I was unemployed for the last six months, but I was able to make loan payments. About a month ago, my money ran out, I missed a few payments to AES, but eventually we were able to work out an economic hardship forbearance. The calls stopped, and life was getting better. Remember this was end of October, beginning of November.
I get a call from my aunt saying AES called her. That doesn't make any sense, so I call AES and ask them what's going on. I'm informed that the last customer service agent (who was incredibly helpful) had lied to me (I don't believe this). My economic hardship only applied to my government loans and nothing else.
"This isn't acceptable, " I tell her, "I can't make the payments right now, is there something we can do."
"You can apply for a temporary forbearance. You have four months left. And it looks like you're three months past due." Meaning I'd only get one month of forbearance, and then they would recalculate my loan and I'd have newer and even higher payments to make. At this point, I start to lose my cool, and she does as well.
"I'm not working enough hours to pay my debt!" I tell her.
"Well then you'll have to take a job that you don't like doing." I don't need career advice from an entry level call-service rep.
"You clearly can't help me. I'd like to speak to a manager please."
"This is a call center, SIR, there's no one here to help."
I'm fed up. After five minutes of more back and forth crap, she tells me she'll email me the neccessary documents (which can't be found online coincidentally), and I can request that a manager calls me.
"They'll call within 24 to 48 hours." I'm informed by her.
Next day, nothing. The forms I need aren't emailed to me, and no phone call from a manager. The day after at 8am, I get a call from a collections agency!!! Instead of a manager calling me and attempting to work things out, they've reported ALL of my loans delinquent (including the government loans) and have sent me to a collections agency.
It isn't an issue of not repaying the loans. I want to repay them, they want me to repay them. I just can't afford the terms right now because of the economy. And apparently, AES (whose parent company is run by the commonwealth of Pennsylvania!!!) doesn't understand that.
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