So I messed up in that I let my student loans default - long story but I thought it was still in deferment, meanwhile my bills started up and were going to an old address. Yes, I made a mistake. But the student loan lender offered me a "rehabilitation" program through Diversified Collection Services. They told me if I made 9 months worth of payments through them (DCS) then my loan would be out of default and I would be able to make regular payments to a lender again.
I agreed to this and made 9 months worth of inflated, on-time payments. However, month 10 rolled around and I got charged again - and was never contacted about the loan being picked back up by a lender and out of default. The contract I had originally signed with them said 9 months and 9 months only, and I only authorized 9 electronic check numbers. However, they still kept charging me month after month.
By month 12, I was annoyed and called DCS to see what was going on with my loan. The employee was very rude, defensive, began raising her voice and told me that because of the economy lenders weren't picking up rehabilitated loans and that I was stuck making payments to them unless I wanted it to go back into default. She hung up on me after a few minutes. I was trying to get her to tell me how much longer it would be.
Upset that they had hung up on me, I called back and asked for her superior to file a complaint with over how I was being dealt with. I got a voicemail box for some lady, left a message, told her I was hung up on and had more questions, but never heard back. So my husband and I began searching for a lender ourselves. We found one, right away, without problems and got a loan. The original lender was paid in full (as we confirmed) and I had a new loan.
But then, the month after that, I received *another* notice from DCS saying I was going to be charged (they send out monthly notices a few days before automatic withdraw). I called to tell them the lender had been paid in full and they had no right to keep charging me every month, but I was send by the operator to another voice mail. The lady's message said "it might take up to 48 hours for us to respond) so I left a message. That was two days ago and I have yet to hear back. I'm calling again on the next business day but if I don't hear back from them I'm stopping payment on them.
I'm upset because - first, there was *never* any mention of payments after 9 months. Second, when I tried to get answers after the 9 months they were incredibly rude, angry, and hung up on me. And finally, now that I don't owe them money anymore and my account is closed, they're still charging me?! I don't think so. I have yet to be able to get a hold of anyone. This company is, in my opinion, VERY deceitful and full of angry, rude employees who aren't willing to help you in the least. Diversified Collection Services is the epitome of HORRIBLE, unethical, almost criminal business practices.
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