Menu
CB Banks Sallie Mae Bank Scams, scams and more scams
Sallie Mae Bank

Sallie Mae Bank review: Scams, scams and more scams 35

J
Author of the review
5:51 am EST
Featured review
This review was chosen algorithmically as the most valued customer feedback.

I have done nothing but battle with SM for over 3 years now. Here is the latest - I have been overpaying my loans every single month. I called in to ask why the due date at the end of the loan never came up, or why the monthly payment never went down - since I was overpaying. I was told it would be looked into. Next thing I know, I get a letter from SM and they lowered my monthly payment by extending my loan 18 months! I did not give written consent to this! I was furious, so I called back and demanded that my loan go back to what it originally was (same payment, same payoff due date). So yesterday I received the new billing - it now has the original payoff date, but has gone up almost $100 per month! Either I am getting scammed or someone cannot add. I have had it with Sallie Mae and am planning on turning them into the BBB soon. I would strongly urge you to NOT finance anything though Sallie Mae - there is no customer service, or at least none in English, and they are unhelpful as they screw you over.

More Sallie Mae Bank reviews & complaints

Sallie Mae Bank - Student loans 52
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
Sallie Mae Bank - Private Loan Forbearance 5
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
Sallie Mae Bank - Student Loan 4
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
Sallie Mae Bank - High interest rate and taking money 1
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
35 comments
A
A
anaonate
pembroke ines, US
Apr 16, 2011 1:25 am EDT

Run away from Sallie Mae! Everything starts in school, do not sign anything pay your school cash use a credit card get American Express 5 credit cards at time if you have to, don't let them involve you schools want their money and that is it and Sallie screw your finances... Don't Sign. AVOID them... Payoff by transfering to credit cards with cheaper interest rates...

D
D
Daren
, US
Oct 15, 2010 6:10 am EDT

Sallie Mae had better train their more senior phone personnel to be respectful of now 49-nine-year-olds who call or they will be FIRED by me, personally. When we offer to mail in a form they will not demand that it be faxed. The form will be mailed and they will like it. In fact, they will come to my door and collect it in person. Or, as I said, they will be FIRED! Amen.

Y
Y
Yuginn
, US
Apr 19, 2010 8:30 am EDT

I have a loan with Sallie Mae, and it has been 2 years, my principal balance has remained the same, and every single payment goes straight to interest. And its not an interest only loan. I have complained and am only directed to a representative in India! I have good credit and am tired of paying a loan which I haven't made a dent. As a matter of fact, I'm calling them now!

T
T
tonia
Staten Island, US
Apr 29, 2009 4:48 pm EDT

The same thing has happened to me.I couldn't pay but I was told I can't put a loan in forbearance if it is late.I paid what i had too and submitted the form.In the mean time it was time to pay again and I didn't have the money so I was in default and told that I couldn't do forbearance because I'm late.I was late last month I told them.They call and harrass me every day.

T
T
thill81
Jonesboro, US
Jan 12, 2009 10:23 pm EST

I was advised to start a class action suit against Sallie Mae. I will need the support of those who wish to take part in this. Sallie Mae has ruined a lot of people's trust and faith in the borrowing process for us and our children to go to college. If you are willing please contact me via email, I will do the rest of the leg work to get this going.

Thank you

L
L
luv
, US
Jun 06, 2013 11:09 am EDT

I send a letter to the Sallie Mae Office in Philadelphia, complaining about their poor customer service. To this date I have heard nothing. I could not find a listing for a Better Business Bureau office. I can FAX the letter that I send them if you give me a FAX number.

N
N
no iam not
Rancho Cucamonga, US
Jan 15, 2011 3:39 am EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I was used without permission as a co-signer by my grandson the loan has become my responiblity. My grandson is nineteen and did his applacation on the internet.

A
A
Angry in Michigan - Where is help??
Grand Rapids, US
Oct 08, 2010 7:35 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I am making my payments monthly on time as well as my daughter and they won't stop calling and sending letters. I'm a bit confused by all the complaints yet no one is doing anything to help consumers with this? Where are our government officials with their head in the sand or are they backing Sallie Mae?

K
K
KurtC
des moines, US
Oct 21, 2014 2:07 pm EDT

Not sure if it will help or not but my last option is going through my states attorney general to file a complaint. I have been making payments with SM for years and my balance is now under just over 1k. This month I get a letter stating I owe 13k (I have been out of school about 8 years and I am just now hearing about it) and I don’t know that debt could possibly me mine. I asked for verification of debt which per CFPB guidelines should stop the collection process until somebody can prove this debt is mine. It has not, the collections agency continues to try to strong arm me and has now sent wage garnishment papers to my employer. I’ve spoken with SM, USA funds, the collection agency, all to no avail. The last response I got in regards to my verification of debt was “well you want prove it is not your debt.” So after years of making payments w SM and getting close to paying off the balance out of nowhere I new 13k bill comes up. Making one semester at a community college and one semester at an online school about 30k.

L
L
L.Bjorn
Manchester, US
Mar 14, 2014 2:46 pm EDT

Well today, I received an email from Sallie Mae stating that I owe $205.89 and that I had missed payments. On March 10, 2014, I had made arrangements to have them pay for February, March, and April. They never told me when the due date was until I called them. I called them today to dispute this payment on their end because the bill went to a different student loan. I still have to have pay them $205. 89 by April 9, 2014, plus $50.00 to Integrity as well as $150.00 to Allied Interstate plus they charged me $14.00 for a fee of payment over the phone. They were trying to get to have a forbearance on the loans even though it should have been paid. It is bad enough I have to pay for a school that closed down, but not getting numbers right and simple basic math is embarrassing to the United States. Other countries want to know why Americans are stupid.

T
T
TelemarketingHell
Malvern, US
Jan 08, 2012 8:51 pm EST

My guess is they extended your loan in order to squeeze more interest out of you. That's where a decent chunk of your monthly payment goes - the interest. That's why you never see your balance get too low - you pay some of the interest, but when it accrues at a rate of $20 or so a day, your balance is the same every month. You are basically forever stuck feeding them money for a balance that will never ever go down, and unfortunately you can't pay the actual loan only - it goes to interest first and the actual owed amount second. So when you seem like you're putting a dent in what you owe, Sallie Mae has to do something so they can score a few more bucks from you.

I'm gonna be blunt - they suck. They suck hard. They are loan sharks and once they have their claws in you, they will never leave you alone. You can tell them until you're blue in the face your reasons for being unable to pay them and they simply do not care. Then when you can't pay, they ruin your credit, drain your bank accounts and call you repeatedly to try and threaten money out of you. When I was repaying them, my monthly bill almost doubled in less than a year. I guess I'm just supposed to go out to the free money store to get the bucks to pay them their $600 a month and never ever see my balance go down.

And the worst part is you can't sue them for their crappy behavior - they are damn near untouchable. But I will say while they will threaten up and down to take your stuff and sue you, I have never personally heard of them actually going and doing that. I think those are idle threats. Best of luck to you - I hope they are more bearable for you than they are for most.

E
E
Emmee
Somerton, US
Dec 20, 2011 5:59 pm EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I agree, I kept getting harassing letters and I have automatic pay. I called and they couldn't find my account. I was ridiculous and they are charging me ridiculous amounts of interest wth?! this is why once you get your degree you cant do much because now ur busting your chops trying to pay back all the INTEREST that they decide to pile on. I hate Sallie Mae

D
D
down with SallieMae
suck it, US
May 27, 2011 3:25 am EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Sallie Mae is the most incompetent company in America and they lie all the time.

NEVER GIVE THEM YOUR BANK ACCESS.

NEVER ALLOW THEM TO EMAIL YOU.

DO NOT EVEN GO TO THEIR ### WEBSITE.

MAKE THEM MAIL YOU EVERYTHING SO WHEN THEY GET CAUGHT LYING YOU CAN PROVE IT AND SUE THE HELL OUT OF THEM.

NEVER TAKE OUT A PRIVATE LOAN WITH SALLIE MAE.

TELL EVERYONE YOU KNOW TO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH SALLIE MAE.

TELL EVERYONE YOU KNOW TO NOT RECONSOLIDATE WITH SALLIE MAE.

TELL EVERYONE YOU KNOW TO EMAIL THE WHITE HOUSE AND ASK FOR SALLIE MAE TO BE PUT OUT OF BUSINESS.

L
L
Lemonfair
Memphis, US
Jul 22, 2010 6:54 pm EDT

I paid on my $10, 000 loan for 5 years to the tune of $7000. The principal didn't move. I just paid this evil corporation off today in the amount of $10, 391.71. I'm so thankful to be done with Sallie Mae, but it's evil that they made $7000 off of me. I will never take out another loan again, for anything other than a house.

F
F
Fit to be tied
, US
Jun 09, 2010 2:56 pm EDT

Sallie Mae is terrible--all of the agents with whom I spoke C40169, C40256, etc. told me that they did not have a designated customer service brach. Well, I checked the BBB wesite, and yes, Sallie Mae does have a Customer Adovcate Unit.

Here is the information:

Ms. Kelly Mahoney
Customer Advocate Unit
P.O. Box 4200
Wilkes Barre, PA 18773

[protected]

I suggest that you get all of your ducks in a row before you call them: 1. get a sallie mae agent number for everyone with whom you speak, 2. document each converstation and the outcome of the converstation noting the agent # who gave you the information, 3. Send the Customer Adovate Unit a detailed letter outlining this documentation and your concerns, 4. Make sure you send the letter directly to Kelly Mohoney with, and this part is crucial, USPS restricted delivery mail (this ensures Kelly Mahoney receives and signs for your letter--and you receive documentation from the US Postal Service). Also, I think it may be a criminal offence if Sallie Mae declines your letter.

I have been strugging with Sallie Mae for three months and this is the only course of action that works. Yes, it is time consuming, but I am convinced it is one of the only ways to resolve your issues unless you seek help from an outside source.

If this doesn't work, fortunately my sister-in-law is a corporate laywer!

T
T
0905TheresaK
, US
Apr 20, 2010 8:48 pm EDT

I just wasted an hour and a half of my life on the phone with sallie mae because they cannot seem to apply my payments correctly. I pay my bills ahead of time and they don't post them to the right month even though each payment is sent with the correct billing stub with the month on it that I want it posted to. My father is a co-signer for the loan and keeps getting letters saying that I'm behind on payment, so I called them because in all actuality I am 3 months AHEAD on my payments. Even after they counted the payments and agreed with me, they tried to say that I had been in default and had a $5 late fee on my account. I wasn't able to take my father off the account because of this-even though I wasn' t actually late! The woman FINALLY took the late fee off the account, but still won't say that it was not in default and needs to send it to a "specialist" so they can make this determination and verify that I can take my father's name off the loan. All this AFTER she already checked and agreed that I was right that they applied it wrong, but she still was saying it was in default... WORST WORST WORST WORST customer service EVER! Not to mention, the FIRST person I talked to for about a half an hour was WORTHLESS and I didn't get anywhere until I spoke with a supervisor who still couldn't quite get it when all was said and done...

D
D
davidMe
New York, US
Nov 10, 2009 11:34 am EST

Becareful, I think SallieMae employees are running a SCAM to bar people from filing for a forbearance. You are entitled to a forbearance by LAW. If they don't give it to you file a complaint with the proper agency. In my case, I was going to sue SallieMae Pro Se. Being a law student helps.

SallieMae employees informed me that they could NOT give me a forbearance into the furure only for the past debt to today. And that I would still have to make payment on the loan from today. They wanted to charge me $50 + loan payment.

SallieMae employees informed me that they have (1) government loans and (2) private laons. And a forbearance on a private loan cannot go into the future. Their website doesn't say that. I didn't see any law that defines a forbearance different for a private loan and government loan.

Today, after days of arguing with them, they gave me a forbearance into the future.

DEMAND YOUR RIGHTS!

W
W
Wtatom
Erin, US
Oct 08, 2009 12:17 am EDT

I need your email address

S
S
salliemaecse
Wilkes-Barre, US
Oct 03, 2009 9:02 am EDT

when u take a loan u all need to read the promissory note thoroughly ... u all just ignore the promissory note thinking why should we read that big thing. and later on u all start complaining...

X
X
xfhoney
Lake Worth, US
Sep 30, 2009 2:35 pm EDT

I totally agree! Sallie Mae has been nothing but a problem. There was a huge mix-up with my identity and someone with my same name in Arizona opened a loan with them in 2001 (while I was still in highschool). Identity theft aside...I have been working with Sallie Mae for 6 YEARS! to get this off of my credit! The amount that was owed was finally removed after 5 years! However, the fact that I had a loan and that it went into collections (which has never happened to me) still shows on my credit report. After calling their fraud department, I was told that they would not even believe a police report stating that I was not the one who applied for the loan let alone believe me. I was lied to and belittled for over an hour. Even though I told them that I had TONS of documentation stating that it was not me, they refused to believe me.

V
V
viperguy3321
Charlotte Hall, US
Sep 18, 2009 3:04 pm EDT

I was in college at ITT-Tech and was told to consolidate my loan so I wont be charged with Interest rates. I did that and about a week later Sallie Mae started calling me saying I own them money. At one point they had me graduated in 06 when I wasn't graduating until June of 07. So from January to June I had up to 6 months to pay, they started calling in January of 07 since the consolidation. I finally gotten taken care of around June of 2007 and then about August they started calling me. So I went to a forbearance for three months and then they called me in September. So I have been going into a forbearance every since then. Recently I went in when I got my taxes back. I paid 300 dollars on my loan then another 150 for the forbearance and was told I had until August and October. Well They started calling around July in the middle. I have been unemployed since last december. When I was working, I was paying my loans, but once I lost a job they keep calling. I gotten 4 phone calls, within 2 hours of each other, and its interesting how I owe 2009.55 and I can't access my account online, and I dont get anything through mail with notice of my account. All I can go off is there word, but I want to see proof and I have yet to get it any.

S
S
ScrewedSallieMaeStudent
Rosanky, US
Aug 04, 2009 11:08 pm EDT

I called and set up a payment agreement with SM after my payments went from $10 (while I was in school) to $350 (while I was still in school). I was told to pay $200 that day and that would allow me to lower my payments for the next 6 months. I did so, but my payments weren't lowered. I called, of course no one knew anything about this arrangement. So I set up another "payment plan" and was assured this one would be noted in their system. Want to guess what happened? The man I spoke with told me his name and ID number, but when I called back to complain about the second payment arrangement not being what I was told, I was told that there was NO employee by the name I gave them and the ID number didn't exist. Shocker right? So I called again and was told there is nothing they can do to help me with my payments. I have to pay $839 a month or have legal action taken against me. The woman I spoke with was rude and asked if I had already graduated. When I said yes, she said, "Well then why are you having a hard time paying your payments?" My rent is only $550 a month, I have 3 small children and I'm working my butt off just to make ends meet, but they think I can afford $839 a month? What planet are they on?

S
S
Samantha Kloskowski
Gadsden, US
Jul 30, 2009 2:35 pm EDT

SALLIE MAE IS BAD COMPANY THEY REALLY SHOULD CLOSE THERE DOORS

M
M
myfraudulentcompany.com
syracuse, US
Jul 10, 2009 1:44 pm EDT

DON'T USE SALLIE MAE UNLESS YOUR LOOKING TO BE HARRASSED ANNOYED AND HAVE YOUR CREDIT RUINED.

I
I
IHateSallieMae
fhkdaf, US
Jun 18, 2009 12:14 pm EDT

DO NOT GO WITH SALLIE MAE!
I HAVE BEEN MAKING PAYMENTS EVERY MONTH, ON TIME!
2 MONTHS AGO, MY PAYMENTS STOPPED GOING THROUGH, AND INSTEAD OF CONTACTING ME, OR LETTING ME KNOW.. THEY DID NOTHING...
SO I KEPT ON MAKING PAYMENTS EVERY MONTH, THINKING THEY WERE GOING THROUGH.
I HAD NO IDEA THAT MY PAYMENTS DID NOT GO THROUGH UNTIL THEY STARTED TO THREATEN ME AND TELL ME I WAS RUINING MY CREDIT.

WHEN I CALLED, I GOT THE WORST CUSTOMER SERVICE EVER, THEY SAID THEY WOULD CALL ME BACK AND LET ME KNOW IF MY PAYMENTS WERE GOING THROUGH, THEY NEVER DID.
WHEN I ASKED WHY I AM RECIEVING SUCH BAD CUSTOMER SERVICE, A FLOOR SUPERVISOR, NAMED AMBER SAMUELS, JUST HUNG UP ON ME!

THIS IS TERRIBLE! I WILL NEVER RECCOMEND ANYONE GOES THROUGH SALLIE MAE!

H
H
hpackard
Houston, US
Jun 02, 2009 8:01 pm EDT

Pay your damn bills. It's a loan, you make payments on a loan.

Webster: Loan: Something lent or furnished on condition of being returned.

Hence you return the money back to the establishment that up-fronted the money for your (what turned out to be- USELESS) education.

Maybe you should sell your Beamer or put off the big screen TV for a couple years [censored]!

S
S
shepherdnoir
Marietta, US
Apr 10, 2009 2:58 am EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I spoke to a girl call Michel at sallie Mae she stated that my privet loan is 2500 I set up an agreement with her 50 today another 50 2 weeks and 100 next month she said ok you can do that next day a got a phone call by a very rude person saying if I dont pay they will put me in collection and they will get their money one way or another well I told her Ihad an agreement with that lady she keep saying that they cant do agreements and I was wrong she was been very unprofessional and ugly then I ask for a supervisor she put on hold for 15 minutos came back and said sup is busy and cant talk to me now then I advise her to have him call me I keep having call from her and I just wondering isn't those calls recorded and is that anything we can do as low income people pls someone help me because I losing my mind with them
Damage Resulting = sallie Mae ruin my credit for 7 years

M
M
Matt
Springfield, US
Mar 21, 2009 3:16 pm EDT

I went through SallieMae with my loan and ever since then, I've gotten screwed over. I kept sending payments, some made it, some did not. Recently, I found out that the payments are all making it but not being posted to my account. I keep getting letters saying that my account is in default until I pay them the "missing" payments but I find out later that my Western Union money orders are cashed as if they got to SM. SallieMae is extremely corrupt. They intend to screw you over, don't ever go through them for a loan

M
M
Mercymount
Cumberland, US
Mar 17, 2009 1:29 pm EDT

Can you elaborate a little on your story with Sallie Mae?

J
J
Jean
Gary, US
Mar 16, 2009 10:42 pm EDT

please tell me i did not mess up and make a big mistake!

J
J
Jean
Gary, US
Mar 16, 2009 10:41 pm EDT

I dont know how they work but everest university tried to lure me in to this salliemae stuff and the loan didnt make it to the univerity yet so i canceled it before it could...I hope!

S
S
sparrow
, US
Jan 31, 2009 8:03 am EST

please include your email address.

S
S
SHAR
,
Jul 18, 2008 9:41 pm EDT

You are 100% right. Every time you call them it's a different story.

S
S
sharon
,
Jul 16, 2008 12:35 pm EDT

I totally agree with that Sallie Mae is NOT a place to get a student loan with!

Terrible customer service

D
D
ddorrer
,
May 05, 2008 12:51 pm EDT

Forget the BBB. They have no enforce powers. Go straight you the PA Banking Commission and file a formal complaint.

Learn how the rating is calculated

Write a review File a complaint

Sallie Mae Bank contacts

Phone number
Website
www.salliemae.com
Category