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Citibank Student Loans

Ebony of Vance, SC October 10, 2008

Ebony of Vance SC (10/10/08)
I consolidated my student loans with SC student Loans in 2005. I reconsolidated all of them this year in 2008 and Citibank refused to let my account go. I was receiving bill after bill for the account I cosigned for and never any for my own account. Now the cosigned account is reported to the Credit Bureau and has never been sent to the original account holder, who happens to be at the same address as I am.

Finally I received a late notice for MY account in April, which happens to be the first notice since my deferment. It's now being handled by a collection agency for whatever reason. I can't get anything out of them or the agency and this [is bad], because my other loans are being taken care of. They really need to handle their business more professionally than this. I'm asking to either have my loans consolidated with the others or a forbearance.

My credit score is lowered. I'm receiving harassing phone calls and also my other relatives. I can't get through to anyone and they give me the run around when it's not necessary.

Joy of Meridian, ID October 2, 2008

Joy of Meridian ID (10/02/08)
Citibank has continually refused my request for an in-school deferment, despite the fact that I'm in school half-time AND Citibank supposidly participates in automatic in-school deferment. They have refused requests for hardship deferments multiple times for no viable reason except that what I sent was not enough documentation, even though it was the SAME EXACT documentation I sent to Sallie Mae and Sallie Mae approved my deferment. They have harassed me several times a day, every single day.

My credit report is ruined by multiple late payments (I was in school half time). I can't buy a home. I have had to change my phone number because of the unnecessary harassment. I'm currently in the certifcation stage of a federal consolidation loan in order to get away from Citibank.

Diana of Peoris, AZ September 15, 2008

Diana of Peoria AZ (09/15/08)
I contacted the student loan customer service telephone number, (800) 846-2400, several times regarding an Extended Repayment Plan? option. Ive received a different answer each time I contacted them. I originally submitted my election for the Extended Repayment Plan on July 25, 2008. My grace period would expire at the end of August and I wanted to be pro-active in setting up my repayment plan.

I sent my request with supporting documentation from ACS/Chase identifying an additional 18,500 in student loan obligations. The ACS/Chase obligation coupled with the Citibank loan of 20,500 totaled 39,000 in student loans; which qualified me for the Extended Repayment Plan. On August 5, I received a letter from Citibank declining my request for the Extended Repayment Plan.

I called the customer service number, (800) 967-2400 on August 11, 2008 and spoke with Angela. She reviewed the documents I had sent from ACS/Chase and said it must have been declined in error because the documents were correct. As such, Angela said, Ill send it back and it should be good.? She suggested I call back in a week to verify.

On August 15th, I call the same customer service number and spoke with Valarie and she said the extended plan was in place? and my first payment was due September 26, 2008. I received an email on September 11th stating that my first payment of 253.34 was due on September 26th. I knew this had to be a mistake because the payment was too high. I called the aforementioned customer service number the next morning (9/12) and spoke with Kelsey.

Kelsey had no information concerning my account and said she couldnt help me. I asked to speak with a supervisor and she said there were no supervisors available. Kelsey said she could take my telephone number and someone would call me back within twenty-four hours.

I then asked Kelsey the address for the regulatory authority with oversight of the Citibank Student Loan Program. She asked me, Whats a regulatory authority?? I explained it would be an organization with oversight of her office to which a complaint might be sent. Kelsey gave me the address for the office in Sioux Falls. During the afternoon of 9/12 a supervisor, Sharee, called my cell phone to tell me that she had reviewed my file and agreed with Angela, the prior customer service agent that told me my documentation was in order. Sharee told me that she would send my file for review and that she would personally call me back to let me know when the situation was corrected. She further stated that the current payment due, of 253.34, was still due because the account had already been set-up. However, future payments should be adjusted.

As of the date of this mailing, Sharee has not followed-up with me. I sent the following letter to Citibank: All of this being said, I want to express my aggravation and belief that Citibank has acted unethically and intentionally in this matter. As a graduate over fifty years old and a disabled veteran, I believe Citibank doesnt wish to provide the Extended Repayment Plan to me because of the advanced age at which I would be if I, in fact, took the entire twenty-five years to repay the loan. The basis for this concern is two-fold. First, Citibank naturally has access to my personal information from my original Federal loan application identifying my age and veterans status. Second, when I went through this identical procedure with ACS/Chase I had no problems what-so-ever. With Chase it was one phone call; very simple.

There is only one conclusion to be reached by this situation, unless the customer service department (multiple assistants and a supervisor) with the Citibank Student Loan department is completely inept, which is unlikely; the multiple layers of impossible customer service procedures are intentionally designed to discourage loan customers from pursuing the Extended Payment Plan option. Discouraging older customers from exercising this option would naturally eliminate the possibility of Citibank losing money in the event the elderly customer passed away.

I understand this is a serious allegation; however, I do not think there is another logical explanation; egregious ineptitude is not believable.

Financially, I cannot make approximately 400 in monthly student loan payments this year. Next year I can support that type of payment which is why I wanted the Extended Plan; as is my right. In addition, ethically this situation bothers me if Citibank is targeting older, and/or veteran consumer - it is just wrong.

Katherine of Bohemia, NY September 10, 2008

Katherine of Bohemia NY (09/10/08)
I have a consolidated student loan through citibank. Recently, after a new law was passed for public servants under Direct Loans, I applied to transfer my loans. Under the college loan reduction and access act I am able to reconsolidate, only citibank refuses to release my money!!!!!!!

This is costing me a lot of money and I am not participating in a loan forgiveness program for school teachers because they are not complying with the new law!!

Oscar of El Paso, TX August 19, 2008

Oscar of El Paso TX (08/19/08)
I have a loan with Citibank Student Loan. My approximate loan amount is 25300. My gripe with them is that even though I submit timely payments I am always in arrears with them. My problem started two years ago in December when I made a payment at the beginning of the month for the December payment and made another payment for January's payment on or about December 26th.

Before long I discovered that I was one month in arrears. When I called and asked why, they stated that they processed both payments for the month of December, so I was showing I had skipped the month of January. Penalty dues started piling so I finally sent the additional monies that they were requesting. I didn't want for that to happen again and hurt my credit so I asked for the date to be moved from the 26th of the month to the 2nd or 3rd of the month. My payments never stopped but I found out that because I did that my payment was automatically advanced for the month and I had to do an additional payment (again).

I think this is a rip off and they are so unwilling to work with you. I actually had a customer representative hang up on me when I asked to speak to a manager. I was totally calm but firm when I requested to speak to the manager, because I wasn't getting through her or her canned responses. I am so frustrated and upset that I cannot fix this. My credit score and credit rating are very important to me and I have always paid my bills and my obligations, but I feel that they treat me like a deadbeat, and that really bothers me.

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