Problems with Navient and or Pioneer Credit Recovery?

[Jeremy]

Have you experienced any problems with you student loans from Navient? Were you ever not notified of loans going into default? Did any of your loans go into default without being notified and now your wages are being garnished and you can't get any answers or solutions? Are you getting the run around from Navient and Pioneer Credit Recovery Inc? Did any of your loans from United Student Aid Funds get transferred to Navient or Great Lakes and now none of them are claiming to own your loans and some collection agency is aggressively going after you to collect?

If you answered yes to any of the above questions, then please read on.

What I do know is that USA Funds (United Student Aid Funds) have changed their name and longer service student loans. They transferred federal loans to Great Lakes. The problem i'm encountering is that Great Lakes told me they had two of my federal loans for a short time but transferred it back to Navient. Navient tells me that they are speaking on behalf of USA Funds, but can't do any modifications or changes to the defaulted loans because they are not the original guarantor . Pioneer Credit Recovery says only USA Funds can change or withdraw the garnishment (do you see the problem?) No one is claiming to own my two federal loans that went into default. No wonder why I was never notified.

Now, I have heard from Navient saying they do not have my defaulted federal loans and I should contact Great Lakes. But Great Lakes say they too do not own the loans (like chasing a ghost). When I contact Pioneer, I let them know that USA Funds apparently do not exist and should null the garnishment order immediately, they declined and said they are going off their contract. I let them know since USA Funds no longer exists their contract is invalid and illegal (the whole conversation has been recorded) They didn't seem to care.

The really interesting research I did, is that both companies are currently being sued by several attorney generals and the CFPB. And the really interesting part is that both companies are connected (several board members on Pioneer are also board members on Navient). I too currently have complaints in on both companies with the: BBB, CFPB, US dept of Ed, Illinois AG, Washington AG, New York AG. 

I am asking you that if you answered yes to any of the question above, PLEASE take the time and respond to this post. I think these two companies are starting a new scheme and should be stopped immediately. If there are enough responses and others that are experiencing the same problem, I WILL try my best to start a Class Action. Also, please post this forum on any social media account to help get the word out. Also, just in case someone or some company has this blog taken down and as long as the owner of this site allows, send me a PM or email me your contact info (Name and contact method only) in case this does go to court, I will be able to keep you updated. My email is jblanchettedevery@yahoo.com 

[BV80]

@Jeremy

 What would be your cause of action?

[Jeremy]

I am only trying to see how many others are affected by the same type of situation. Trying to get the message out there.

[adda]

Hi. I entered repayment on my student loans in 2005; was granted a discount on interest after 36 on time payments and continued to pay on (two) loans.

I originally was "serviced" by Sallie Mae; I believe Navient took over sometime in 2014.

I went through an unnecessarily prolonged and destructive divorce in which the filing party deliberately trashed my finances, etc. I was having problems making payments in 2013 and contacted Sallie Mae. Funny thing was is that I wasn't given info (then) about IBR. I just went through my loan history and saw that my last payment was in November 2013.

I contacted Navient in late 2014 (I was left homeless by a court for several months) and again in 2015. They sent me a form for IBR at that time, although I wasn't given much information. In general, I am good with information and finances, but am still trying to cope with a lot of legal/financial issues from the divorce. Long story short, I was defaulted on the loans and my Social Security Disability began being garnished in February of 2018 with no notice of either the default or the Treasury "offset" (supposed to receive 60 day notice by law). When I went to the Social Security office, they printed out a notice that shows:

We applied your payment to debt that you owe to the following agency:

U.S. Department of Education

C/O Navient

(address)

800-331-2314

I called the number listed and was told I needed to call another number, which was the New Jersey Department of Aging or some such thing, so I called the first number back and explained I was trying to contact the "collection agency" I was referred to .... I was told they would do a "warm transfer" then someone came on the line and told me I had to sign up for rehab ... or basically, this will go on the rest of my life. I tried to explain that I (thought I) was in IBR, but regardless, I had NEVER received prior notice of either the default OR the offset; the notice I got from Social Security showed an address I hadn't lived at since 2002 and I had updated my contact information with them with the current address; I have always kept that information updated with creditors.

I've been contending with things like unlawful bank seizures and a former attorney who put me through hoops for about a year, then had an unlawful bench warrant issued against me for my (lawful) refusal to make a "payment arrangement" (I am exempt and had provided all necessary info at the first "hearing").

I also received some calls from another place identifying as "Valentine and Kebartas" who say they collect for Navient. However, I'm not sure WHY they have been calling. The offset has been suspended temporarily as I am (and have been) disabled and may qualify for discharge through the Total and Permanent Disability (but that isn't what I want to do).

Apparently, Navient still "owns" my loans, but they were "paid" by USA Funds ... and I can't access any of the actual documents under my Navient account, even the ones previously e-mailed to me as they have disappeared now, too. The number I first called and it's "in-house" collection agency seem to be the ones I MUST DEAL WITH and they keep claiming that I HAVE TO rehabilitate the loan ... and ignoring the fact that I should have been able to bring it into good standing after receiving notice (that I didn't receive). I don't know if they don't have the original IBR papers or if they do or whether this was do to recertification. I started looking on the internet, which is where I found that I was (by Federal law) supposed to receive notice 60 days before any offset took place.

I don't have any money, even to make $5 payments and it's a week before I get paid again. I have PTSD and actually received the loans while participating in a Vocational Rehabilitation program. I had actually gone back to work and had anticipated doing so again once I found a place to live again after being thrown out by a court ... but shortly after, the bank seizures for "regular" judgments started and it took me months to figure out how to make that stop, etc.

The letter I just received from Navient states that I need to contact USA Funds at 800-354-6980. This letter was also sent to Senator's office, where I went for assistance. This is the first contact information I have received FOR USA Funds ... and if I "need to work directly with USA Funds to remove the default/garnishment", WHY is July 2018 the first time I get this information ... and WHY have I been contacted by other collectors, etc? It makes me feel extremely uncomfortable, too, that all of the calls I get from other unknowns, are from people who seem to have all of my information (birth date, Social Security number, address, telephone number) but I have no way to know if they are legitimate.

The worst part of this whole thing is that, under IBR, I have never been required to make a monthly payment, but even after that option became available, I was still paying my loan, on time, every month, for four years. It boils down to their not having a piece of paper and THAT gives them the right to destroy my life further; I DID NOT receive a legally required piece of paper ... but I have no right of remedy, apparently, other than do do whatever I'm told.

[Jeremy]

Hello Adda,

I know that everyone's case will be different from the other. But one thing that I have been reading about is Navient's communication. They are failing customers by not having the correct communication methods. 

I just wanted to thank you for making this post, the more that reads and posts their similar situation the better off it will be in the end. Although nothing will happen overnight, but I have been working on my case for over 2 months now and hopefully getting closer to a resolution. So far I have gotten the Illinois Attorney General, Department of Education, CFPB, BBB and a couple law firms involved with my case. My next step might be NBC 5 News Investigates. 

Make sure you keep all documents and write down any information when speaking to anyone (name of the person, date, time and what the conversation was about).

I will keep this thread updated as I receive more information.

 

 

[adda]

Hi Jeremy, yes the communication IS confusing and it wasn't until I started trying to figure out "what" was going on and "why",  that I started seeing that so many other people are having exactly, or very nearly what I'm going through, happen to them, too. When I first called in 2013, I was dealing with "Sallie Mae". I explained the situation and was basically told that they'd suspend my payments for a time; I was not given any information about the various plans and I was dealing with an (intentional) foreclosure by my ex-husband (to defeat the divorce decree for his divorce), my father was dying and the attorney who was supposed to be paid when the house sold was suing me to get the order for payment made against me personally. Not to mention my car breaking down and catching fire all the time ... so I really didn't have the luxury to go looking for lots of information. 

I trusted that what I was told was "good to go"; at least I DO have the letter from Navient (now) acknowledging that I contacted them in 2015 and in regard to payment. That a forbearance was granted, giving me 60 days to get the IBR to them. I wish I'd known it can be filled out on-line and the info on recertifying it every year. The letter doesn't (and I can't really tell by going back into the emails) say WHY I am in default.

But at this moment, it's REALLY aggravating that I DON'T have the "60 day period"  to get into compliance. I think I will just download the form and send it to ALL of them if necessary, with written explanation. I'm already a month behind in my rent because of the money taken out with no notice. I'm also going to follow up with the senator's office, because THERE IS NO EXPLANATION as to the 60 day notice. In my case, seems that since my payment obligation under IBR = $0 (and actually has been since the program began; though I was paying) and THEY sent the notice to the wrong address (they have  an office in Indiana, which means as a debt collector, they can easily get my current address, though I gave it to them, from BMV).

I plan to follow up with complaints ... and yes, keep ALL copies and notes, etc.

If I find out anything useful, I'll be sure to post it here, too!

 

[Jeremy]

I would also file a complaint with the BBB and the CFPB. And your attorney general

[adda]

I will, as I have time.  I've been considered disabled since 1998, so the money that was being seized was put on hold for a time so that I could get a "disability discharge". I DON'T really want to do that; I'm only in this predicament because of system failures. 

 

I called USAFunds today ("Great Lakes"); after inputting my SS # etc, I was looped back to Navient ... so WHY does NAVIENT tell me to deal with USA Funds/Great Lakes? This is SUCH a scam ? .

[Jeremy]

Adda,

That seems so familiar. I too kept get re-directed back to Navient. When I was starting to make phone calls to get answers ( I probably made over 25 calls that day), it didn't matter what number someone gave me, it always kept going back to Navient. I actually spoke to the same woman about 4 or 5 times that day. I actually had to laugh the last time I spoke with her. We definitely were on a first name basis by then. I actually received a number last week that will go directly to Great Lakes - try 8886019976. That actually worked for me 

[Jeremy]

So this is my conclusion:

Between USA Funds leaving the industry of student loans and transferring loans to other servicers, communication was lost. USA Funds have always helped me in the past and it's a shame that such a great organization had to leave.

Pioneer and Navient are owned and operated by the same company and do what ever tactics they need to do to make their profits look good. They are not there to help consumers, they both are a multi-billion dollar companies looking out for themselves.

Department of Education is supposed to oversee all federal student loans and are helpful to a point, but they did hire Navient to help collect on federal loans and will not go against them as long as they are collecting. (legal or illegal tactics)

Pioneer will not provide me with important requests as to their communication records to reach me, or the original document that their client USA Funds placed in their office, or where exactly my money is going to after wage garnishment. They can only tell me that it is applied to my loans (you tell me that you collect my wages every week and it magically pays my loans? I want to know exactly who it goes to)

Navient, their advocate office has been patient with me with all the phone calls, complaints with the BBB, CFPB and attorney generals and attempting to meet my requests, but they are not admitting fault and at this time no offers of resolution. (Probably afraid of another lawsuit) Well, with all the documentation that I currently have and some recorded phone calls, that time will be happening real soon unless I get resolution.

Unfortunately, I believe many others have experienced the same situation as me, but when contacting the collection department, they immediately talk about enrolling in a IBR to rehabilitate the default loan to remove the garnishment and to get the loan back into good standing. I was almost going to do that in the beginning, but then I thought, how and why was this in default to begin with? Earlier this year I was in contact with a different collection agency about the same defaulted loans. I explained to him there had to be mistake because all my federal loans were in forbearance. He explained what I needed to do to dispute it and he would put into dispute status on his end. I guess 3 weeks later, someone didn't like that response and assigned a different collection agency(Pioneer Credit Recovery)  to do a administrative wage garnishment.

So far to date I have 526 hours invested in research, phone calls and emails relating to this matter. It has been another full time job with only 1 day off since June 6th 2018 when this all started. I have had no social life, limited sleep, financial difficulties, stress, health issues, missing family functions and events, and declining work performance at work. I catch myself every minute of everyday that I am constantly thinking about how this happened and what is my next step.

 

 

[Pericles]

It's not related directly to Navient, but have you read the consolidated class settlement documents from last year involving Pioneer and General Revenue Corp.?

Biber v. Pioneer Credit Recovery, Inc., No. 16-CV-804 TSE/IDD (E.D. Va)
Kozak v. Pioneer Credit Recovery, Inc., No. 17-CV-797 TSE/TCB (E.D. Va)
Biber, et al. v. General Revenue Corporation, No. 17-CV-205 TSE/MSN (E.D. Va)

[Jeremy]

Sorry for the late response. But yes I have read all those documents, and even some others not relating to class actions. Most are not available online and have to search by individual courthouse websites

[Jeremy]

So, 

I have gotten a little further with Navient, although they are still not claiming fault, but Pioneer totally shut me off. They have not responded to my certified letter I sent to them almost 30 days ago, they haven't responded to my BBB complaint, and no response to the Illinois Attorney General. The Illinois Attorney General is sending them a reminder letter.

In the mean time while I am deciding how to go about bring this matter to court, I have started a petition for ones that have suffered the same experience as me. I am asking to only sign it if you have had the same bad experience. Even if you have not had this problem, but know someone that has, please share this link on social media:

Navient petition

https://www.thepetitionsite.com/781/861/319/navient-petition/

 

 

[Stephanie Hannah]

This is the Letter, I just sent to file the complaint:  

     My name is Stephanie ****** and I have a complaint against Pioneer credit agency and Navient student loans.  I may have a complaint against Great Lakes as well, since it appears they are all 3 of five companies that are all the same company and/or interconnected to each other, as I will explain.  In the summer of 2016 I was holding at one credit hour to graduate as the university of phoenix had some unethical things.  So, I went on a hardship deferment with Great Lakes.  I followed proper procedure and updated my new address with them, here in Tulsa and with Fafsa..gov.  Before I had moved I called fafsa to verity my lender or if there were any other lenders that I may have not been aware of, as I was unsure when I would graduate given all that happened at UOP.  However, they told me that there was only one, being Great Lakes. 

     I mention this for a reason as you will soon see.  So, I did my hardship deferment with them and moved to Tulsa Oklahoma, summer of 2016.  Around December of 2017, I started receiving calls from Pioneer Credit Agency informing that they had a loan of mine in default. They told me they were a combination of 3 small loans totaling something over about $4,000.00 which has gone up a bit now because of their charges.  I had no idea how tis even occurred.   However, they told me I was in default.  I asked them who the lender was because I was already on a hardship deferement with Great Lakes and was told by fafsa they were my only lender, and they told me it was Navient.

    So, I contacted fafsa again (Dec. 2017)to verify this information and they told me, yes there were smaller loans from Navient in default.  I told the lady that I called them the summer before I moved, to make sure all was well and informed her the information I was given.  She just told me to call pioneer credit and tell them that there was no prior information given up until now, and ask for a deferment given my situation.  I called pioneer credit agency back and asked about my options, and they told me about a 9-month rehabilitation program in which the payments would be 5 dollars a month because of my financial situation.  They told me if I made all the payments on time that I could request a letter for Title 20 to get back in school and was told after 9 months that my loans would be sent to a new lender. 

    So, recently probably around July of 2018 they sent my loans out and was out of rehab program.  I asked where they sent my loans and they could not tell me, and told me to call fafsa and inquire where my loans were sent. Then I received a letter from Great Lakes saying “Congratulations on completing your 9 month rehabilitation program.”  This made me more confused as I was on a hardship deferment with them and currently on a in-school deferment with them, and they hold most of my loan.  So, I could not figure out why my main servicer was sending me this because why or if would they sell a smaller amount of my loans to Navient, not telling me, and they knowingly knew I was on a hardship deferment with them at that time.

   This made no sense, so from researching it appears that Great Lakes may be one of the sister companies with them, but being the same.  So, how can they do that?  This seems deliberate, immoral and unprofessional.  However, at that time (after completing their rehab), I did call, but fafsa still was only showing Navient and they could not provide information at that time.  About a few weeks later I received a letter from Nelnet informing they had my loans, so I set up a in-school deferment with them since I had restarted school.   Also, when I called fafsa to inquire where the loans from Navient went, I also asked them repeatedly if there were any other smaller loans out there with other lenders, in which I may not be aware of and they told me no.

     The reason for this was when this all happened with Navient, I was so confused to how and why this happened, when a major portion of loans is held by Great Lakes and I was completely caught off guard with what happened, so I wanted to make sure nothing was missed and they told me, that there were only two showing.  They told me that there was a way to check online now and to see as well, they were the only two showing at that time, during that phone call.  So, I checked, and that  appeared to be accurate. 

     Now, about a few weeks ago, a lady called me from Pioneer credit agency and said something about me owing money to them.  I told them that I just got out of default and those smaller loans had been sent to Nelnet, and I told her that I had called them a couple times to inquire where this was sent and told her that, she needed to check her information as I was dealing with Nelnet in which I had a in-school deferment with and she said she would wait to see if their database just had not been updated, and would call me back in a couple weeks.  So, just recently a Matthew from Pioneer credit agency called me and said that I owed them money.  I told him the same thing that I told the girl.  I told him this did not make any sense and inquired more.  He told me that they had a loan and the amount owed was about $1,600 and I asked who this was with because I had not idea what he was referencing, and he told me it was with the Illinois Student commission.  Then he asked me if my address was on Braden avenue.  I said, “You know where I live because I just got out of default and just completed that rehab program with them.”  Then I asked when was this sent to them and He told me in May of 2017 and then he switched up and said, “It came in of May of 2017, but we just got it fairly recently.”  His story changed.  So, I said that I would contact fafsa and asked them what was going on.  He told me, that there was no need for me to do that and I should just call that Illinois student commission number he gave, but I called fafsa anyways.  I spoken to an agent, on a three way call with Ms. Paula O’Bannion and we asked who was the financial company of this commission and she said it was Navient.  Paul then asked, “So, the person who sent this to Pioneer is Naveint.”  The representative said yes, it was Navient and she verified the loan servicers was Navient, they just put a different name on it, but still Navient.

    So, yesterday I called Pioneer back again and told them that, this made no sense, since they called me originally back in December of 2017 and placed me on their rehab program.  I told them as well, I knew it was Navient as I talked to fafsa and he did not deny this, after I said it three times because initially he tried to act stupid, but then acknowledged it.   Then he said, well we got this in May of 2017, but it just came in.  I told him that they called me back in December of 2017 and told me that they loans they were presenting to me, smaller loans, were what was placed in default by Navient and the rehab program was coving these smaller loans.  I told him that December 2017  is after May of 2017, so they knew this already, the first time they contacted.

     Why did Navient hold back a smaller portion  to only put me back in default?  I told him that it did not make any sense.  He said, well me technically only received it around May.  I told him that even in May of 2018, which is still after the initial time he said Navient sent it, and that I was still in their rehab program making payments and became eligible for Title 20 to return to school 6 months after making payments.  I asked, why did they not say anything then?  Why would Navient hold back a small portion, only to put me back in default, once getting out?  Why would they hold 3 smaller loans and sent this to Nelnet after being out of default.  While they were holding another smaller loan and they presented this AFTER I was out of default, and after the other was sent to Nelnet. 

     They had this, before they ever called me in December, per what they have said, so they knew.  So, this is deliberate.  I would like to request that they are contacted and that if this is something actually owed, as I question this at this point too, being they are so dishonest.  But, if true, they need to place this with Nelnet because they withheld knowing, per what they have said and they literally waiting, until I was back in school, and I was out of default, only to put me back in.  Given the dates of the event, this was deliberate.  Also, I do not understand how Great Lakes sent me the, “Congrats letter” being out of default, when they hold a huge portion of my loans.  I was on a hardship deferment with them, they knew my information, and they knew my situation.  So, if they are a sister partner with these companies as it appears to be so, given what I have found through research.  Then I believe there is liability on Great Lakes end as well.  Please look into this matter because it does appear there are 5 companies that appear to be interconnected to one another, Great Lakes, Navient, and Pioneer credit agency, and two others.  This seems like a very twisted and corrupt thing to do.  I am a single mother to two children who have special needs and Great Lakes knew this.  How can people be so evil?  Please help me rectify this situation and hold them accountable, for those who are involved in this. 

Note to Jeremy:  They said this was initially in 2004 in the state of Illinois.  I mention this as I See you are in Illinois.  

 

[Jeremy]

Stephanie,

Sorry for the late response. I have been busy drafting up my complaint to file in Federal Court. Yes, all these companies are tied together. When USAFunds left the student loan industry, they transferred most of the federal loans to Great Lakes. Great Lakes then was the new Guarantor. Under Federal Law, the Guarantor can use 3rd parties for services such as servicing and loan collecting. But the Guarantor shall oversee and be responsible for all due diligence. In my case, I actually have a documented phone conversation with Great Lakes that they never had my loans "in house" and only had it for a short time to pay the default claim but immediately sent it back to Navient. 

Navient has stated multiples time to me that they have attempted to contact me by phone, email and postal mail. I downloaded the whole year of 2017 and not one phone call is from Navient or Great Lakes. I did receive email throughout 2017 from Navient, but those emails only said there is a "new loan document available" and had a link to click on to login. Nothing ever stated there was a problem with any of my loans and I figured it was just a monthly statement since I was on electronic contact method. Since I knew I still had thousands of dollars ($117,000 to date) in school loans, I'm not going to check my balance every month. Since I was on electronic contact method, no mail was ever sent to my address and I tried to explain that to Navient but they are standing behind their statement.

Both companies, Navient and Pioneer have told me that I could request a hearing, Pioneer said they mailed all that information to me before the garnishment, but once again no mail was ever sent to my address from Pioneer. Since I was told that I am still able to request a hearing, I was all for that, but still had some missing information I needed to plead my case first. No one in their right mind would request a hearing in front of a judge without having all information ready. So I began requesting some information from Navient and Pioneer, but they are reluctant to give me such documents. I have even went as far as filing a complaint with the Illinois Attorney General, Pennsylvania Attorney General, New York Attorney General, BBB and the CFPB. Still to this day, neither Navient or Pioneer have produced the documents I was asking for. My question is, if all due diligence was followed and the information I am requesting pertains to me, why can't I receive the requested information? 

For the past 20 weeks I have invested over 600 hours of research, phone calls, emails, letters, complaints and have obtained legal advice. Have used over 2000 sheets of paper and changed the toner twice. I also have had no social life, limited sleep, financial difficulties, stress, health issues, missing family functions and events, and declining work performance at work.

Luckily, during all my research, I found out that I could be eligible for forgiveness under the Borrowers Defense program against my former school Devry Univeristy. So I applied and while it is under review, all federal loans are put into Administrative Forbearance and the defaulted loans need to be put into "stopped collections". As of this week, Pioneer sent my payroll department a cancelled and release form for my garnishment to be stopped. "Take that Pioneer!!!" Regardless of the outcome of the Borrowers Defense, I am still holding Navient, Pioneer, and Great Lakes responsible for all wrong doing. They have destroyed my life and need to be punished.

I have talked to many others with the same situation, some differ just a little bit, but in the end it's all the same. If you are willing, I am asking you or anyone else reading this post to contact me by email with the statement you posted above just in case I might be need it in court. The more statements I have from others, the better chance these companies will be held responsible. I am also asking you or anyone reading this post, to post the following links on the social media:

https://www.thepetitionsite.com/781/861/319/navient-petition/

gofundme.com/bringing-down-navient 

 

I will be posting updates after I file my complaint in court

 

[Jose M.]

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/ncna954486 Hope this helps push for more loan forgiveness. 

[Drewmartin]

Hi I just found out today my loans were paid off by USA FUNDS and I’m unsure as to what to do next. They are parent plus loans that were supposedly on forbearance. So I don’t understand why they were sold to another company or what is going on. Do you have any advice for me??

thank you. 

[Chad H.]

On 8/10/2018 at 10:09 AM, Jeremy said:

I would also file a complaint with the BBB and the CFPB. And your attorney general

Jeremy, could you check with California laws as well, please?  I stated prior that my loans were paid off but still got garnished where nothing appeared on my credit report!  Help! 

[Chad H.]

On 8/16/2018 at 11:52 AM, Jeremy said:

So this is my conclusion:

Between USA Funds leaving the industry of student loans and transferring loans to other servicers, communication was lost. USA Funds have always helped me in the past and it's a shame that such a great organization had to leave.

Pioneer and Navient are owned and operated by the same company and do what ever tactics they need to do to make their profits look good. They are not there to help consumers, they both are a multi-billion dollar companies looking out for themselves.

Department of Education is supposed to oversee all federal student loans and are helpful to a point, but they did hire Navient to help collect on federal loans and will not go against them as long as they are collecting. (legal or illegal tactics)

Pioneer will not provide me with important requests as to their communication records to reach me, or the original document that their client USA Funds placed in their office, or where exactly my money is going to after wage garnishment. They can only tell me that it is applied to my loans (you tell me that you collect my wages every week and it magically pays my loans? I want to know exactly who it goes to)

Navient, their advocate office has been patient with me with all the phone calls, complaints with the BBB, CFPB and attorney generals and attempting to meet my requests, but they are not admitting fault and at this time no offers of resolution. (Probably afraid of another lawsuit) Well, with all the documentation that I currently have and some recorded phone calls, that time will be happening real soon unless I get resolution.

Unfortunately, I believe many others have experienced the same situation as me, but when contacting the collection department, they immediately talk about enrolling in a IBR to rehabilitate the default loan to remove the garnishment and to get the loan back into good standing. I was almost going to do that in the beginning, but then I thought, how and why was this in default to begin with? Earlier this year I was in contact with a different collection agency about the same defaulted loans. I explained to him there had to be mistake because all my federal loans were in forbearance. He explained what I needed to do to dispute it and he would put into dispute status on his end. I guess 3 weeks later, someone didn't like that response and assigned a different collection agency(Pioneer Credit Recovery)  to do a administrative wage garnishment.

So far to date I have 526 hours invested in research, phone calls and emails relating to this matter. It has been another full time job with only 1 day off since June 6th 2018 when this all started. I have had no social life, limited sleep, financial difficulties, stress, health issues, missing family functions and events, and declining work performance at work. I catch myself every minute of everyday that I am constantly thinking about how this happened and what is my next step.

 

 

I am sorry you're going to through all this!!  It shouldn't be this way!!!  They're supposed to help us!!!  I really appreciate the work you put!  I know I am quite late responding to this post because I had it happen to me, but has the problem been resolved?  If so, any suggestions for us?  Thank you.

[parrillkk]

I as well am in the same "boat", two loans, of which one of them does not have my signature on. It was my mothers and she is deceased.

Help? Any word on Class Action Suit? Loans were for my son, They are now garnishing my wages, hurting me big time as I am the only

income. I also had my loans paid off by USA Funds.A non profit organization.  $0 balance on both, and now Ascendium, is garnishing my wages saying I am in default. How can you be in default when you have a $0 balance on Navient? It's all a "crooked" scam.

 

[parrillkk]

On 1/23/2019 at 7:18 PM, Drewmartin said:

Hi I just found out today my loans were paid off by USA FUNDS and I’m unsure as to what to do next. They are parent plus loans that were supposedly on forbearance. So I don’t understand why they were sold to another company or what is going on. Do you have any advice for me??

thank you. 

 

[Jeremy]

Just an update to anyone looking or following along. Since several Attorney Generals brought Navient to court, Navient decided to settle some claims. All my Navient private student loans have been forgiven. And since I was defrauded by Devry University, I filed a Borrowers Defense Claim and is currently under review by the Department of ED and should be forgiven by this summer. So glad to be done with student loans. 

[LawyerDestroyer]

This is an unprecedented case. I don't watch/listen/read "the news," so I don't know if our lousy U.S. media would spare valuable time during its wall-to-wall coverage of the Johnny Depp Defamation Trial to squeeze such an important story that positively affects tens of millions of Americans drowning in debt. The Connecticut Attorney General initiated the class-action suit to nail Pioneer/Navient and also got dozens of other state AGs to join in as co-plaintiffs using CT's Unfair Trade Practice Act (CUTPA) to force P/N to forgive $1.7 BILLION in student loans! I've never heard of one state using another state's laws to initiate a civil suit, let alone dozens of states joining in a applying CT law to their states. Totally unprecedented. (I hope they take that model with regards to California's Customer Privacy Act, because the federal gov't going to do it.) Read the Summons, Complaint and Stipulation here: https://civilinquiry.jud.ct.gov/CaseDetail/PublicCaseDetail.aspx?DocketNo=HHDCV226151162S .

[LawyerDestroyer]

PRO-TIP: And speaking of state Attorneys General, here's a link to each state's AG's office and other state regulators (https://www.usa.gov/state-attorney-general) . In CT--like in many states--the state's Banking Dept. regulates "debt collectors" via licensing. No license, no collecting. Period. Note however that OC's don't need a state license--typically--to collect their originally issued debt, but DC's OC's hire on their behalf and JDB's who pursue collection efforts MUST possess licensure,--at least in CT--and that probably applies to just about every state.

PRO-TIP: Visit https://www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org/  and enter your favorite DC. Note, the NMLS site is not the end-all-of-be-all. Check which gov't agency in your state regulates DC's and see if your state has an additional list (CT does) of licensed DC's. Also be aware that OC's, DC's, JDB's and law firms who falsely claim to be licensed DC's, use--legally--fictious names and "doing business as" (d/b/a) to conceal their true identity. Just look at my aforementioned comment on Pioneer/Navient and read CT's Complaint about how they make it very hard to pin down who's the real creditor, lender, collector, junk debt buyer, and law firm.

If you're being pursued, YOU MUST DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH ON YOUR ENEMY IF YOU ARE GOING TO WIN THE WAR. They are counting on you not to. And they are right 99.99999% of the time. Double check; triple check; and start connecting the dots. Paterns of deceit will emerge to support your case. Your lawyer will not do this. YOU MUST DO THIS.

On the federal level, OC's attempting to collect on their debt and large JDB's too are regulated by an alphabet soup of agencies (FTC, FDIC, OCC, etc.), but the most powerful (and feared) is the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) , and the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) 15 U.S. Code § 1692 et seq. is the weapon of choice for all of them against large debt collectors filing hundreds and hundreds of thousands of civil suits across the U.S. And 99.99999% of debtors ignore the Summons and Complaint, and the plaintiff is awarded a summary judgment by default for lack of a defendant sumbitting a simple Appearance form and Answer form to the Complaint. (Note: states have variations on the process, forms and timelines, but they're mostly the same.) If the defendant--YOU--doesn't enter an Appearance with the court (which is simply an acknowledgment via a one-page court-provided form of receipt of the Summons and Complaint by the plaintiff (i.e., OC, JDB, law firm, etc.) within 30 days, the defendant loses the civil suit. So, if you "get served", call the court clerk's number on the Summons and ask him or her what you need to file and what are the timelines. They can't give legal advice, but they are required by law to provide procedual guidance (i.e., which forms need to be filed, when and where and what's next)--and they are quite helpful in my experience. It's not like dealing with the DMV.

Endnote: The CFPB is excellent, BTW; it's the only gov't agency that is actually on your side and not Corporate America's side. Submit a complaint at https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/ about an OC (i.e., bank or lender of some ilk) and CFPB is on it pronto. Discover Bank responded to my complaint in 2 days; alas with a boilerplate reply. (And that was weeks after the civil suit was filed against me. More on that in another post.)

=============================

DISCLAIMER: I'M NOT A LAWYER--JUST A DESTROYER OF THEM--AND NOTHING I POST HERE SHOULD BE USED AS OR CONSTRUED TO BE LEGAL ADVICE IN MANNER WHATSOEVER. MY POSTS ARE A PRODUCT OF OBSESSIVE RESEARCH AND MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCES WITH OUR SO-CALLED "JUSTICE" SYSTEM. ALL POSTS ARE FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY.

=============================