Student Loans Student loan fraud conundrum

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AdamSG

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This is a pretty convoluted situation about a private student loan...here goes:

In 2006, someone forged my signature on a private student loan promissory note for $4.5K. I started to receive collection calls in 2012. Why did it take so long? I don't know for sure, but I THINK my ex-wife forged my signature, paid for the loan now and then, but then summarily stopped paying when we separated a few years ago. (The story of my marriage was: I was naive, my wife took control of our finances, she secretly ran us into the ground, and by the time I started to assert myself, we were on the verge of separating. One does silly things when he thinks he's trying to save a marriage. But I digress...)

When I emerged from my marriage, my finances were ruined and I had to declare Ch 7 bankruptcy. My bankruptcy attorney alerted me to the fact that federally-backed private student loans (like this one) are not normally dischargeable through bankruptcy. After getting a copy of the promissory note and confirming the forgery, I went through the lender's collection agency's fraud process...this includes submitting a police report, completing a notarized affidavit, and providing lots of info and supporting documents. I never got a formal response, but after a lot of trying, I got a collection agency representative to say that my appeal had been denied because (as she put it) "I knew about the loan". I thereupon challenged the verdict and got a written response which seems to indicate that the matter is being shelved, though in very noncommital language. Meanwhile, it doesn't seem like the police are pursuing this matter on their own.

Since then, I have notified the major credit bureaus and the Dept of Ed of the fraud. I have been talking to lawyers, but they either don't seem to know too much about student loans OR they want several hundred $s just to say "hello". One lawyer told me that there is no statute of limitations governing these kinds of loans...which means the lender could come get me in a month, a year, or a decade...

At this point, I don't know what to do. I'm rebuilding my finances, so I don't have the money to simply settle this out of pocket...and I do NOT want to pay out for a fraudulent loan regardless. I'm guessing fees and interest are still accruing on the bad loan, but I don't know that for sure, getting info from the lender is surprisingly difficult, and (most of all) I'm inclined to let sleeping dogs lie. I've alerted my ex of the serious nature of this matter, but in general terms to avoid making myself an accessory to her (probable) fraud. I'm toying with the idea of getting my state or the FBI to investigate this matter, but I don't relish sending the mother of my child to prison.

Do you have any insight and advice? I just want to insure myself against a lawsuit and having my wages garnished for a bogus loan...and having this entry expunged from my credit report would be ideal too, though it's secondary. What can I do (other than spending thousands of $s to either pay off the loan or hire expensive attorneys)? Is this loan still accruing all kinds of interest? What are the odds I will indeed be sued? Must I sic the feds on my ex, and what are the chances she'll get a criminal record and go to prison?
 
Your needs are much bigger than what we do on our little forum.
Its like seeking medical advice on WebMD for a golfball sized tumor inside your cranium.
I suggest you seek out a very good lawyer, one of the best 10-25 lawyers in your state or county.
If there is a remedy, its in a courtroom, not on the internet.

You might also speak with federal law enforcement about any remedies through the criminal court system.

You could also reach out to your federal legislators for any help they might be able to offer.
 
What did your local law enforcement do, if anything?
It might help to get a copy of the report and speak to the investigator.
If you truly want this resolved then you need to stop worrying about your ex being held responsible for her actions. You can't resolve this and protect her at the same time.
 
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