My question involves collection proceedings in the State of: NC
I was doing well on my student loans, but then I had to take a position that paid very little, even though it was high on the food chain, and what I went to school for. I have been on foodstamps to take the job...(there was promises of better pay) Educational Credit Management Corp, bought my student loan from Nelnet. The said that in August they sent me a letter telling me they were going to take my tax return, but I never did. They said they tried to call me, but only nelnet did. I was very depressed and struggling.. I had no money to give. I also faxed over a copy of the proof I was on welfare to Nelnet to put my loans in defferment. but they said they never got it. They took the money. I just was laid off. I am a single mother. If it wasn't for a non profit agency, I would of been evicted and living on the streets. When I called ECMC, I got a guy named "Greg" who got bilgerant with me, told me to shut up, and hung up on me. Wouldn't return my calls for two weeks. Refused to give me any information at all. I had to contact the BBB, and tell him that I was recording the conversation and I wanted to speak to his supervisor. I spent hours on the phone. That guy should have been fired, but it was clear to me that, that was how they operated.
I have been awarded a small portion of the tax return back.. which I thought that if I qualified for a deferment, I would get most of it back....
but the biggest thing is now I see that they are charging a "collectors fee" of almost $2000. So I got $1275 coming back, then their fee, so only a small amount it actually being applied to the loan, out of the $3500 tax return which is about $9000 for the loan.
Can they really do this? As of now I have no income and I'm struggling everyday to try to hold it down, while I attempt to find a decent job. It's been very hard to find any type of information or help. I'm thinking about making a quick website and starting a petition against the company if I can't make any headway legally.
I am in the process of consolidating my loans, I have a few others which total about $12,000. they are in default too, but the other companies are not as aggressive as this one.

