Student Loan and Collections

averagejane

New Member
Jurisdiction
Oklahoma
I think I might need a referral to an attorney, but I don't know where to look for one in my state. I had a student loan that went to collections with a certain company (I don't remember if I can name them). I was told after 9 payments, I could go back into loan rehabilitation with the loan company. That was 3 years ago. I have been making steady payments the entire time through direct debit from my checking account. They mail me a notice every month stating they will do so.

I have tried numerous times to contact them. At one point, during the first part of the 3 years, but before the 9 months was up, I had lost my job. I communicated with them regularly. I never stopped payments. Then, I got a job with my state's department of human services, and I am a social worker. This possibly would make me eligible for loan forgiveness (?). The moment I informed them of my new employer, they stopped communicating with me. They shifted me to where my notices came from a different division.

I called numerous times and only reached voice mail. I tried reaching the old division, with no success, even using the extension I was given. I left my contact info and they mailed me a boilerplate letter that stated I needed to contact the original loan company. I did so. That company told me to contact the collections company. This went back and forth ad nauseam.

Just recently, the collections company, out of the blue, contacted my job. They have called my extension and left messages. Recently, by a fluke, they called, and I answered the phone. Yes, I could have spoken to them, but my job has a strict policy regarding personal business, and I had clients with me. I told them do NOT contact me at my job, and the woman stated "she knows, but..." and kept right on talking. I hung up. When I call back to the number that was left in prior messages, I get a voice mail. I have tried multiple tricks to speak with a human, to no avail.

About a month ago, I got an e-mail from the original loan company stating that I needed to make payments (?!!) or they would garnish future tax returns. I was panicked because, as above, I have been making steady payments. I have proof. The direct debit checks are made out to and cashed by the original loan company. My bank provides copies of these checks in my statements.

There are numerous complaints on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's website regarding this exact same issue. However, it just says that they company contacted the consumer so the complaint was closed.

My loan has now doubled or possibly even tripled. I have tried talking to local banks and other financial institutions because I am at my wits' end. I've been told that my only option would be to roll the possibly considerable balance to a home loan. I am loathe to put my home up for collateral for something like this, as I have seen complaints on CFPB's site stating that even though a loan was paid off, credit was never made, and I am terrified that if I were to do something so drastic, a payoff would not be credited, and I would still have the debt showing AND a whopping mortgage.

The people at the banks I talked to told me that I need a consumer debt protection advocate/attorney. This is a rural area, and I wouldn't even know where to begin to find one.

If anyone wants the even worse back story of how it went to collections, I can provide that, too. With documentation.

I have documentation of all my payments and my attempts to contact the collections agency.

Any help, advice, or direction would be appreciated.

Thank you.
 
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