Very true. Equifax does deny people their civil rights, as well as the other two players.
If you sent something certified, return receipt and they still refuse to comply, Send evidence to the FTC for a formal record. Unfortunately the Federal Trade Commission is merely a data warehouse sotring information. They are not going to help you get anywhere with them.
What you need to do is contact a local assemblyman/senator and see if they will assist you in getting copies of the reports.
The credit bureaus count on folks not being in a position to afford legal retainers. The existing laws are not enforced, unless you have the money to enforce them.
The good news is, I started googling the CEO of each credit reporting agency and I got phone numbers and email addresses. After 6 years of battling the same garbage, I am finally making headway.
Through participation in forums like this, I have local government support and was introduced to a lawyer who said she would initiate action on contingency. But this took so many years of battling and so much loss (in excess of $200, 000 when you count the property I couldn't buy out the business partner on because they refused to do their job). I lost a job, I lost educational opportunity, My integrity was called into question, therefore, severence denied when I was layed off. The ongoing damages of being considered uninsurable, constant embarassment by employer investigations (who by the way, reviewed my claim and investigated with the original creditors also finding The three CRA's at fault) and so much more.
It's just really tiring and I would love to organize a non-profit some day soon to specifcally to help people that have been unfairly victimized by the CRA's incompetance and sloppy recordkeeping. There needs to be someone who can get the laws enforced that are already in place.
In my situation, I am older, looking to pop off that degree in "record time". I am already studying CLEP manuals and have been taking CLEP exams successfully.
I was working with State College and was set and ready to start the program when they hit me with a series of "hidden fees" I could not afford so I applied for a private loan where I was quoted an interest rate and repayment amounts I know I can't afford. So it was back to the drawing board to find another way.
What I have found is that these admission counselors ALL tell you not to worry about the money. They DO rush you into a decision and it is NOT in the student's best interest.
If you are not in a position to pay CASH UP FRONT or have your own arrangements for PRIVATE loans like most people, you have to be very careful about falling into a commitment or trap by rushing into a situation.
Here are some rules of thumb to consider. Get everything in writing, even if it is email. The admission reps are there to get you enrolled. They are not going to turn ANY student away so long as they can get a signed contract.
It takes up to 2 weeks for FAFSA to make a determination to see what you are elibible for. Once you have FAFSA approval, you can start with getting the commitment letters and sign promissory notes with the Student Loan folks (and there are student loan orientations you need to complete before funds are distributed) and you will get a schedule of distribution dates.
The next step is for the school to confirm and start accepting the money.
Make sure you investigate exactly what out of pocket costs you will have. NOTHING is totally FREE or TOTALLY covered under financial aid. You are goiing to see book costs, technology fees, etc. This is where scholarships and private loans come in handy to help with these expenses.
YOU ARE NOT OBLIGATED FINANCIALLY ULESS YOU HAVE A CONTRACT WITH THE SCHOOL. They way they get the contract is to get you to register for that first class. Even if you withdraw because financial aid doesn't go through or you can't afford the books etc., you are still liable.
I think it is unfair. I think it is predatory, but this is the reality. Go on line asnd watch MAXED OUT. I saw this documentary on predatory practices and heard how people (college students) fall victim to these predators that tell them "not to worry about the money". I didn't get it until my personal experiences.
I am in the process of doiing some work in this arena and beleive me, it has been quite the eye opener as I "interview schools".
Here are some tips to protect yourself.
When you receive that initial call, ask them to send an email and any questions you have about their organization. Know right off the bat, you are already accepted if you sign the contract. All their quesitons about what you have done in the past, what your career objectives are, etc. is very simply a script that is used in every sales industry based upon Nuero Linguistic Programming to bring the consumer to a place of pain and show them how their product/service is going to make things easier for them.
These people will take notes on that "pain" and use it against you to guilt you or put pressure on you to sign a contract.
Go through the websites carefully. Look at the program overview, course requirements, course descriptions. If you already have college credit look for their policy on accepting college credit. Look for a written policy on CLEP Testing, Life Assessment, and/or DANTES testing. Not all schools will accept these tests, or they say they will but in the fine print it is for a significant out of pocket per credit awarded fee, or they will require a specific GPA (I have seen it as high as a 3.5 GPA to qualify).
I would even go as far as to wait for the initial application to the school until you see what financial aid will award you unless you have the resources to pay out of pocket. On the financial aid issue, one lesson learned was to verify with the school that they will accept financial aid. I was at the point of trying to register for class and out several hundred dollars when I found out my academic plan was for CASH paying students only and not for students using Federal Grants/Financial Aid.
Once you have gone through your interview process with the schools, get unofficial transcripts from any prior learning and read through course descriptions to get an idea of what will be awarded. Of course it is up to the transcript review board, but you should be able to get a general idea of where things will fall.
It is in the student's best interest to have the course requirements and chekc off the courses you already have behind you. Create plan to pursue additional credits to earn based upon CLEP/DANTES/PLA opportunities if that is what you want to do.
This is when I would suggest applying to the schools and completing the admission forms. With costs being anywhere from $50 - $150 it can become very costly and you don't want to throw that money away. I lost almost $500 before I learned these lessons.
Once you pay the application fee, consider this school as your "potential". Put your transcripts in for review. If you prior learning institutions don't charge too much, I would even do the paperwork or go on line to initiate the release of the transcripts before the application is completed to reduce your waiting time to get started.
It takes 3 - 6 weeks depending on the school to get the offical transcript audit start to finish. This includes the time of ordering and receipt of the transcripts from prior learning instutions as well as the intended school's audit. Make an informed decision whether or not the transcript evaluation is important to you. Remember, if one school grants you 27 credits, another school may only grant you 12 - 15 credits. It depends on the individual school's policy and this is something you can question thoroughly.
After the transcripts are reviewed you talk to an Academic Advisor (not the admissions counselor whose job it is to SELL the service). This is where map your educational plan and tell them this is what you want to do. They will send you something IN WRITING to confirm your academic roadmap.
This is when you register for that first class.
So be financial aware, financially prepared, have an academic plan, and don't rush - be well informed.
If the school carries on and rushes, there are other schools out there.
It's not just AIU, it's all of them.
I would consult with an attorney, especially if you dealt with Weltman, Weinberg, and Reis. These are junk debt buyers known for manipulating the courts and have been sued in all 50 states because of their illegal practices.
I have a suit myself pending against Discover for giving them my personal info (when the account wasn't even mine). Can't sue the agency because no damages other than harassment and falsification of court documents to illegally phish for personal information to put people in your situation.
It looks like the money was lost/stolen and in the very least misapproriated.
It is unclear from your synopsis what money was disbursed to Kaplan and what was returned to the banks.
You need to get copies of disbursements from the bank in addition to a complete accounting of how Kaplan used the funds, where they sent it, etc. Since it looks like they refuse to do this by a telephone request, I would recommend that you document a letter addressing your issue and copy the banks involved, dispute with the credit reporting agencies that the trade line is inaccurate, and copy the Department of Banking as well as the Department of Education to trace the misallocated funds.
In every letter you write, tell them you expect your credit history profile to be corrected and you expect response within 30 days.
You should also copy your State Attorney General as well.
