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December 13, 2007
Sallie Mae - Evil? Ignorant? I don't know. 
Like most people I know, I've had problems paying my student loans.
Not financial hurdles, but physical payment hurdles - loans get bought / sold / transferred , you're deluged with 8 'coupon books' of varying amounts at once, then none, and fight as much as you want - you can never get them to send you an actual bill. Its common knowledge that the Industry isn't very happy with the interest rates they can charge, so they make billpaying as confusing as possible, and rack up late fees, service charges, and default interest.
Sallie Mae has sunk to a new low with me. A few months ago I got a phonecall saying I was past due: I hadn't had a bill in about 2.5 years because I tossed them my entire Holiday Bonus a few years back , and bills had apparently caught up. I never got a bill online or in the mail, so I didn't know I had to pay. Their email is whitelisted on my system , and I get tons of 'refinance' offers in my inbox and regular mailbox all the time -- so they know where I am, and how to contact me. Nevertheless we fight, they promise to send me a bill, and an online payment is made.
Last night I got a phonecall - my account was past due. I replied, AGAIN, that I had no idea I owed money or what I owed. I don't know if these are monthly or quarterly payments or what the amounts are - if you would please SEND ME A BILL, I would know these things and pay. Customer service requests a paper bill be sent, sends me an automatic payments application, and gives me a confirmation number for the payment that brings me up to date.
Things will be over finally... I think.
Except I just got a call from Sallie Mae. My account is past due. WTF? The customer service rep asks "Will you be able to make a payment today?" I counter "Hell no. First off, I want a bill - I didn't pay because you're not billing me. Secondly, I made a payment on the phone yesterday, and I have a confirmation number right here I'd be happy to-"
Customer service replies "Actually Sir, that won't be necessary. I know you made a payment yesterday, because to be honest, I processed that payment myself yesterday." What are the odds of that? He was able to find the information in the system, and claimed that payment just hadn't posted yet, but should tonight.
I don't know what to think of this -- its 2007 and I simply should not have this much trouble trying to get a physical bill or pay one. This is insane.
Posted by Jonathan at December 13, 2007 6:41 PM
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