Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  12/20/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Unresolved

  More info

  Education Advisory Group contacted me to bring my loan out of deferment from Navient which was in a law suit at the time into an income sensitive re payment program. This was back in 2020. Then since my loans were government loans and it was during *****, the president suspended student loans. I then qualified for total student loan forgiveness because my loans were 25 +years. I received an email on November 28, 2023 that my Student loan has been forgiven. However, when I reached out to my representative at Education Advisory group to cancel my $49 a month, she never called me back. I just called the main number ************** and no answer and no way to leave a message. I have been paying Education Advisory Group $49 a month since my enrollment into their program. They are still charging me $49/month. I dont understand why they had to keep charging $49 a month during the Student loan suspension time and if I can get reimbursed for that , that would be fantastic. But I really would like to refunded for the $49/month they have been charging me since they learned all my loans have been forgiven. Thank you in advance for helping me with this matter.

  Business response

  12/22/2023

  We have attempted to reach client multiple times; but keep getting voicemail and have not heard back.  We have refunded both November and Decembers payments of $49 (total of $98).  Client's file is now updated to a "Graduated program" status and is closed.  Congratulations to her on her student loan balance being forgiven!

  Customer response

  01/18/2024

   I am rejecting this response because:
  
  Good Morning *****,
  I never heard back from Education Advisory Group but I did notice I had a credit to my account of $49 on 12/20/23. However, I had 2 additional charges of $49 on 12/22/23 for Education Advisory Group.  It looks like they are still charging me $49 a month even though my student loans have been forgiven by the *********************** administration. 
  Thank you. 
  *******************
  

• Initial Complaint

  11/20/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Well all of the other comments are correct, and *** contacted multiple times to refund the money taken out and they are ignoring me. Please do something about this if MULTIPLE PEOPLE are saying the same thing. How are the lies legal?? Do something about it.

  Business response

  11/27/2023

  Spoke with customer and everything is ******. 

• Initial Complaint

  08/14/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  This company contacted me after my loans got out of default. They told me to pay 49.00 a month and they would help me get the best loan repayment plan. They even told me the 49.00 goes towards my loan repayment. After hearing about the forgiveness program they have been avoiding me claiming I don’t qualify. I contacted my student loan officer myself after they wouldn’t give me the number and they told me why are you paying someone when deferring is free. They also informed me that this company is a scam and actions should be filed. I qualify for the forgiveness program and they have been blocking it and lying to me all this time. So sadden that I’ve been played for a fool all this time. Lastly, they never give you copies of anything just ask for all your information ?? to drain your bank account

  Business response

  08/15/2023

  Spoke with customer and have an understanding. Case is closed 

• Initial Complaint

  03/28/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unresolved

  More info

  This company called my when my student loans came out of deferment about 3 years ago. They promised me loan forgiveness. Being fresh out of college and unknowing that I was not eligible for loan forgiveness, I signed up. I paid them $49.00 a month for 3 years. Once a year they'd contact me and ask for documents. They would literally take my documents and send them to the federal student aid website. Something I did on my own in 2 minutes recently. Here I thought I was qualifying for some special program when in reality I was paying them to pretend to assist me. I recently needed documents regarding my loan status. I contact education advisory to get this required document. They told me I had to go to my loan servicer...which is what they told me they were doing for me...I could not find what I needed so I again asked them why they could not get me the document. They then asked me for my login and password for my loan servicer!!!! You never give your login and password for anything to anyone. Why on earth would someone servicing my loans need MY login credentials. Regardless, I went to the federal student id.gov website. In trying to get ahold of the information I asked about this company and the immediately informed me it was a scam and that they should never have taken my money or had access to my actual loan servicer. They sent me to put in a complaint on their website. Since then, I have cancelled whatever I had with this company to which they tried to scare me into continuing to pay them by telling me I would no longer be enrolled in my current program and that my payments would go up to $494 starting in June. I confirmed that was also untrue with the student aid site. I have disputed the most recent charges and had them immediately refunded by education advisory. I have asked for a refund to which they have denied and am currently in contact with a lawyer regarding this scam of a company.

  Business response

  04/06/2023

  Ms. *******,

  
  

  We have previously sent your signed agreement to you; and we have fulfilled all terms of that agreement on our end.  You are still reaping the benefits of our work, and because of that as of this September you will have accrued 3 years of qualifying enrollment towards loan forgiveness. Year after year you'll need to resubmit your documents to the DOE and that we have done for you. We are a document preparation company our job is to make sure your documents are filled out properly and you get into the best program that the DOE offers. We have done this successfully for you for years now. We appreciated the opportunity to help your situation and wish the best for you. Unfornatually your not eligible for a refund per the signed agreement. . 

  Business response

  04/28/2023

  Sorry per our agreement you notified you of exactly who we are and what we do. Page thee of the agreement first paragraph states. 

   

  EAG provides document preparation services to assist consumers who are applying for Federal Student Loan Consolidation Services using
  the Department of Education ("DOE") forms. EAG is a private company, not affiliated with the DOE or any government agency, and for a
  fee, EAG will assist in assembly and submission of student loan consolidation documents on behalf of Client. EAG is not a lender, a debt
  consolidation company, or a law firm, and does not provide any legal advice.

   

  Page six of the agreement states: 

   

  16. EAG Disclosures. The following disclosures are important for the Client to understand and acknowledge prior to signing this Agreement.
  PLEASE CAREFULLY READ AND CONFIRM YOUR AGREEMENT TO EACH OF THE FOLLOWING DISCLOSURES:
  A. EAG IS NOT AFFILIATED AND HAS NO SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION OR ANY ACADEMIC
  OR GOVERNMENT ENTITY.
  B. CLIENT CAN APPLY FOR LOAN CONSOLIDATION OR OTHER REPAYMENT ALTERNATIVES AT NO COST THROUGH THE DOE
  (WWW.STUDENTAID.ED.GOV).
  C. CLIENT UNDERSTANDS THAT EAG DOES NOT MAKE ANY STUDENT LOAN PAYMENTS ON BEHALF OF CLIENT.
  D. CLIENT UNDERSTANDS THAT THE DOCUMENT PREPARATION FEE PAID TO EAG DOES NOT GO TOWARDS CLIENT'S STUDENT
  LOAN PAYMENTS.
  E. EAG DOES NOT REPAIR CLIENT'S CREDIT NOR DOES IT CLAIM THAT STUDENT LOAN CONSOLIDATION WILL FAVORABLY
  IMPACT CLIENT'S CREDIT RATING OR CREDIT HISTORY.
  F. THE ESTIMATED MONTHLY PAYMENT PROVIDED IN THIS DOCUMENT IS AN ESTIMATE BASED UPON PUBLICALLY-AVAILABLE
  DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION GUIDELINES AND INFORMATION AND IS DEPENDENT UPON THE ACCURACY OF THE INFORMATION
  PROVIDED BY CLIENT REGARDING CLIENT'S INCOME, FAMILY SIZE, AND OTHER FACTORS, SUPPORTED BY THE NECESSARY
  DOCUMENTATION PROVIDED TO EAG BY CLIENT.
  G. NO ONE HAS ADVISED CLIENT TO FOREGO MAKING ANY STUDENT LOAN PAYMENTS AND DURING THIS PROCESS CLIENT IS
  RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING ANY STUDENT LOAN PAYMENTS DUE.
  H. CLIENT'S FAILURE TO MAKE STUDENT LOAN PAYMENTS WILL LIKELY ADVERSELY AFFECT YOUR CREDITWORTHINESS, MAY
  RESULT IN COLLECTIONS OR LAWSUITS BY CREDITORS OR DEBT COLLECTORS AND MAY INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF MONEY
  YOU OWE DUE TO THE ACCRUAL OF FEES, PENALTIES, AND INTEREST.
  I. NO GUARANTEES CONCERNING THE SUCCESS OF THE STUDENT LOAN CONSOLIDATION HAVE BEEN MADE TO CLIENT AND
  CLIENT UNDERSTANDS THAT A POSITIVE OUTCOME IS NOT GUARANTEED.
  J. THE PROGRAM HAS BEEN EXPLAINED IN FULL TO CLIENT TO CLIENT'S SATISFACTION.
  K. ANY FORGIVEN LOAN AMOUNT OVER $600 MAY BE TREATED AS TAXABLE INCOME AT THE TIME OF FORGIVENESS. EAG
  ADVISES CLIENT TO CONSULT WITH A TAX PROFESSIONAL.

   

  Page 12 you give us LPOA to represent your directly. 

  I have attachment your agreement for reference. We have completed  everything we said we'd do year after year. We have said it multiple time is our agreement that you can do this own your own and allowed your right to cancel. 

   

  Thanks 

  Customer response

  05/01/2023

   I am rejecting this response because:
  
  Again, they charge a fee for document preperation, yet no document preparation was done. They refer to themselves as servicing my loans which also was not done. And Limited poa was ever notorized with me so I don’t see how that’s legal either. The services you provided are not legitimate . You can’t even assist with my loans without my private login information. That you should have never had access to. You also PROMISED loan forgiveness which is why I signed up in the first place and you can’t promise that as a company. You can send me pages of documents but you didn’t provide any service to me that you said you would. I am not the first person to be submitting a complaint regarding this and have been told directly by the federal student aid department that you are a scam. 

• Initial Complaint

  12/14/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I was contacted by education advisory group and told my school loan could be greatly reduced, from 40 thousand to 6 thousand and I could pay with monthly payment of 49.00$. While the money has been taken out for over a year there has been no documentation or paperwork with such a contract sent to me. I have contacted my bank to stop payment, but I am not sure if that will work. I need this bogus company's monthly payment for school loan payment stopped. Thank you, H. *** ********

  Business response

  12/19/2022

  We have attempted to reach ******* ******** and sent numerous email with read receipt of the emails we have sent. We'd love to finish the job but we can work for our client if she supplies the current documentation that we have requested for EAG to complete the work. Please call our processing department at toll free ###-###-#### speak with advisor. As we have attempted to call you more that 50+ times to update you on your file. As of now your file has been put on hold. We look forward to talking with you soon. 

• Initial Complaint

  10/18/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  starting in October 2020-December 2020 charged 831.25 to get help for student loan relief.. then 2021- 2020 (still occurring 49.00 a month for student loan relief) combined total- 1860.25 for a program that is free through government, none of these payments have gone towards my students loan I was promised student loan relief I want my payments stopped I want my money returned that was taken on false promises and free through the federal government

  Business response

  10/24/2022

  We are a document preparation firm that helps consumers like yourself get into the programs that are available the Department of Education.  We have been working on your file for two years and completed multiple documentation for you.  We don't guarantee any forgiveness as of now based on the documentation we have prepared for you you have been enroll into the PSLF/IDR program  The PSLF programs means you have to make 120 on time qualifying payment with your servicers and then you'll  get forgiveness. Our job is to year after year make sure your documentation is filled out correctly and year after year we have done exactly what our agreement says. At this time you're not eligible for a refund based on all the work we have done. We are happy to cancel your file. 

  
  

  Please keep in mind in order for you to get the forgiveness your looking forward to you must compete the documentation on time with your servicers and if you fail to do so on a timely manner on your anniversary very of being in the program. All the time you have done in the program will be null and void with the DoE.  I haver attached your forgiveness document for your reference. 

  
  

  
  

  Customer response

  10/25/2022

   I am rejecting this response because:
  
  There is no agreement with my signature to pay over 1000 for your services, the paperwork is a free service through the federal government

  Business response

  10/26/2022

  ***** please see attached. Also on page 5 its all the disclosures with your e-sign. Also on page 20 it clearly shows your IP address the day you signed. 

  
  

  We are sorry you feel misled but reality is we have done everything we said we'd do per the agreement. We wish we could get you the forgiveness your entitled to but reality is there is guidelines set forth by the DoE and we have done everything within those guidelines for you with our documentation preparation  and you're on track to get what your entitled. 

  Customer response

  10/26/2022

   I am rejecting this response because:

  As stated in proposal misled information. I would like this month and any automatic  charges for a misleading service. I hope your company is proud of taking money for your gain when they can get assistance for free... enjoy your profits
  
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  08/11/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  This group is taking monthly payments from people for processing student loan paperwork. Since all student loan debt repayment through the federal government has been temporarily suspended they are taking money for nothing. I have tried repeatedly to cancel the service their representatives resort to threats and lies and do not process the cancellation

  Business response

  08/17/2022

  This file was cancelled already and no future payments will be ran.  To be clear just because the DOE  suspended payments doesn't mean the client paperwork doesn't need to be filed year after year. When the DOE resumes payments and the paper work isn't properly submitted this could have a huge negative impact on the client. At EAG our goal is to make sure our clients are in the best program when payments resume with the DOE. 

• Initial Complaint

  06/02/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Beginning of January of 2020 I was contacted by *** Advisory Group in regards to my student loan debt. I assumed that they were legit and part of the program that I was already on. They informed me that my tax return would be garnished if I didn't set up payment plan. They stated that I qualified for the income driven based program for student debt forgiveness. They have been taking out 49.00 a month from my bank account since 2/2020. I didn't think much of it as, again thought it was from my program. It wasn't until today when I called my program and found out they were receiving payment because I shouldn't be getting charged due to the CARES ACT. Though I insisted that I was getting charged, She informed me it was not by them. Then I looked at my bank history to find out it was from *** Advisory Group and none of those payments have gone towards my student debt. I called them to stop any and all payments immediately.

  Business response

  06/23/2022

  Ms. ******** called on 1/27/2020. We entered Ms. ******** into a loan rehabilitation program with the collection agency filled out her paperwork for her and submitted the paperwork to the proper agency that held her defaulted loans.  Her loans were successfully rehabilitated on Nov 4th of 2020; based on the documents we submitted on her behalf. The will filled out a new set of documents and submitted them to the DOE and we started the process of entering her into the Revised Pay as You Earn program that day.  She was successfully entered into that program on Dec 17th of 2020, and was approved for a payment of $14.08/mo on her balance.  Then EAG filled out her documents submitted her documents for the annual renewal with the DOE for the program on Oct 28 of 2021 and got her approved again. 

  
  At this point in time, we have done exactly what we have been paid for with no refund granted. per our agreement signed 1/27/2020 (attached) 

  
  
  
  

  Customer response

  06/24/2022

   I am rejecting this response because: I have proof that I was charged monthly of $49 instead of the $14 they claim. Also due to the CARES ACT. I qualified for no charge for the past year and yet I was still charged. Not to mention the charges have not gone to my student loan balance. I still have the same balance as previous before signing with them.
  
  
  

  Business response

  06/24/2022

  We have closed Ms. ******** account and stop all future payments. Our obligation per the agreement were satisfied. 

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩