addressing my concerns, sarcastically instructed me on how to open a web browser and log into my Sallie Mae account. When I stated I was already on the website and needed help finding the relevant information, she hung up on me.

When I requested to speak with a supervisor, I was repeatedly told I would be transferred to an escalation team. One representative told me this escalation team was made up of supervisors, but when I asked a team member if they were a supervisor, they stated they were not and that handling customer service issues was not their department.

This experience has been incredibly frustrating, and I believe it demonstrates a pattern of miscommunication and a lack of consumer protection. I appreciate the CFPBs assistance in holding Sallie Mae accountable for its misleading and inconsistent practices. 

Also, I do have voice recordings of all of my calls made on XX/XX/XXXX. I can not upload them to this website, but I am more than happy to provide them.

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