Complain about a product or service

ACS

Ashley of Clarks Summit, PA December 7, 2009

The week of my house closing I am contacted by my mortgage broker freaking out. My credit report was fine and clear with a very high credit score 6 weeks ago, now the week of closing my credit report is drawn again, now I have a delinquent account with a company ACS. I am SURE I do not have a loan with this company, but according to them I am delinquent. Now because of this my credit score has dropped 120 points!!!! My house closing is supposed to be in days, and I need to have this straightened out basically in the next few hours.

So I call their 1800 number and give my SS# and my name, fine. Now I have to confirm my address and phone number. When this does not match their records they cannot do anything to help me. I demand to speak to someone who can because this information is on MY credit report. Finally I speak to Levon. Apparently ACS bought two of my student loans in 2008 and I had no idea. They had tried to contact me at the address and phone number they had listed in their computer system but I did not respond. However this address and phone number is not my address or phone number. They cannot give me this information of what address and phone number they had, since it was not mine, even though it was MY account, with MY social security number!!!.

So finally Levon offers to give me a forbearance, which would make my first payment due in approximately two months. I tell him I need proof stating this faxed to me immediately. He says that they mail this sort of information, and it should arrive in THIRTY days!! I say no way, and that he will fax this information within the hour, he agrees. So an hour goes by, and then an hour and a half, now I call back. I speak to someone and they ask if I know Levon's extension. I say no. So she offers to email Levon. No I cannot have his email address either. So again it is not sent, so I call back AGAIN. I speak to a person, who did not solve my problem and again would not let me speak to Levon, so I demand that I speak to someone who is a manager or supervisor.

Now I speak to Sevita. She informs me that they have a "no fax policy" and that my forbearance will take up to 30 days. I say no way that this IS getting done by the end of the day. So she speaks to Levon, again I cannot have his extension. Levon says that he said he would have it done by the end of the day, and not in the next hour. Ok fine, call me a liar, I do not care. All I care about is having it done by the end of the day. So now I wise up, I am speaking to Sevita, and I ask what her phone number is so that I can speak to her direct next time rather than getting the run around. She tells me she does not have a phone number. So then I am like seriously! I inform her I will stay on the line until it gets done. She informs she that it will be done by the end of the day. I ask, "what is the end of the day according to them?" she THINKS it is 5:00. So then I demand to speak to a manager that has a reachable extension so I do not have to explain myself yet AGAIN! She then says, I have an extension. What is the difference between an extension and a phone number!?!?!?!?! I have never had such a run around. I am calling back, again and again and again until this gets done. However from what I have read, this may take a while, and getting the run around is something I should get used to.

Glenda of Huntsville, TX December 2, 2009

ACS bought my student loans from PPSLC in Aug/Sept. My accounts were prepaid by two months. Their website indicated this. I wish I had made a screen print - little did I know how unprofessional and unreliable this company is. I made a payment in Sept that was more than the required payment. This is something I have been doing for some time and that is why my loans were in a prepaid status. In Oct., I needed some extra money.

Instead of missing a student loan payment (which I could have done since my accounts were prepaid) - I made a payment that covered the interest due. That completely messed ACS up. Now they have my accounts as in default. I have tried repetedly through email and phone calls to resolve this problem. I have talked to numerous people and none of them seem to have any problem-solving skills. They keep saying they need to research the account, which they apparently never do! They keep saying they will get back to me, but they don't!! In the meantime my loans are showing as past due and late charges are accruing. This is so very, very dishonest! How can I get some real help?

Pamela of Amarillo, TX November 30, 2009

My student loans just transferred from PPSLC (Texas Panhandle) to ACS in August/September. My first payment to ACS would have been my October payment, due 10/14/09. I use bill pay through Bank of America. I set up my payment on 10/7/09 to be sent. ACS shows to have received the check on 10/12/09 and it was cleared through my account on 10/14/09. On 11/2/09, I received a past due notice from ACS saying that I'd skipped my October payment. I contacted BofA - Bill Pay to find out if they could fix it. Figured it was just an oversight. We contacted ACS and was asked to just fax over a copy of the cleared check. This was done on 11/3/09. They asked us to give them 2 weeks to research the payment and to call them back.

It is now 11/30/09 and we've been asked to RE-FAX the copy of the check 6 times. And each time we call back, they say they haven't received the fax and to re-fax it. In the mean time, my account is going further and further behind. They received my November payment and just applied it to my October payment. They keep sayign they're going to apply a forebearance on the account to get it current. I have DEMANDED them to NOT put a forebearance on the account. That will take it and all the interest onto the back of the loan! I paid my bill on time and they refuse to fix it. We've asked them to go to the fax machine as we fax it and they say it takes 3-5 days for a fax to come through. Then IF/ONCE they receive the fax, they have 30 days to 'research' the payment. But they will not start the research process until they get the fax! I'm so frustrated. I don't know what to do!!

Carrie of Clarendon, TX November 25, 2009

ACS didn't notify me that they had taken over my student loans until AFTER they drafted my account in September, but I figured it out the next week when I finally got a letter. Then ACS did NOT draft my account for my October payments even though they sent me TWO letters telling me that I was on automatic draft with them. When I noticed that the payments hadn't been taken out, I called to find out why. The lady (Lashaun?) whom I spoke to first said that I was not on automatic draft. When I persisted, she checked my account and verified that I was on automatic draft but that it was past due. She explained that a teacher loan forgiveness payment was being processed. She said as soon as it was processed, ACS would go ahead and draft my account for the October payments and the "late payment" notation would be removed from my account. I requested that ACS send me written verification of this but have yet to receive it.

I became worried about and decided that I needed to take a look at my account with ACS. However, when I tried to register with them online, I kept getting a message that someone else was already using my social security number. I e-mailed them to find out what was going on. They responded with a link which I thought was taking me to a site where I could register. Instead I ended up with an e-mail account that I do not want. After many e-mails that did not answer any of my questions, I finally called ACS again. I spoke to Chanelle whom I could not understand. She transferred me to Rita who pretty much told me that ACS would do absolutely nothing to correct their errors.

I asked for a supervisor and spoke to Mike who confirmed that ACS takes no responsibility for their errors, will make no effort to fix them, and don't care if they hurt your credit or not. Oh, by the way, I found out why I could never register. ACS had been sending me a passcode so that I could get into my account. Instead of sending it to that secure e-mail site they set up for me or to my current e-mail address (that my previous lender used and had on file), they were sending it to a hotmail account that I haven't used for 7-8 years.

When I spoke to ACS the last time I requested that the e-mail account they set up for me be cancelled and that my e-mails be sent to my current e-mail address at the school where I work. They said they would do this. Instead I continue to receive links to the e-mail account at ACS. I have been with ACS for less than two months and I am already scared to death about what they can and are probably going to do to my credit. I honestly believe that they are doing everything in their power to make sure that people get behind on their accounts. If they're not doing this intentionally, then all I can figure out is that they are just plain stupid. If this continues, I will be writing to my state representative, my congressman, the Department of Education, and anyone else whose address I can find. I am seriously thinking about contacting my local news stations also since I know of several people just in the small town where I live who are having similar problems. I will hire an attorney if necessary. Something must be done about this company.

Jamiella of Long Beach, CA November 19, 2009

I transferred my loans to ACS from Sallie Mae because they promised a 1% decrease in interest if I signed up for their "automated checking" service with a certain number of on-time payments. For the first two years, everything was fine (although I have NOT seen this 1% decrease.) Then when I started doing scholarships and going back to school, it has been disaster.

First, when I left to Paris on a 7 month scholarship, I asked to have my loans deferred and sent in all the paperwork. I got an e-mail saying that they had acknowledged my deferment while on scholarship, but guess what--that month they took out the money anyway. Well, that can happen. The automatic removal ceased until I came back from scholarship.

Now that I'm in graduate school the real problems are happening. If your school is part of a National list, you don't have to contact your loan company, they automatically enroll you as a student. My other loan company, Sallie Mae, still has some of my loans, and although they took awhile to register that I was in school, when I contacted them they apologized and I got an e-mail that day saying that I was a registered student and my loans were on hold (and my account reflected this.)

Not the case with ACS. I called ahead of time and was told by a teller that in October I would be given a forebearance and then in November my loans would be deferred because of my student status. I even got an e-mail confirming this. However, they took money out of my account anyway, causing my account to be overdrawn. I called them again and they "made a notation" and said I would get a refund in 45-60 days (haven't seen this refund.) In November, the month that was supposed to start my student deferment, they took money out AGAIN.

I called them again and the teller said he would "Make a notation." I told him--politely--that wouldn't be sufficient because this is what I was told last time, and this time the teller snapped at me saying that's what he was going to do and that there wasn't anything else he could do. I don't understand how with Sallie Mae they could reflect my account WHILE I WAS STILL ON THE PHONE, but with ACS they would "Make a notation" (and my account with them STILL has not registered that I'm on deferment.) I called Sallie Mae and they said it would be impossible for them to buy back the loan from ACS, so I'm stuck with them.

I have lost the money I was saving up for my wedding, my account backed up saying I was overdrawn, and I'm sure my credit report has lowered because of a forebearance that I never actually benefitted from and a deferment I'm not actually getting. They continue to lie to me by sending me e-mails saying that I'm registered as one thing and yet taking money out anyway. I don't expect to get the refund that I'm owed even though I was told that I would get a refund for both the amount drawn and the overdraft charge.

Tonga of Bedford, TX June 28, 2009

since the weekend of June 26, 2009..I and 4 other coworkers that have been employed and currently working for ACS as of June 27, 2009 have been willingly continuely relocating..further and further away from our residential home..as offered by ACS, we were told that our daily money card would be about 300 for motel stay, food, and gas..but since 6/26/09 and today 6/27/09 the card holds less than 100. Also..for approx 1week, last week in Iowa,our phones were out of receptions,without being offered a way of communication!PLEASE HELP!we need gas to get back home asap to eat and more.

Darren of Creston, CA June 27, 2009

I have two loans with the two companies, ACS and Wachovia. My outstanding balance with ACS is about 25,000 and 5,000 with Wachovia. They apparently share a billing department, as that is where my complaint is focused toward. I pay both statements about 2 weeks early, every month without fail. I haven't missed a payment. However, they mess up my payment, without fail, EVERY month. This isn't a once in a while occurence. This isn't a periodic occurence. Like I said, every month I have to call to straighten things out.

This is how it goes. I write two seperate checks, prepare two separate envelopes, and mail two separate payments every month. The due date arrives, and about two weeks later I receive a statement from one of the companies that they didn't receive my payment. I call to speak with a supervisor, and they inform me that one company credited both checks to just one account, leaving the other account delinquint. They straighten out the problem, only to start the process over the next month. This happens month in and month out. There was actually one month they didn't recognize my payment, and I had to get the cleared check and mail them a copy to prove I made the payment. Do you have any thoughts of how I can get them to quit messing up my payments and making me spend 45 minutes a month calling them to fix the problem.

coreyann of tacoma, WA May 29, 2009

My student loan balance is not going down. I keep paying the amount and the balance is not going down. I am tired of paying on this loan and not seeing balance go down. I cannot afford to pay anymore each month and ACS keeps telling me to more to the principal. How can someone pay more to the principal when the payment is 387.00 each month.

The government needs to step in and do something about the way student loans are being handled. If the government is looking at credit card companies they also should look at student loan companies. The economy is bad and these companies don't even care all they want is the money. Something needs to be done.

Monica of Bakersfield, CA May 4, 2009

I consolidated my 3 private loans that are serviced by ACS with Wells Fargo. I began the process in November 2008. The funds were applied to my 3 federal loans which are not in repayment yet. This caused my accounts to become delinquent. After numerous phone calls to ACS with no solution in site, I sent an email to the complaint resolution department and received a call a few days later from Nadine who stated she was in the process of resolving the issue and had been in contact with Wells Fargo. She also informed me a portion of my funds were applied to someone elses account who also consolidated with Wells Fargo which created an overpayment on her account so she was sent a check from ACS.

Nadine also informed me the funds received from Wells Fargo were not enough to cover all my loans. My loan through Wells Fargo is in the amount 5,699.98. This amount was apparently sent in two seperate checks, which ACS is stating they only received one check. However, Wells Fargo is stating that both checks were cashed. I have been receiving calls and letters from ACS stating my accounts are past due. One of my accounts is now in default status. I have also had to take time off of work attempting to get the issue resolved.

Mollie of La Verne, CA April 29, 2009

I can't say enough about how awful working with ACS/Wachovia is! I am a very meticulous person; I keep records of my school loans and stay informed about them. While I'm quite able to admit when I've made a mistake, my problems with ACS/Wachovia are not because of any errors on my part. I feel like people need to know what I'm going through at the moment so that they can make an informed decision about their education loans! Going through Wachovia is an easy start-up process, with fast approval and low interest. However, these people are at heart a loan company. They will, at the first given chance, try to take advantage of you. I am a college sophomore who has attended university continuously and all of my education loans have been through Wachovia. I transferred after my first semester, and have now been a student at my current university for three semesters. My problems began when I transferred. I was told all my paperwork was in order and that Wachovia was aware of my transfer. They assured me that they knew I was only transferring, not leaving school. I thought all was well and went on my way happy as a clam. Now, though, I'm dealing with a loan that is delinquent, because they claim I didn't properly notify them of my transfer. They also tell me that I haven't been going to school full time, when in fact I've been overloading so that I may graduate in four years. I have gotten no paper statements for this delinquent loan, no emails- just a slew of collection agency calls in the past few weeks. The loan status is not visible on my online account, either. There is no way for me to pay it, even if I could access an online or physical payment method. Aside from that- I'm still in school. I've never left school. I've sent in two official enrollment verification forms, neither of which Wachovia seemed to receive. Meanwhile, the customer service agents are rude, curt and not at all helpful. Also, most of them barely speak passable English. They give me canned responses that are obviously not personalized. It took my mom and I two back to back conference calls, today, with ACS/Wachovia to finally get anyone to tell me what I needed to do to forestall this default. I'm sorry to say it, but we both had to get extremely angry before any of the representatives would give us any good information. This is unacceptable, stressful and ridiculous.

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