Question:
Dear Steve,
Yes the Student Loan Help center (SLHC) got me too! I received several emails from them, telling me that after I signed up with them my Student Loan Debt would be forgiven. From the research I’m still in the process of I’ve been finding out that I’m not the only one they have scammed.
Upon speaking with one of the two Lenders I have; I was told I should call my bank to put a stop to any more payments coming out of my bank account.The simplest way to get their hooks out of me, I closed out that I get re-issued a new Debit Card.
My Lender informed me that what SLHC did for $700.00 + ; they would do for free. spoke with one of my Financial lenders, and they told me that what SLHC did for me (requiring $700.00 plus) is what they would have done for nothing.
Fortunately I was only on the hook for two payments of $132.00 each before SLHC defrauded me and further. Those of you out there that have experienced what I have, Fastest, easiest way to turn the tables on them is by replacing your Credit/Debit Card. You won’t get a refund from them but at least you aren’t going to be on the receiving end of a continuous Screwing!
Answer:
These are certainly difficult issues for sure. On one hand companies like The Student Loan Help Center can do work for you that you want to pay someone to do. For example, is it a scam to pay someone to mow your own lawn. No.
The Student Loan Help Center says, “The Student Loan Help Center is a private organization and is not a government entity. The Student Loan Help Center assists consumers by providing professional student loan consolidation preparation services. Like filing a tax return, you can file a student loan consolidation without professional assistance and without charge at http://loanconsolidation.ed.gov. The Student Loan Help Center is Not Affiliated With or Endorsed By The U.S. Department of Education. The contents of this site are not and should not be construed as legal advice. Additionally, it is not a solicitation for debt settlement, debt management, debt relief, or for assistance with any consumer debt.” – Source
They are also fairly forthcoming about fees and services. They say, “CLIENT acknowledges that the Document Preparation Fee paid to The Student Loan Help Center is for the preparation of documentation in accordance with the Service Agreement.” – Source
So what you paid them for was to fill out a form you could have filled out yourself. Their site is loaded with disclaimers. But I would suspect the salesperson was full of glowing claims that were different. Unfortunately, when it comes to signing the service agreement, most, if not nearly all companies, ask you to agree that the service agreement is not based on the claims the salesperson made.
On top of all of this, any student loan document preparation company is not being hired to help you find the best solution for your student loan problems. They are being hired to complete a form. There is no telling what more comprehensive strategy would have been more effective for your situation. But then again that’s an issue you face with just relying on the word of the student loan servicer alone.
There is ample evidence student loan servicers neither have the best interest of consumer at heart nor consistently provide good advice.
We live in a time where politicians want to return more power to people, local politics, and states. The trend seems to be that each of us needs to be personally responsible for the decisions we make. And if those decisions are based on incomplete information or we believe the wrong sales pitch then the outcome is going to be less than optimal and people are going to feel unhappy.
Do I think The Student Loan Help Center provided you with a comprehensive review of your total situation and developed a unique plan to best help you? The answer to that would be no, but that’s not what you hired them to do. It would appear The Student Loan Help Center delivered the service they sold and prepared the form they said they would.
Now if you have documentation from The Student Loan Help Center, like emails, that promised blanket and quick student loan forgiveness for a fee, then you’ve got a different situation. If you have an email promising enrollment in a federal student loan forgiveness program, like any of the Income Driven Repayment plans, then that might just be crafty sales language.
The Department of Education does offer eventual student loan forgiveness programs. Besides the Income Driven Repayment programs that may eventually lead to some forgiveness, there are also these available programs. Enrollment in those programs is free to all unless you want to hire someone to fill out the required forms for you.
Rather than feel like a victim at this moment it might be more productive to not waste the opportunity to learn from the experience and do more research before just falling for any sales pitch from any company.
