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  • Report:  #896110

Complaint Review: American Education Services - HARRISBURG Pennsylvania

Reported By:
Joe Everyman - Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, United States of America
Submitted:
Updated:

American Education Services
PO BOX 2461 HARRISBURG, 17130 Pennsylvania, United States of America
Phone:
Web:
www.aessuccess.org/
Categories:
Tell us has your experience with this business or person been good? What's this?
My situation is a little different as I was not ripped off, per se...


I got into a situation where my student loan went into default. The long story short involves an outdate email address and assuming that unopened letters from AES were reminders of the status of my deferment. I was wrong. My deferment was only for 6 months, not the year that I had assumed. My loan defaulted as a result of my negligence. I readily admit my fault and responsibility. I was facing wage-garnishment so I called AES to correct this and was met by some very terse and cold-hearted staff. I was required to pay $570.00 per month and I was being smacked with an additional 19% interest fee (Nearly $9000 additional punishment dollars). I asked, begged and pleaded for some relief or lower payment as this was most of my disposable income. I was told that these were the terms and too bad for my hardship. I figured that I could help myself by doing bi-weekly payments of $300 every 2 weeks. When I asked for the amortization, I was told that there was none available until I was rehabilitated out of default status. The judgement, cruelty, and complete disregard for the fact that this is a horrible economy and we are all struggling means nothing to these heartless people. I guarantee that no private company would be permitted to operate in such a predatory fashion. This is truly governmental tyranny at its worst. The worst part is, I agreed to their terms, never realizing how a mistake can destroy you. Not everyone who is late in payments is a dead-beat. But these folks hearts certainly have no care. Be very careful when dealing with them. I sincerely hope that if the people of PHEAA/AES find themselves in personal tragedy, someone treats them with more care and compassion that these folks have shown. Only then will they understand how cruel they have been.


2 Updates & Rebuttals

Patman

United States of America
You missed the point...

#2Author of original report

Fri, September 21, 2012

Your comments are off base and you clearly did not read what I wrote. "It never ceases to amaze me how someone cannot take responsibility for their actions, or in this case, lack thereof. "  Did you not see the part where I said, "I readily admit my fault and responsibility" and where I set up payments for more than the minimum? My complaint is that I DID contact AES and told them as much but was "met by some very terse and cold-hearted staff." I was asking for some relief, not forgiveness from the loan. I am not an idiot who just rolled off the turnip truck. I have some mileage and know the ways of the world. But I also know that economic times are tough and, for what ever the reasons, sometimes things happen. And yes, I do not consider myself a deadbeat because I contacted them (albeit late) and made arrangements to correct MY error.
AES may claim to be "a private, non-profit organization", but they are not. They are a branch of PHEAA and share an address. As far as "don't write off an entire company because you dealt with the collection side of a business", when you ask for supervisors or other contact people and are basically told "no", what else am I supposed to do.
Responder, I can only assume that you either a.) work for PHEAA/AES, b.) have a loved-one who works for PHEAA/AES, or c.) have never had a financial crisis of your own doing, accidental or otherwise that you have tried to fix. For items "a" and "b", my complaint was not directed toward you or your loved-one, but toward a government-sponsored (despite your insistence to the contrary), Mafioso business practice. As far as item "c", may God continue to bless your good fortune.
Please understand: I will pay my debt. All I asked for was a lower payment as the required minimum is crippling and was told "no". I was lectured and felt judged.


guiding_light

fakeville,
Alaska,
United States of America
Not very well informed.

#3General Comment

Mon, July 30, 2012

It amazes me that college educated, or those who at least attempt a college education, can be so uneducated with the student loan process.  AES is a student loan servicer.  They service student loans.  AES did not set the terms and conditions of your loan.  They are abiding by what the lender set forth. 

It never ceases to amaze me how someone cannot take responsibility for their actions, or in this case, lack thereof.  AES was contacting you, more than likely on a semi-daily basis.  You mean to tell me that the only correspondence that you received was a letter?  They would have been calling you, your co-signer, any references on the account when the loan was originated, as well as emailing you.  Depending on your loan type and owner, however, the collection process could have been outsourced to the lenders own collection agency.

Also, you guaranteed that no private company would be permitted to operate in such a predatory fashion.  Guess what?  AES is a private, non-profit organization.  You do not consider yourself a deadbeat and are assuming that AES is treating you as such.  Well, you didn't pay your bill, so therefore you were a deadbeat, whether you want to accept the harsh reality or not.  Granted, it may have been by mistake and not choice, but how is AES supposed to know which is one and which is the other?

More than likely, the large majority of the people who work at AES are good people.  They come to work, they perform their jobs, and they attempt to assist those in need.  Don't write off an entire company because you dealt with the collection side of a business, whose employees' bonuses are based upon results in collection attempts.

Ignorance is bliss.

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