Was contacted by an agent for NCO named Dovey. She stated that I was in default on my student loan and that I needed to make an immediate payment. I agreed that I owed the money. She requested payment in full on the account and I told her that I did not have the money to pay in full.
Dovey then stated that if I would post date 9 checks for 51 dollars that my student loan would be brought current and I could apply for deferment or forebearence on my loan until my finances were better. I asked for a lower payment. Dovey then stated, "I am the department of education. I can garnish your wages. You need to send me 75 dollars or I will garnish 25% of your paycheck." I again asked for a reasonable and fair repayment plan based on my disposable income. Dovey stated that there was no such thing to apply for. At this point Dovey is yelling, and I am becoming very frustrated.
My wife then talks to Dovey with my permission and Dovey tells her that she has no idea what she is talking about when she asks for fair and reasonable payments. Dovey asks why we believe we even have the right to ask for lower payments.
At this point Dovey is yelling and then she hands us over to another agent who also states that she will garnish my wages if I do not post-date 9 checks for 51 dollars to their company. I asked if I send them 10 dollars a month until my financial situation improves would they accept that and not garnish my wages.
She deflected my questions with a question of her own several times. She would not answer my question about the 10 dollars and garnishment. Eventually after about 5 more minutes of being told that I was just trying to weasel out of what I owed and being called an idiot, she paused and I heard a male voice say no to her twice.
She then came back on the line and stated that if we sent them 10 dollars a month that they would not garnish my wages and that NCO would send out the application for a fair and reasonable repayment plan based on my income. I agreed and hung up the phone.
My wife and I talked about the debt and decided to pinch pennies and pay them the 51 dollars a month for 9 months like the NCO agents asked. That way we could then apply for the deferment or forebearance on my loan like NCO stated.
I sent the first payment of 51 dollars that Monday, March 17. I also enclosed a letter asking them to stop all contact me via phone and for all contact with me to be made by mail. I also stated in my letter that we agreed to NCO's 9 month payment plan and asked for all documentation pertaining to my debt, including payments already made, interest, etc. I sent this letter and payment to them certified/delivery confirmation through the United States Postal Service.
The check cleared the bank on March 23rd. Yet today, March 25th we again received a call from NCO agent Dovey who stated that she received the payment and that it was not enough we needed to send more. I asked why she was calling as we had sent a cease and desist letter. There was a pause and then she hung up on me. I tried to call NCO back and all of my calls are blocked.
I filed a complaint with the FTC and called the Federal student loan agency who stated that my account will never be able to be deferred or placed in forebearance. Dovey and the other NCO agents blatantly lied to me and made that up. They also stated that we owe them 1,500 dollars even though the goverment states that we only owe about 800 dollars more on the loan. We have yet to receive any documentation or letters from NCO pertaining to my account.
I am concerned that the money we sent them is being applied only to NCO fees and not to the loan amount itself. If this company lies about being the federal goverment and still calls after you send certified mail for them to stop, and calls you names, how are we able to protect ourselves and maintain our rights?
Any input would be great.
Valerie and Jeff
Alden, Iowa
U.S.A.
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