E.C.S.I.

Review: ECSI sent a bill to my mother's house in Washington, NH for my outstanding student loan. I am currently in Ireland finishing up my degree program. The bill issued a warning that if it was not paid more fees, interest, etc. would be added to my bill as well as me being reported to the credit reporting agency. I had two on-line chat conversations with the ECSI chat center. They were not able to explain all the fees or give me much information. They told me to contact the college. Given my time constraints for additional charges and a 5 hour time difference between countries I felt pressured into paying my bill without having time to get all the information I needed for a dispute. I paid the fees on-line and they added what they called convenience fees on top of that.Desired Settlement: I asked to speak to the Center Director to discuss my dissatisfaction with the way I was coericed into paying my bill without having more information about the extra fees I was charged and was told Mr. Talotta was not reachable by phone or email and I had a very unproductive conversation with someone named Janet instead. I am requesting that I get a copy of all the extra charges, fees revealed to me as well and the ability to keep my file open so that I have the option to dispute my bill if necessary, and the convenience fees waived. Being in another country with exchange fees being as high as they are right now has added a considerable amount of unnecessary additional debt to me.

Business

Response:

In July 2015, Heartland ESCI became the new loan servicerfor [redacted]. During theconversion process, the loan account was transferred from the previous loanservicer, [redacted], to Heartland ECSI. The$72 in fees was assessed while the account was being managed by the prior loanservicer. There was no specifictransaction history that identified the exact reason for the additional feesassessed; however, memos were transferred that indicate Mr. [redacted]’s loan waspast due and placed with a collection agency. The collection agency was unable to collect on the past due loan. The $72 in fees was assessed at some pointwhile the account was past due.Upon conversion of the loan from [redacted] to Heartland ECSI, abilling statement was generated and mailed to the address on file for Mr. [redacted]which was the address provided in the promissory note that was signed when heaccepted the terms of the loan with his school. It is the responsibility of the borrower/student to provide updatedaddress information to the school (or to the loan servicer on behalf of theschool) to ensure they are receiving all notifications, billing statements,etc. regarding their loan. Our billingstatements do contain messaging when a borrower is past due, that additionalfees and interest may be assessed based on the contractual agreement/promissorynote with the school and that credit reporting to credit bureaus may alsooccur.On July 27, 2015 at 10:10 AM Eastern Time, Mr. [redacted]’smother contacted Heartland ECSI to discuss the account. However, we were unable to provideinformation to the mother because we did not have a release or authorization onfile. That same day, we were contactedby Mr. [redacted] and he was advised by the Customer Service Representative (CSR)that when the account was converted from [redacted] to Heartland ECSI it was indeferment and was 59 months past due. The CSR also advised Mr. [redacted] that based on the memos on the account,it looks like the past due balance was from December 2009 when payments shouldhave started and was through January 2012 when the next deferment wasposted. Mr. [redacted] requested anexplanation of the $72.00 penalty on the account. The CSR tried to contact the school but werenot able to reach them. The CSR advisedMr. [redacted] that we would contact him when we heard back from the school with theinformation regarding the $72.00 penalty. The CSR also advised Mr. [redacted] of his current payoff amount on theaccount.During some point in the conversations on July 27, 2015, acall was escalated and our Call Center Team Lead (CCTL) at 12:36 PM EasternTime from Mr. [redacted]’s mother who protested the convenience fee that was beingcharged for a payment that was made via our online self-service webportal. Our CCTL did advise the motherthat because the payment was made via our online portal, the fee could not bealtered and that the fee is displayed and agreed to at the time the payment ismade via our online self-service web portal. On July 27, 2015 at 2:23 PM we received an email from Mr.[redacted]’s mother regarding Mr. [redacted]’s loan. We replied to the mother that any questions regarding the account canonly be discussed with Mr. [redacted] since there was no release or authorizationfor us to discuss the account with the mother. On August 3, 2015, we were contacted by the school that theyadjusted the $72.00 from a late fee to principal as Mr. [redacted] had disputed thefee. A $72.00 adjustment was made toMr. [redacted]’s account on August 3, 2015. Thiscreated a $72.00 credit on the account. The $72.00 credit was processed on August 15, 2015 and a check wasissued in the amount of $72.00. Thecheck was delivered to the same address that was on file because Mr. [redacted] didnot provide a new mailing address.After review of this account and the communications withboth Mr. [redacted] and his mother, all policies, procedures and processes werefollowed by the call center agents that interacted on this account. We hope that Mr. [redacted] finds the informationprovided and the actions taken to be satisfactory. If we can be of any further assistance inthis matter, please do not hesitate to contact Steve J[redacted] at [redacted].

Review: Beggining in September of 2013 ECSI began incorrectly charging me penalties and late fees for for my student loans which I had been paying on time. I noticed this 2 months later and began written correspondence with them to correct this mistake begigning at the end of November 2013.

After many months of letters back and forth, they eventually turned my account over to a collection agency. I sent the collection agency the paper trail of my correspondence / disputes and they returned my account to ECSI. I can only imagine that ECSI didn't let them know about all of the charges that were in dispute?

Now in June 2016 I finally received a bill from ECSI that removes all penalties / late fees and I have sent them payment to settle my account in full. While I am relieved to not be working with ECSI anymore, it appears that when I was disputing the incorrect penalties / late fees this resulted in ECSI reporting my account as "past due" with the credit reporting agencies. Because these charges were in error, I would like my credit record corrected.Desired Settlement: I would like my credit report to be corrected because the additional charges form ECSI that caused my account to become "past due" were made in error.

Business

Response:

Heartland ECSI is a third party loan billing servicer on behalf of The [redacted]. After a review of Mr. [redacted]’s account we have found the following: On July 1st 2013 he setup monthly reoccurring payments to be withdrawn from his checking account for $93.34. He set the payments to stop drafting after the June 2014 payment was withdrawn. The combined fixed monthly payment for both of his loans is $131.67. We verified the statements sent to him listed the correct fixed payment amount. After August of 2013 monthly phone calls and letters were sent to Mr .[redacted] notifying him of the incorrect payment amount. The University and Heartland ECSI received a letter in January of 2014 disputing the account’s delinquency status. A letter and email was sent back explaining that his AutoDraft was lower than the minimum fixed payment amount. On November 11th 2014 the University mailed a letter advising his account would be placed with a collection agency because his AutoDraft stopped after June 2014. On February 12th 2015 his account was placed with a collection agency. While under the collection agency Mr. [redacted]’s account would have been subject to collection fees. In March of 2016 Mr. [redacted]’s University removed his account from collections, removing the collection fees. At the end of May they mailed another letter advising his account would be turned over to collections. On July 6th 2016 a payment was received paying the account off in full. As a third party servicer, Heartland ECSI is required to maintain the integrity of credit information provided to the three major credit bureaus. The Fair Credit Reporting Act requires furnishers of information to provide accurate information to the reporting agencies. If Mr. [redacted] has any other questions he may contact our loan servicing department at ###-###-####

Review: I used to have a bad student debt. And ECSI reported on my credit history.

Now my loan is paid with ECSI, but the negative credit report is not removed.

ECSI representative told me that they are not going to do anything, because they closed my account, since my loan was paid.

Business

Response:

Studentloan accounts are reported to the credit bureau(s) along with the current orpast due status. This information is reported on a monthly basis to thecredit bureau(s) and becomes part of the credit history on the account. An account being paid in full does not override any past due status that waspreviously reported to the credit bureau(s).If you feel that the information reported to the credit bureau(s) is incorrect, werecommend that you file a dispute with the credit bureau(s). Upon filinga dispute, access will be provided to Heartland ECSI to confirm accurateinformation is shown on the credit bureau(s).

Review: I make regular, on time payments to this private, student loan servicing company. In the last six months they have misplaced my electronic payments to them twice. These payments are being made to them directly through their system using my bank account information. They are charging me late fees and this is adversely affecting my credit. This is completely unacceptable as I am sending my payments through their system by the due date or earlier. It is their responsibility to post these payments to my account.Desired Settlement: I want this business to post my payments to my account correctly every time, the first time. I want them to correct any adverse affects to my credit report.

Business

Response:

Heartland ECSI (formerly Campus Partners) is the third party loan billing servicer for the [redacted] – [redacted]. By acquisition, Heartland ECSI assumed the third party servicing contractual obligations of Campus Partners. Based on a review of Mr. [redacted]’s account, it has been determined that we have reported his account to the credit bureaus as “current and in good standing” for the past two (2) years. We did not find any record of misapplied or misplaced electronic payments associated with his account. We do, however, show that a late fee was assessed to his account during the June 2016 billing cycle due to not receiving a payment in the prior month. No other fees has been applied to his account for being past due and no negative credit reports has been delivered to the credit bureaus for being past due. We do have record of Mr. [redacted] making a payment, which included the late fee of $4.20, to bring his loan to a current status. This did not result in any negative reporting to the credit bureaus. If Mr. [redacted] would like to talk with us directly, he may contact Tony G[redacted], Supervisor of Customer Service, directly at ###-###-#### or contact our general customer service team at ###-###-####.

Review: This company does not bill you or send any kind of notification to bills borrowers so they know they have a bill due. They say they email and they don't. They said they mailed my first bills to my email, which is not true. With further questioning they said they sent to my schools email which is closed ( per [redacted]) since it has been a year plus since attending. The first payment was $108 to bring current. I asked to speak to a Supervisor and when she came on all she could say is that you signed a promissory note and you in default of the terms. When I tried to talk to her all she did was argue and say you signed the promissory note and your in default. Well come June the payment was made for $40.00 but I got two notices dated for the same date in June one past due notice with $108 due and the second notice dated for the same date as first for $112 dollars so I called on the way to work and after 15 minute on hold the rep told me that I am past due $65 and when I asked for what she says that they charge the borrower for letters and phone calls. I do not what phone calls they never leave messages and I check my phone all day long. As for charging for notices that was never disclosed in any previous conversations and the rep told me that [redacted] charges for notices and that is basically how it is. You try to get answers and all you get on the phone is attitude and rudeness all the way from reps to management. Instead of arguing with borrowers so they can get information try to listen and help them to understand the poor billing process ECSI does. My biggest issue is you keep saying I am 60 days and yet payments are made since the billing is never the same from month to month. How can a person be late when you do not send consistent billing and seem to be a variable amount every month.Desired Settlement: I expect correct and accurate billing sent in a timely manner with a DUE date clearly marked. I expect any negative reporting on credit report be reversed since the billing has never been consistent with a plainly marked DUE date. Please don't blame the school for your hidden charges, just practice correct and honest billing practices. I am not the only one that is having issues with poor billing practices.

Business

Response:

Please note that Heartland ECSI is a third party loan servicer on behalf of the school. Heartland ECSI does not retain any of the principal, interest, or other loan related fees such as late fees. The following correspondence was mailed to the address on file to notify the loan was coming out of a grace period. ·08.30.2014 90 days into grace period ·10.30.2014 150 days into grace period· 02.10.2015 Grace end letter·03.10.2015 first statement sent with due date of 4/1/2015 The first statement was emailed to the email on file. On 09/13/2010 the account holder logged into ECSI.net opted into the electronic statement option and confirmed bills were to be send to the account holder’s school email address. The Perkins loan promissory note puts the obligation of keeping all demographic information current with the borrower of the loan. Unfortunately strict laws surrounding student loan credit reporting do not allow Heartland ECSI to remove negative credit reporting due to not receiving statements. ·On 4.10.2015 May 1st's statement was mailed to the borrower. It listed $88 due by 05.01.2015. This consisted of $40 for 04.01.2015 $40 for 05.01.2015 plus an $8 late fee.·On 4.22.2015 a call was made to Heartland ECSI regarding the account. The represented educated the account holder on how to apply for a deferment and forbearance. They also advised the loan was due on 04/01/2015 and is now past due with a late fee assessed by the debtor ([redacted]). At that time the email address was updated. ·On 4.23.2015 A call was triggered to advise the loan was approaching 30 days past due and could be reported to the credit bureau. If the call is marked as successful by either reaching a live body or leaving a message a $2 fee is added to the account by the debtor. The right to call was agreed upon by signing the Perkins loan Promissory note. The borrower agreed to “automated telephone dialing equipment or artificial or pre-recorded voice or text messages”.·On 4.24.2015 we mailed a “30 day delinquent letter” advising the loan was approaching 30 days past due and the account was in threat of negative credit reporting. ·On 05.10.2015 a statement was mailed advising a payment of $140.00 was due by 6.01.2015. This amount included the fixed payment amount for 06.01.2015.·On 05.22.2015 A call was triggered due to non-payment advising the account could be reported to the credit bureaus. We received a call regarding the amount due and fees. It was escalated to a supervisor who explained we cannot remove fees for billing issues and that the amount due and payment options were explained on 4.22.2015 yet the loan was still diluent. A payment was then made online for $103.00 bringing the loan current and leaving $37.00 due for 06.01.2015·On 06.10.2015 a letter was mailed advising the 06.01.2015 payment was missed and $87 would be due for 07.01.2015; $37 for May $40 for July plus an $8 late fee and a $2 past due phone call charge.·On 06.25.2015 A 30 day past due call was triggered.·On 07.16.2015 a $40 payment was made online.·On 07.31.2015 the account holder contacted ECSI three times. On each contact the rep explained the fees on the account and how to apply for a deferment or forbearance. Heartland ECSI has detailed all the options available for this account multiple times. However we have yet to receive a request for deferment or forbearance. Being that a Federal Perkins Loan is a loan with strict government regulations we cannot remove past due credit reporting unless the account holder contacted us to setup rehabilitation. For assistance on setting this up or getting more information on deferments please contact us at ###-###-####.

Review: 1.) ECSI's online payment system does not allow student borrowers to pay early. ECSI only accepts online payments after the due date. ECSI only accepts payments on the 1st, 10th,15th and 20th. However, ECSI does not apply payments to the future billing period. It applies payment to the previous billing period and then categorizes the payment as late and then collects a fee. In other words, when a statement is received, a payment can be made and ECSI will apply it as late for the previous month but not for the future month. When paying over the minimum due of 300-400 dollars this still does not bring account into future status thereby making it impossible to pay ahead. It doesnt matter what time of the month you make a payment, they always consider the payment late.

2.) ECSI does not indicate to lender the "MONTHLY BALANCE DUE DATE" on the website. Borrowers are misled into believing they are paying in advance and then charged late fees (see item #1). There is no due date on any of the websites main billing pages, secondary pages or third pages in violation of federal law.

3.) ECSI does not provide paper statement options and clear billing options notifying borrowers of late payments. I have paid automatic payments to ECSI for three yrs. According to their account representative the payments made were always late, yet within a 10 day grace period, despite the times when payments were made far in excess of minimum due during a given month and billing period. Payments were simply applied to the previous months bill despite being well in the next billing period. ECSI only draws money once a month there by rending it impossible to pay in advance.Desired Settlement: 1.) Remove all late status payments on current account. Show payments made between 1/1/16 -4/1/16 as current. Remove all credit report actions.

2.) Place "Balance Due Date" on website in accordance with Federal Law and US Dept. of Education Perkins Loan Terms and Conditions..

3.) Allow borrowers to pay their balances in advance towards the next billing period. Cease the dishonest practice of apply payments to previous billing periods and then charging a late fee.

Business

Response:

Please note: Heartland ECSI is a third party billing servicer on behalf of [redacted] (Fullerton). As a third party servicer we assess fees onto Mr. [redacted]’s account in accordance with his campus’s specific instructions. All monies paid to late fee’s, principal and interest are forwarded to [redacted] in their entirety. Our records indicate on 07/20/2015 Mr. [redacted] logged into to his online account and setup reoccurring automatic payments to be drawn the 10th of each month starting 08/10/2015. These payments drew and applied without issue each month, Heartland ECSI’s system does not access a fee onto an account until after it is 10 days past due. On 12/26/2015 Mr. [redacted] logged into his online account and changed his reoccurring monthly payments to withdraw the 15th of each month starting January 15th 2016. Being these payments surpassed the (10) day window a late fee was accessed at $5 a month for January, February, and March. As a curtesy to Mr. [redacted] we have applied the $15 in late fees to his principal balance. We have also verified that Mr. [redacted] did not suffer any derogatory credit reporting while his account was past due. Anytime reoccurring payments are setup either online or with a representative their account is set to send electronic bills to the email address listed on the account, this is in the disclosure while setting up automatic payments. Heartland ECSI’s websites offers a free payment option referred to as “Direct Pay”, this is mainly used to setup reoccurring monthly withdraws from a checking or savings account. It does however have the functionality to allow users to setup a payment to only draw for one month. A statement is on our Direct Payment page that advises users to make sure the date they choose does not conflict with their accounts due date. Heartland ECSI provides multiple withdraw dates to accommodate various due dates. Our website also has an instant electronic check option and credit card payment option 7 days a week/24 hours a day. Heartland ECSI applies payments in accordance to Dept. of Education Regulations and client specific instructions. Any payment that’s made above what is currently due on the account will apply directly towards the principal balance. This is what the majority of borrowers request in an effort to see a decrease in the amount of interest that accrues over the lifetime of the loan. Mr. [redacted] may contact Heartland ECSI’s customer service department at ###-###-#### to request any over payment applied to a future billing period. We apologize for any confusion Mr. [redacted] experienced using Heartland ECSI’s old website. We launched a new website in 2015. Instructions to access this site have been emailed to Mr. [redacted]. If any additional assistance is needed he may contact [redacted] directly at [redacted]

Review: This message requires a formal response from a managerial employee.

I am writing with regards to my Perkins loan serviced by ECSI. Today, 1.14.2016 I received the first and only written correspondence from ECSI regarding my loan. The notice was to inform me that the account is 75 days past due and that a credit bureau rating is reported as 90 days past due. My last payment was 8/30/2015 and then the loan entered into deferment and grace period. After a more than 30 minuet hold to speak to a representative, Jim, informed me that ECSI obtained my mailing address through some sort of "skip" service.

I cannot believe that ECSI made no other attempts besides this delinquent letter to contact me by US mail. My mailing address has been as listed for several months, and a forwarding service remains in place from the US Postal Service to assure delivery of mail sent to my former address. Furthermore, my cellphone number and email address have remained unchanged for over a decade.

One cryptic telephone call from an automated "Miss G[redacted]" was left on my voice mail. The message was so vague, I was lead to believe it was a scam and so it was disregarded.

It is absurd, irresponsible, and outright unethical for your company to make only one attempt through postal mail to contact me. Since graduation from college I have paid every single loan of mine on time. Now, years later and over $200,000 dollars in student loans, I continue to make every payment, every month, on time. ECSI reporting my account as delinquent, adversely affecting my credit rating, is a vindictive action given the fact that ECSI made so little effort to contact me.

I informed Jim that I wanted to know the pay-off amount for the account and wanted to pay the loan in full, thereby ending my obligation to ECSI. I was informed by Jim that I did not want to do this. Instead I was directed to a "credit rehab" program.

I find the actions of ECSI to be unethical and deceptive and believe that I, and probably many others, have been taken advantage of.

I will be contacting my attorney tomorrow, [redacted], as well as my accountant and financial advisor. I will also instruct my attorney to file a formal complaint regarding ECSI’s unethical business practices with the Revdex.com. I will not passively allow ECSI to tarnish my exemplary credit due to the company's seemingly dismissive attitude regarding its duty to contact its customers.

It is my intention to pursue this matter to the fullest. I do wish to pay the account off in-full and I insist the adverse credit reporting cease at once and action be taken to rectify the issue.

I am available, as I have been, by US Mail, email, and telephone to speak to a senior staff person with appropriate authority to handle this situation.

I await your response,Desired Settlement: I want the negative reporting to the credit bureau to stop and for ECSI to rectify the damage to my credit rating. I am a young professional attempting to buy a home and this is devastating.

Business

Response:

Heartland ECSI is the third party loan servicer for [redacted]. Based on the review Mr. [redacted]’s loan, the following information is being provided: Heartland ECSI attempted to notify Mr. [redacted] of the account status on multiple occasions. - On September 11, 2015, notification was mailed advising that the grace period was ending and that payment would be due on November 1, 2015. - On October 12, 2015, a statement was mailed to Mr. [redacted] showing a first payment due date of November 1, 2015. - The above-mentioned notification and the above-mentioned statement were returned due to an invalid mailing address. - On November 24, 2015, we initiated an automated phone call to advise of account status. We received voice mail at the phone number on record and left a voice mail asking Mr. [redacted] to contact Heartland ECSI. - On December 29, 2015, we initiated an automated phone call to advise of account status. We received voice mail at the phone number on record and left a voice mail asking Mr. [redacted] to contact Heartland ECSI. On January 14, 2016, Mr. [redacted] contacted Heartland ECSI and spoke with our representative to update his mailing address. Mr. [redacted] requested for a payoff amount to remove the negative credit reporting from his credit bureau. Our representative advised him that paying off the debt would not remove the existing negative credit reporting and that a rehabilitation is needed to remove the derogatory credit reporting. Under the Federal Perkins Loan Promissory note, it is the obligation of the borrower to ensure that their address is up-to-date with the creditor and any third party servicer. We did try to locate a new address using a skip trace process, however, we were not able to locate a valid mailing address. As a one-time courtesy, we were, after review of the account and conversation with Mr. [redacted], able to remove the derogatory credit reporting. The correction has been send to the credit reporting bureaus. It may take up to 30 days for the credit repositories to update the information on Mr. [redacted]’s credit report. Mr. [redacted] did provide us with an updated address. On January 15, 2016, Mr. [redacted]’s attorney, [redacted], contacted a customer service supervisor. The supervisor informed Mr. [redacted] that the information was sent to update Mr. [redacted]’s credit report as a one-time courtesy. If Mr. [redacted] has any other questions regarding the above information, he should contact Tony G[redacted], Supervisor in our Customer Service Department, at [redacted]

Review: I sent the following email to the treasurer in the Chancellor's Office of my alma mater, [redacted]:

Re: Problems with Heartland ECSI

Regarding our conversation today, I have Perkins Loans with [redacted], and have been making payments to ECSI with no difficulty. However, since Heartland took over the company, the following problems have arisen:

(1) Heartland mailed me an erroneous dunning notice approximately March 15, 2016, stating that I was 45 days in arrears, then informed me by email that they were mistaken, that I was 15 days in arrears.

(2) Both dunning notices were in error; apparently, Heartland had failed to process my check #[redacted], of $87.73 dated March 9, 2016. They claimed that they never received it.

(3) I had to make a e-check payment of $177.81 to cover the check they said they hadn't received, and the next month, plus a late fee.

(4) I called Heartland, asking them if their mailing address had changed, and they informed me by telephone that it had. I obtained the new address on that day, and have never received any mail or email indicating the validity of the new address.

(5) On April 21, 2016, I sent Heartland my check #[redacted] for $87.73.

(6) On Monday, May 2, I received an email from Heartland stating that they had posted my check on April 28, but did not indicate which check it was.

(7) I called Heartland on May 2, and the customer service person said they had received BOTH checks, #[redacted] and #[redacted], and that they had deposited both checks.

(8) However - the checks did not show up as posted or pending on my bank statement. As of today, May 5, they still do not appear.

(9) I called my bank's customer service line, and they confirmed that the checks have not been posted.

I also went in to my local bank branch. The senior representative made some calls, and confirmed that checks #[redacted] and #[redacted] have never been presented by Heartland for payment. The bank representative said it was likely that Heartland was lying, and committing fraudulent billing as well.

(10) I have made numerous phone calls to Heartland, and on May 5, today, reached someone named "[redacted]," who is apparently a supervisor. She was rude and dismissive to me, and insisted that the checks have been posted.

(11) I called [redacted], but have not been able to speak with her yet. Therefore I was motivated to call the [redacted] Chancellor's Office, and was fortunate to be directed to your office.

What I ask of [redacted] is that you allow me to pay off my Perkins Loans in full, as my career has progressed and I am now able to do so. Please advise me how I can make the payments to [redacted] only. I do not consider it prudent to deal with Heartland again. Indeed, as a result of my interaction with them, I believe they are not a reputable business concern.

I am very grateful for your advice and attention to this matter. Please confirm receipt of this email. I look forward to hearing from you.Desired Settlement: I wish to pay off my student loan DIRECTLY to the university that granted it, severing any connection with Heartland ECSI, who does not deserve to be in the business of administering student loans.

I would like Revdex.com to make a public record of my complaint against Heartland ECSI, which is now failing to administer my student loan payments in a professional, timely, or trustworthy fashion.

Business

Response:

Please Note: Heartland ECSI is a third party billing servicer on behalf of [redacted]. As a third party billing servicer we do not have the authority to authorize students or borrowers to make payments directly to their college or university. Requests of this type need to be authorized by the debt holder, [redacted]. We apologize for the undue stress Ms. [redacted] has incurred repaying her loan back to [redacted] through Heartland ECSI. It is our goal to make the repayment of student loans as painless as possible. In error, Heartland ECSI delivered a 45 day past due letter instead of a 15 day past due letter. On March 16, 2016, we notified Ms. [redacted] by mail and email that she received a 45 day past due letter in error and that the letter received should have been a 15 day past due letter. On March 18th Ms. [redacted] contacted Matthew supervisor within our customer service department. Matthew explained the 45 day past due letter was incorrect. Ms. [redacted] informed him that she mailed a payment that has not reflected on her account. Matthew removed the late fee assessed to Ms. [redacted]’s account and let her know we were experiencing a few issues with mail forwarding from our previous address and that we process all payments received within 24 hours. Matthew advised Ms. [redacted] to monitor her account for the payment, because receiving her payment is in the hands of the post office due to the forwarding issue. Matthew let her know that there would not be any late fees or derogatory credit reporting on her account due to the mail forwarding issue. On March 21st when Ms. [redacted] made her payment online it applied exclusively towards principal and interest. The late fee that was on her account was removed by Matthew during their conversation on the 18th. We received and processed check #[redacted] on April 27th. On May 2nd we received and processed check #[redacted]. The conversation between [redacted] and Ms. [redacted] on May 5th has been reviewed. [redacted] researched the two payments that are mentioned above and could not find a reason there would be a delay in withdrawing the actual funds from Ms. [redacted]’s checking account. She advised Ms. [redacted] it normally takes 1-5 business days for the funds to be withdrawn once a check payment is processed. Ms. [redacted] requested [redacted] send her confirmation in writing that the payments would be withdrawn from her checking account, because it is at the liberty of Ms. [redacted]’s bank to authorize our request to withdraw the funds we could not fulfil Ms. [redacted]’s request. Leander J[redacted] a supervisor within our customer service department spoke with Ms. [redacted] on March 12th. He apologized and explained the issues she’s encountered did not result in negative credit or fees. Leander advised Ms. [redacted] that we do not have the authority to allow her to make payments directly to [redacted] and that decision would be at [redacted]’s discretion. Ms. [redacted] may contact Tony G[redacted] a head supervisor in our customer service department directly at ###-###-####.

Review: I've had the worst expreince with ECSI and their Customer Service Team. ECSI Heartland reported a negative reporting of 30 days late to my TransUnion credit profile in November 2015 because my $500 student loan from [redacted]-Chicago became past due. I spoke with a representative at ECSI to get this corrected immediately. I forwrded documents to ECSI to correct the negative reporting. I've called several times after my documents were forwaded and was advised the documents were recieved and a forebarance was placed on my account but, the following month I was reported again 30 days totaling 60 days and damaging my credit more. I called again to ECSI and was told the forebarance was placed on my account and the a supervisor would reach out to me regarding the incorrect reporting....NOTHING! No supervisor call back, no credit report correct, NOTHING!!!! I'm in the process of buying a home....and this negative reporting is hurting me and my family ...I'm unable to obtain credit because ECSI is reporting me now 60 days but, I was told by several reps ECSI would correct this issue asap but, I was reported again in December 2015 again 30 days late.

This inaccurate reporting is a violation of the Fair Credit Reporting Act and a represntative from TransUnion states ECSI is still reporting this negative information to them although I can log into my account and show a forebarance and they tell me the forebarance is applied to my loan. TransUnion wont correct this item because ECSI keeps reporting this information.

I have been told by several reps at ECSI that I am unbale to be provided documentation to provide to TransUnion that my loan is not past due but in forebarance. No supervisor has ever called me per my request to resolve this issue.Desired Settlement: I would like my credit report with TransUnion and Experian to be updated to reflect the correct reporting of my loan from [redacted]-Chicago from 60 days late to current dating back to the origination date of my loan.

Business

Response:

Heartland ECSI is the third party loan servicer for [redacted] of Chicago student loans. After review of Ms. [redacted]’s loan, following is additional detail: Ms. [redacted]’s student loan entered repayment on September 1, 2015. We did not receive payment or any form of request for deferment or forbearance during the months of October or November 2015. Therefore, the loan was reported to the credit bureaus as 30 days past due on October 30, 2015 and again as 60 days past due on November 30, 2015. On December 4, 2015, we received a request for forbearance. The request for forbearance was approved and was backdated to September 1, 2015 extending to September 2, 2016. We delivered the correction to remove the derogatory credit reporting on December 31, 2015. Heartland ECSI delivers loan status to the credit bureaus on a monthly basis. On January 4, 2016, Ms. [redacted] contacted our Customer Service team to review her credit reporting. Our representative advised Ms. [redacted] that we did send an update to the credit bureaus on December 31, 2015. The update would place the loan in a status of current and in good standing. Our representative did advise Ms. [redacted] that is may take up to 30 days for the credit bureaus to update her credit report. Ms. [redacted] requested to speak with a supervisor. Our representative told Ms. [redacted] she would get her a supervisor, however, it could take a few minutes to connect her to the supervisor and that she could assist Ms. [redacted] with any other requests while she was waiting. At that time, Ms. [redacted] requested proof that we sent this request to the credit bureaus. Our representative advised Ms. [redacted] that she could view the current status of her loan account on our website and delivered the login credentials to her. Ms. [redacted] agreed this would suffice and ended the call. On January 13, 2016, Ms. [redacted] contacted Heartland ECSI again and our representative review with her how her loan was reported to the credit bureaus. Ms. [redacted] was upset that her credit report wasn’t reflecting our update as of January 13, 2016. Our representative advised that it can take 30 days for the credit bureau to update her credit report from the time we submit the credit update. Ms. [redacted] did not request to speak to a supervisor at that time. On January 18, 2016, a supervisor attempted to contact Ms. [redacted] in response to this inquiry using the phone number provided. There was no answer and the voicemail was full. We attempted to contact Ms. [redacted] again on January 25, 2016. Again, there was no answer and the voicemail was full. If there is any other form of documentation that would suffice for Ms. [redacted] prior to the credit bureau being updated, we would be happy to help. She can contact Tony G[redacted], Supervisor in our Customer Service Department, at ###-###-####, Ext. [redacted]

Review: This complaint is to express my disapproval of the loan servicer/payment processor, ECSI. I have had nothing but problems with this company and their payment system and practices seemed to be more aligned with maximizing company profits at the expense of well meaning loan holders. I have had multiple credit card accounts, other student loan servicers, and a mortgage and have never had more difficulty with a lender than I have had with ECSI.

Specifically, in addition to questionable practices such as charging a fee for every payment (credit card or ACH transfer, something I have never experienced with any other loan servicer) and not allowing a recurring ACH transfer thus encouraging late payments, the system has allowed my account to go delinquent despite my setting up a recurring credit card payment months ago. My payment history on their website shows a payment of $40 (my monthly payment) every month since I started paying yet somehow I am have an $80 unpaid balance according to the website and $120 unpaid balance according to a mailing threatening to report my delinquency to the credit bureau. I am unsure why there is a discrepancy between the website and the mailing and am even more surprised that this could happen with a recurring payment set up. The only way I can put it together is that the company used my recurring payment to pay for fees it charged due to an unsuccessful bank transfer, one that I am fairly certain was caused due to website error as I had to try for 2 days to set up an ACH payment with the website repeatedly failing to process it (using a bank account I had already used successfully with them in the past). I ultimately set up the recurring credit card payment instead. I am not shocked that their website has failed me however as I was told by a customer service agent that they have had many complaints regarding the poorly setup and neglected website. I say neglected due to the comment on their homepage referencing an upcoming change to credit card payments that "will soon be an option in the winter of 2013."

How they can use may recurring payment to pay for fees that I am confident were incurred due to no wrongdoing of my own, and then allow my account to go delinquent without notifying me is beyond me. My attempts to resolve this issue with the customer service department has been equally frustrating. My first call resulted in a ticket being generated for a manager/senior member to call me back within 24hrs. Not until I contacted the school that I took the loan out through ([redacted] did I hear back from ECSI after my school contacted them directly. The person I spoke to apologized that the ticket that was generated the week before was never passed along to him and promised to look into my concerns immediately. I was told I would here back either that day or within 1-2 business days (this phone call took place on Oct 2nd 2015). Now nearly 2 weeks later I have called back twice, placed two new tickets to speak to someone regarding this and have yet to connect with someone. When I expressed my concerns regarding no one calling me back I was told someone placed a call to me on October 2nd. This was the original phone call mentioned above. Apparently no attempt had been made to reach me since. Meanwhile they have reported my delinquency to the credit bureau and this is now reflected negatively on my credit report. I feel like I have ran out of options trying to resolve this matter and thus am reaching out the Revdex.com. I consider myself financially savvy and responsible, and have never had such difficulty with any financial institution/lender/mortgage servicer etc. I have recurring payments set up with many institutions and have never experienced what I have experienced with this company.Desired Settlement: I would like $40 worth of fees refunded to my account and for ECSI to contact the credit bureau and retract their reporting of my delinquency. As far as I can tell $40 is the total amount I have been charged due to late fees/NSF fees. These fees are separate from the standard fees the company charges to make a payment.

Business

Response:

Please note that Heartland ECSI services loans as a third party on behalf of [redacted]. We do not retain any of the principal, interest, or other loan related fees such as late fees and NSF fees. As an optional service, Heartland ECSI provides to the school the ability for their students and borrowers to make online payments, which is many times a more convenient method. The payment processing fee is a compilation of multiple fees that are charged when making an online payment, such as Interchange and Basis Points (charged by your card provider), gateway fees (charged by the payment intermediary), and system maintenance fees (to maintain the link between your account, the payment gateway, and the payment processor). When making a payment online, payment processing fees may be based on a flat rate or a percentage of the amount being paid. You are not required to make your payment online and there are alternative options. To avoid paying the payment processing fee, you can mail a check or money order to Heartland ECSI. You may also sign up for recurring ACH payments which are drawn from your checking or savings account on a regular basis. Heartland ECSI’s website is regularly updated. As a servicer of student loans we must do this to ensure security of our website. Heartland ECSI will be releasing a new state-of-the art website in the next 30 days. Ms. Keegan will receive and e-mail notification when it’s launched.On 07/27/2015 Ms. [redacted] submitted an echeck payment by logging into her online account. That payment was rejected from her bank. The bank stated they were not able to locate the checking account number imputed by Ms. [redacted]. When this happens our client (OHSU) directs our system to charge an NSF fee. As a third party servicer we do not have the authority to remove such fees. When Ms. [redacted] spoke to our customer service supervisor he verified the checking account number entered in on her online ECSI account was the same numbers the bank rejected. Since this was not a system error we could not remove the fee. We did attempt to notify Ms. [redacted]. Below is the correspondence we sent. 07/29/2015 Heartland ECSI sent an email to the email account on file notifying the payment was rejected and a fee occurred. 08/11/2015 – Electronic bill was sent via email.09/11/2015 – Late notice was mailed to the address on file09/16/2015 – Impending negative credit reporting alert was mailed. 10/14/2015 – Late notice was mailed.Ms. [redacted] did contact the university, they instructed us to remove the NSF fee and clear any reporting caused be the fees on the account. We received this request on 10/26/2015. We confirmed with Ms. [redacted] and the university that the fees were removed and the credit reporting was updated on 10/26/2015.

Review: This company manages two of my student loans. It has reported my account two times to creditors as 30 days past due when it has only been 21 days past the due date. They are falsely reporting a delinquency on my credit.Desired Settlement: I would hope that the company changes their delinquency calculator to accurately reflect when a payment is 30 days overdue. Especially in cases where the consumer has made good faith efforts to make partial payments when possible.

Business

Response:

Heartland ECSI is a third party loan billing servicer on behalf of the [redacted] ([redacted]). Our system is setup to update the credit bureaus once monthly with a minimum of 30 days between the accounts due date and the day we update. Ms. [redacted]’s [redacted] account reflects as “current and in good standing” since credit reporting began in September of 2013. The due date on her account is the 1st of each month. Account history is reported to the credit bureaus on or after the last business day of each month. If Ms. [redacted] has not already done so she will need to contact the credit bureau reflecting negative reporting to open a dispute. The bureau will examine their records and correct any discrepancies. If Ms. [redacted] needs any assistance in this matter or has other questions on her account she may contact Tony Gump, Supervisor of customer service directly at ###-###-####.

Review: ECSI purchased the rights to a student loan that they did not originate and resisted my efforts to pay the loan off in full. They repeatedly charged me $30 fees (over a period of two months) for NSF which they initially told me was for insufficient funds check (false.) and later claimed was for a wrong account number (also false.) When challenged on this they said that they could not provide documentation without a subpoena.Desired Settlement: Removal of fees or alternatively proof supporting their claims.

Business

Response:

Heartland ECSI did not purchase the rights [redacted]’s loan. Heartland ECSI is the third party loan servicer for the [redacted]. We are providing the following information after reviewing Mr. [redacted]’s account.Mr. [redacted] had a Federal Perkins Loan with the [redacted]. Heartland ECSI was the loan servicer for the University. Following is a timeline of payments made that are detailed on Mr. [redacted]’s account:On 12/01/2015, Mr. [redacted] submitted a payment online using our electronic check payment option. The payment submitted was for $1,030.71 using an account ending in 2336. On 12/03/2015 his bank rejected the payment of $1,030.71 with a rejection reason code indicating that the account number entered was invalid and the payment could not be processed. A $30.00 fee was charged to Mr. [redacted]’s account for the rejected payment. On 12/03/2015, he contacted Heartland ECSI using Live Chat to inquire why the payment was rejected. Our representative advised him that the payment was declined due to an invalid account number.On 12/4/2015, Mr. [redacted] submitted another online payment using our electronic check payment option. The payment submitted was for $1,060.71 using an account ending in [redacted]. This payment was approved and posted to the account.On 12/16/2015, Mr. [redacted] submitted another online payment using our electronic check payment option. The payment submitted was for $16.72 using an account number ending in 2336. On 12/23/2015 his bank rejected the payment of $16.72 with a rejection reason code indicating that the account number entered was invalid and the payment could not be processed. A $30.00 fee was charged to Mr. [redacted]’s account for the rejected payment. On 12/31/2015, Mr. [redacted] submitted another online payment using our electronic check payment option. The payment submitted was for $46.72 using an account number ending in 2336. On 1/6/2016 his bank rejected the payment of $46.72 with a rejection reason code indicating that the account number entered was invalid and the payment could not be processed. A $30.00 fee was charged to Mr. [redacted]’s account for the rejected payment. On January 12, 2016, Mr. [redacted] contacted Heartland ECSI using our Live Chat option. Our representative explained why the return payment fees were assessed to his account and advised him that he could mail a payment using check or money order and should contact his bank for more information regarding the rejected payments. On January 19, 2016, we received a money order for $79.67 which paid his account in full.Based on guidelines provided by the [redacted], rejected payments incur a $30.00 fee for each unsuccessful electronic check transaction. We reached out to the University to see if they are willing to return the $90 in fees to Mr. [redacted]. They have agreed to refund the entire $90.00 amount. Mr. [redacted] will receive a credit to his bank account ending in [redacted] in the next 3-5 days. We have contacted Mr. [redacted] to advise him of the resolution.

Review: I had a collection account with this company which was initiated by [redacted] in Clinton, **. I received documentation from [redacted] that the account had been paid in full in April 2015 and that I should contact ECSI for a paid in full statement so that I could complete registration at a new school. I contact ECSI in May and they stated they could not provide me with a paid in full letter until 60 days which is 2 months. [redacted] who turned my account over to them has cleared this debt and my account with ECSI which I logged into also states paid out in April but they are refusing to issue this letter. This is not fair and the time frame is ridiculous. If someone cleared their debt they should be able to receive the proper documentation needed and requested to proceed and handle the other business obligations they have and should not be held up due to this practice.Desired Settlement: A paid in full notice be sent to me by mail or via email within the next 7 days so that I can provide my the documentation which is being requested of me by another business entity and also for my records and credit repair.

Business

Response:

While we do generate Paid in Full letters on behalf of our client Mississippi [redacted], our agents are trained to advise all borrowers that these letters can take 30 to 60 days to arrive. This timeframe ensures that our records are correct, our client (the borrower’s school) has received the funds, and the account is truly paid in full. Our records show that the borrower contacted us 3 times: 05/06, 05/12, and 06/05 and was advised of the date range. Borrower was also advised of alternatives to the paid in full letter to prove account has a zero balance. With that being said, we are now able to honor **. [redacted]’s request to send her a paid in full letter this week (as over 30 days have passed.)

Review: Their website is faulty in multiple areas, causing problems with billing/payments/contacting a rep through Live Chat, and by phone

1) 2 days ago I made a ONE TIME payment through website then received email stating that "You have successfully created recurring scheduled payments" and "You will receive a reminder email prior to each scheduled payment along with a confirmation after each payment is processed". I sent them an email telling them what was wrong and that it needed fixed. I received an email stating "This is confirmation that your recurring scheduled payments were cancelled. There were 1 payments remaining at the time of cancellation. " I then emailed back and said that I made a one time payment and that payment should not be cancelled. I haven't heard back.

2)Live Chat field for email does not let me type in full email address AND when I clicked continue (multiple tries) nothing happened. It says to contact someone through live chat when phone contact is not available.

3) The website says Hours of Operation: 8am-8pm (EST) and does not say M-F. I called on Sat and machine said they're closed.

4) When I tried to make another payment since I don't know if the one-time payment is going to go through from their end, the website only gave me the option to make a payment for my total balance even though it says on the previous screen what my minimum monthly payment requirement is due.

5)There is a misc fee on my statement that isn't explained.

6) They charge a .99 convenience fee to pay online ( check or credit card) even though they don't have an address listed to send payment by mail.

There are multiple problems with the website and making contact with a rep. There is also no physical address listed on the website in order to send concerns or payments.Desired Settlement: Fix the website and contact me that it has been corrected. Remove the fee.

Business

Response:

Please note: Heartland ECSI is a third party loan billing servicer on behalf of [redacted] University. Our records indicate Ms. [redacted] logged into her online account on April 14th and successfully made a one time electronic payment using her checking account. We offer reoccurring credit or debit card payments to be withdrawn for a set number of months decided by the user. You may set this up to cancel after withdrawing one payment. When making a onetime payment we encourage users to select our instant credit or debit card payment option. When Ms. [redacted] emailed us indicating she made a onetime payment and requested we cancel her reoccurring payments we believed she used our instant credit/debit card payment option. Heartland ECSI cannot accept confirmation to withdraw a payment over email once a payment has been canceled. We have attempted to contact the number listed on her account twice and left a voice message to contact us. More information is needed to resolve the issues Ms. [redacted] is experiencing when attempting to contact live chat and make online payments. We appreciate the valuable feedback regarding out website’s “contact us” page and apologize for the confusion. We will be updating the site shortly to state customer service is available Monday through Friday. Our FAQ page can be located at http://www.ecsi.net/help/faq_index.html#01 .This link appears at the bottom of our homepage. Instructions regarding where and how to mail payments are located here along with other payment options we offer. The fee showing on Ms. [redacted]’s account is a $1.25 “letter fee”. [redacted] sets the amount for these types of fees; all monies paid toward interest, principal, and collection fees are transferred in their entirety to the University. Being that no payment was made for March, on April 13th a letter was mailed advising the account is 30 days past due. When these letters need to be created a “letter fee” is automatically added to the account. As a curtesy to Ms. [redacted] we have removed this fee. A payment was received on April 14th satisfying March hand April’s billing periods. We understand managing multiple student loans can be stressful. It is our goal to make the student loan repayment process as easy as possible. Ms. [redacted] may contact Tony G[redacted] Supervisor of customer service directly by email or phone at [redacted] or ###-###-####.

Review: My Perkins Loan - which was originally owned and managed by my University - was recently transferred to E.C.S.I. in the end of 2015. From the day it was transferred I have had nothing but problem after problem. Due to employee error - which was documented by a supervisor - a payment was returned as unpaid because the employee left off the last digit of my account number. Additionally the requested monthly deduction was not set up.

I have spoken with different customer service representatives over the phone - including supervisors - as well as through their online chat, and the result is always the same. They are not very helpful, and try to find ways that it is the customer's fault.

Most recently they decided to no longer offer repayment with a Visa card - the MOST common credit/debit card. And I was told that it was my problem and I needed to contact to Visa if I had a concern...Desired Settlement: Due to the fact that the monthly deduction was not set up properly, I will now be assessed a late fee. I wish to have that late fee forgiven.

Additionally I think that there may be cause for further investigation into the business practices of this company. I have been paying loans for several years now and this is by far the worst company I have had to work with.

Business

Response:

Heartland ECSI is the third-party student loan billing servicer on behalf of various Universities and Colleges around the United States. As the third-party servicer, Heartland ECSI provides management services for the accounts only. Late fees are determined by the University and any monies collected for late or returned payment fees are transferred in their entirety to the University. We would be more than happy to remove any fee(s) caused by an error one of our representatives made. Unfortunately we have not been able to locate Ms. [redacted]’s account to thoroughly review it. We’ve emailed her and left her a voice message. We ask Ms. [redacted] to contact Tony G[redacted], Supervisor of customer service directly at ###-###-#### to resolve this matter immediately. On January 1st Visa® rolled out new guidelines that prohibit the use of Visa® Credit Card for loan payments, including student loans. Visa® considers this to be “debt-on-debt”. Much like student loans, a credit card is considered an account where an amount of money will be owed in the future and will be required to pay back at a later date. Additionally, an interest rate is applied to one’s credit card balance if it is not paid off in full by the monthly due date, which increases the total amount owed over the long-term. This can result in paying interest on student loans and paying interest on the payment that was used to pay the student loan. Heartland ECSI still accepts Visa® Debit card payments.

Review: On or about Aug 2014 I was notified by my school ([redacted] that my Perkins loan, which was being serviced by ACS, was now being serviced by ECSI. I contacted ECSI shortly after because I wanted to set up an online auto-payment, as I had done with ACS. ECSI advised me on that phone call that (1) the site was not yet set up to accept payments; (2) my loan would effectively be put on 'hold' until ESCI's website was ready to accept payments; (3) I would be notified by mail when that happens. At this time I offered to pay off the entire amount, but ECSI said they couldn't yet accept any payments. The outstanding balance at the time was approximately $1000. (I have additional student loans totaling $80,000+ that I pay on time and have otherwise perfect credit.)

ECSI never contacted me (by phone, email, regular mail) in the intervening 15+ months.

On Feb 2, 2016, I contacted ECSI by phone to see why I hadn't received any mail or had not been contacted by anyone. At this time I was informed by an ECSI Rep that ECSI (1) had been attempting to send mail to [redacted] (which is incorrect, I'm Apt. "**"), and (2) had resumed monthly billing for months. They informed me that they had stopped attempting to send mail when a letter was returned. (I find this explanation dubious, since my apartment building has only 8 apartments, and I regularly receive mail without any apt number identified, but whatever...)

Since I was under the belief that my loan was 'on hold' (as ECSI put it) and because ECSI has not been mailing me statements, and because ECSI was billing me without notifying me, ECSI's negligence is adversely impacting my credit rating.

I have contacted ECSI numerous times since February 2 in an attempt to clear my credit, and pay off the loan. I was advised by one ECSI representative that I should not pay off the loan until they've cleared my credit (which makes perfect sense, as I'll lose any leverage if I pay it off without first having my credit cleared).

However, each time I call and speak to anyone at ECSI, I'm told a different version of events to the point where I have no faith that my problem is actually being addressed. For example, I was told by ECSI Rep (and supervisor) Matt on February 4, that my issue was acknowledged as being caused by ECSI, and promised that he'd call me on February 5 or 6 to arrange payment. I never received a call back.

When I phoned ECSI again on February 11, I was told by another rep (Travis) that my ticket had been "accidentally cancelled" and that it would "take a few days." I was given a ticket number, [redacted].

Today, February 17, I called and spoke with Janet, who identified herself as a "team lead" for "call center operations." She said that my issue was "being reviewed" by a body which she refused to name or provide contact information for. This explanation was far different than the explanations given by Matt and Travis. Janet also refused to give out her surname.Desired Settlement: The above should show why I have no faith that anything I'm being told by ECSI is accurate. At every opportunity for competent service, they've fumbled the ball. I just want to pay the loan off and have my credit cleared with respect to ECSI, and let this complaint serve as a black mark against this incompetent group.

Business

Response:

Please note: ECSI Federal Perkins Loan Servicer is a third party loan servicer on behalf of Federal Student Aid. We received returned mail on 08/25/2014. When this occurs a stop is placed on billing until a trace is completed, locating the correct address. Being that the trace was returned with the same address listing the incorrect apt number of 33 the hold was not lifted. On 2/2/2016 Mr. [redacted] contacted ECSI and updated the address to the correct apt number. We apologize his concerns weren’t addressed sooner. The represented he spoke with on 2/11 did not correctly submit the ticket to be reviewed. We have educated that representative and we’re actively investigating why this wasn’t resolved when speaking with the Team Lead on the 17th of February. On 03/01/2016 we removed all derogatory credit reporting on his account. At that time we placed a stop on credit reporting for 60 days allowing him time to review the statement we mailed on 2/11/2016. A supervisor in customer service has attempted to reach out to Mr. [redacted] via phone, once on 03/01/2016, 03/10/2016, and 03/17/2016. There was no answer. If Mr. [redacted] would like additional assistance please contact Tony G[redacted] Supervisor of Call Center Operations directly at ###-###-####.

Business

Response:

Heartland ECSI transmits data to credit reporting agencies on the last business day of each month. We verified the change was submitted to the credit agencies on 03/31/2016. Unfortunately it can take the individual bureaus an additional 30-60 days to have this information reflect on the credit reports. We would happy to create a letter detailing the credit reporting change. Mr. [redacted] may contact Tony G[redacted] a Supervisor in our Customer Service department directly at ###-###-#### to have this documentation created.

Review: I consolidated all my student loans in October, including my loan serviced by ECSI, with another loan company and ECSI claims to have never received any contact from [redacted] or to have received payment from them. [redacted] has a check number and proof that ECSI cashed their check. This payment was obviously not applied to my account and so I keep receiving bills from ECSI. I have been in contact with both companies since October about getting this issue resolved and getting my account with ECSI paid off. I had a conference call with both companies and nothing came from that call. I contacted ECSI again today and they are continuing to claim that no payment was received. The customer service agent also tried to make claim that this loan was not eligible for consolidation because it's an institutional loan, which in fact it is not. It is through a community foundation that provides various forms of grants and loans to community members. I want this issue resolved as quickly as possible. I am tired of being told this issue is being sent to management and then nothing coming from that.Desired Settlement: I want the check from [redacted] to be applied to my account, so it will be paid off and so I don't have to deal with ECSI any longer.

Business

Response:

Please note: Heartland ECSI is third party billing servicer on behalf of Campus Door. Ms. [redacted] alerted a representative at Heartland ECSI on 02/23/2016 that a payment was cashed by ECSI from her consolidation company. We apologize for this representatives misunderstanding of consolidation. Mostly our business deals with consolidation directly through the DOED, where only specific loans are eligible. We have coached this representative on third party consolidations. Our representative submitted a research ticket to look into Ms. [redacted]’s missing consolidation payment because he was not able to locate a record of the payment. On 02/24/2016 Campus door sent us a copy of the cashed check from Ms. [redacted] consolidation company. They requested we locate the payment and apply it to Ms. [redacted]’s account. Once we reviewed the copy of the check it was identified that the check was mailed directly to Campus door and cashed by them. We notified Campus Door of this, they located the funds and applied them to Ms. [redacted] account. Her account now reflects Paid in full. We called Ms. [redacted] on 02/26/2016 and let her know what happened and cleared up any confusion. She was satisfied that it was completed. If Ms. [redacted] would like any other assistance she may call Tony G[redacted] Supervisor of customer service at ###-###-####

Review: -----(I think this is for the right address for the business, this is a complaint about an online payment service and may not have found the correct address)

My wife recently signed up for an online masters program and we need to deal with a payment service that the college uses. When trying to make an online payment using our American express card we kept getting error messages saying that the problem was with the credit card company. The [redacted] said nothing was wrong on there end. When we called the service part they looked into it and said that they won't take [redacted] even though they said on the website that they would. They said they took that down and refused our payment method. When we asked for an extension they said there was nothing they can do and told us to pay another way. We have figured out this months payment at the last minute but I wanted to complain to say it was unfair that we made plans to use this credit card and they refusedDesired Settlement: I want them to except the credit card if possible because I feel we were misled in how we can pay for the masters program and made plans to use this specific card and they won't accept it.

Business

Response:

Heartland ECSI acts as a third party payment processor for various

colleges and companies. Since we received this complaint we have not been successful

in our attempts to contact Ryan Stabler via email or phone. Heartland ECSI apologizes

for the inconvenience this has caused. We appreciate you bringing this error to

our attention. There are a few of our clients that utilize [redacted]. Unfortunately

since we are a third party payment processor we cannot process a payment

through a company like [redacted] if it isn’t in our contract with your college. We

have multiple payment options and would be happy to assist you. You can reach

us at ###-###-#### or [redacted].

Your ticket number is [redacted]

Review: I am in the process of loan repayment for to this company. Since my repayment began 4 months ago, I have had to call to have them adjust my payment because there are 2 loans being repaid and they are only applying the payment to 1 showing me delinquent on the other. I have started taking copies of the statement I receive and the remittance I send back with my payment in which I even started writing on the remittance how the payment should be applied. Again, even with this written on the remittance, I am still calling for them to make adjustments. My most recent call I was informed that the payments are processed electronically. So basically I will have to continue to call every month so that payments are applied correctly even though I write it on the remittance. How is this even remotely convenient for the consumer. Oh but to solve this I can either make payments online where I can specify how much goes to each loan and pay a fee for the online payment or set up automatic withdrawal. Unfortunately I get paid every other week and live pay check to pay check so I am unable to set up automatic withdrawal and I am not going to pay a fee to make payments online. Again how are either of these two solutions convenient for the consumer.Desired Settlement: They need to apply my payments to my loans correctly. No where on the remittance does it say payments are applied electronically and will not be applied correctly to the loans. This is deceiving and time consuming for the consumer and if I didn't check all the time I would have delinquencies, late fees and non payments on these loans. I should not have to take time out of my work day to call and have these payments adjusted.

Business

Response:

Please note: Heartland ECSI is a third party billing

processor for The [redacted]. We understand how this has been a cumbersome and stressful process for Ms.

[redacted]. Additionally we apologize for the time it has taken to resolve this issue.

Occasionally when a student has two of the same loans mailed payments do not

apply correctly; especially if one loan is significantly larger than the other. Once we are made aware that this type of issue is occurring our representative

is to report it to our banking department. Then we code the account to ensure

future payments are applied correctly. We have corrected this on Ms. [redacted]’s

account. Starting 01/01/2016 mailed payments should split correctly across the

two loans. Heartland ECSI is actively re-educating our representatives on this process.

Again we apologize it wasn’t corrected when it was first reported. We are currently

in the final stages of implementing a new check scanning system. Once in

operation it will alert us to any specific remittance or account anomaly. For

any additional assistance please contact us at ###-###-####.

Review: I had no idea that I was due to start making payments to these people until two months in when I got a late notice. Then when I pay them a month later I'm in default. They claim it's because they could not locate my bank account, from which they had taken money out of. They were all rude and treated me like an it. My banking information is all correct on their website. Now when I'm trying to get caught up in making payments they're still sending me notice of final demand, even though I am making payments.Desired Settlement: I'd like the past due amount to be forgiven. Considering its under $200. I'd like my credit report corrected.

Business

Response:

To Whom This May Concern: Heartland ECSI is the third party billing servicer for student loans on behalf of the [redacted] Upon review of Ms. [redacted]’s account, the following was determined:Ms. [redacted]’s account went into repayment status in March 2016. Her fixed payment amount is $71.07.Her first payment was due on April 1, 2016. On April 26, 2016, we received a payment made via electronic check in the amount of $148.14. This payment was for two (2) monthly payments and included a $6.00 late fee for her April 2016 payment. This payment was rejected by her bank as they were unable to locate the account that she had entered. On May 9, 2016, a 45-day past due letter was mailed to Ms. [redacted]. On May 31, 2016, she contacted our Customer Service Department via Live Chat. She advised that she received a notice that her account was past due, however, she had already made a payment and was not paying again. We did advise her that the payment she made on April 26, 2016 was rejected by her bank because they were unable to locate the account that she had provided. On June 1, 2016, she called our Customer Service Department via toll-free phone and wanted to know why her payment was returned and she was not making the payment again. We again advised her that the payment she made on April 26, 2016 was rejected by her bank because they were unable to locate the account that she had provided. She also stated that the monies were taken from the bank account and not returned. We advised that our records did not indicate or show that information. On June 2, 2016, she called our Customer Service Department via toll-free phone and stated that we lost her payment. We again advised her that the payment she made on April 26, 2016 was rejected by her bank because they were unable to locate the account that she had provided. On June 2, 2016, we received an online payment in the amount of $71.07. However, at the time of making the payment, Ms. [redacted]’s account was past due and she owed $251.21 which included three (3 monthly payments of $7.017 plus three (3) $6.00 late fees, plus one (1) $20.00 payment rejection fee). On June 20, 2016, Ms. [redacted] called our Customer Service Department via toll-free phone and wanted to make payment arrangements. We advised her that based on direction from the University there were no options to make payment arrangements. On June 25, 2016, we received an online payment in the amount of $155.21. This however, at the time of making the payment did not bring her account current. On July 27, 2016, we received a payment of $73.07. Again, this payment did not bring her account current. While the past due amount cannot be forgiven, on August 8, 2016, Heartland ECSI reached out to Ms. [redacted] to attempt to set up a forbearance on her account which would assist in bringing her account current. A forbearance, however, will not change any prior credit reporting. We cannot submit any correction to the credit reporting agencies. As a third party servicer, we are required to maintain the integrity of the credit information provided to the credit bureaus. Based on the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) furnishers of information are required to provide accurate information to the reporting agencies, and any adjustments made to credit report that is not warranted would compromise the integrity of the data. Upon review of Ms. [redacted]’s account it has been determined that our records reflect accurate reporting has been supplied to the credit bureaus which show that Ms. [redacted]’s account was 30 days past due in June of 2016. If Ms. [redacted] would like to talk with us directly, or has any other questions, she is welcome to contact our customer service team at ###-###-####. Sincerely,Scott K[redacted]Quality Assurance ManagerHeartland ECSI