predatory collections

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A collection agency is after me for my student loan. About 5 years ago, another collection agency told me the debt had been discharged, as I'm disabled.

The current amount is over seven thousand dollars, because this collection agency has tacked on several thousand dollars' "fees" for their "services."

They say they'll remove most of that "fee" if I start paying them sixty dollars a month. That's half the money I have left per month, once the rent's paid. I'll end up homeless over this, if I have to pay that much.

The loan can be discharged. IF I can find a doctor who will fill out a form they've sent me.

I have a dr. appt. on the 23rd. But that dr. won't have my medical records. So, I'm trying to get Social Security to provide me with the name of the dr. who first pronounced me disabled. good luck.

I've received 5 letters from this outfit, two today, dated Jan 8th. One says that, if I don't return their form to them on the 18th, they're coming after me. This is less than 24 hrs. after a rep. phoned me and swore they're not going to come after me yet and that I have time to get the form filled out! Yet, apparantly, that letter was on the way to me.

Now, one of their employees said they'll attach my disability check. As far as I know, it's illegal to attach a disability check.

Among their letters to me are several which state that I'm refusing to pay them! I'm not "refusing;" I'm unable!

I can't get an attorney, of course, and have no idea what my rights are.

I'm completely terrified and totally baffled that someone's coming after me for a loan I'd thought had been resolved!

The loan SHOULD have remained deferred. I was filling out forms every 6 months, showing my income was too low to make payments. But, when I moved to KY, my mother burned my mail; I didn't get one of the deferment forms and the loan defaulted.

I went to my congress person, my senator and everybody else I could think of, to get that loan taken out of default. Nobody would help me.

This is going to ruin me, if they get away with it, and I'm powerless to stop them.

If they come after me for the money, I might as well kill myself, because my life will be reduced to homelessness, I'll lose everything, including my animals, and I won't live very long on the streets, anyway, given my health.

I tried to reach the loan officer. Got voice mail and left a message.

I'm all alone, trying to deal with parasites who will slit my throat if I make one mistake!

I'm really scared and SO sad!

The original loan was for two thousand dollars; the other five thousand is interest and "fees."

I got the loan to take radio classes at a community college. The damn financial aid people decided "broadcasting" wasn't a major and didn't bother to inform me that "communications" WAS a major! I was forced to drop out of school to seek employment. I was counting on being able to work on campus, between classes. My classes began at eight in the morning and ended at ten at night, with several hrs. of breaks in between when I could work on campus. But, since financial aid decided I didn't "qualify" for on campus work study, I had to drop out to get a regular job.

I was getting straight "A"s in all my classes. I was very popular and received much fan mail. And I was broadcasting on the largest NPR affilliate besides Washingtion, D.C.: KCRW. In Los Angeles, which is full of media types! I could have had a fabulous career, if I could have just finished school!

BASTARDS!