How do I file a lawsuit against Sallie Mae? I am the parent of a former student. I took a Parents' Plus Loan for which payments were to commence 6 months after the student graduated. SM immediately began demanding payment. They told me that I was mistaken about the terms of the loan and my loan payments were due immediately. I began making payments as billed.

Then I was told they needed validation that my son was still a student. I procured the necessary documents from the university 4 times in succession. (It seems they never received them the previous thee times I sent them.) I then began receiving invoices with my name spelled wrong. Since I had numerous student loans for my son, and since the SM people with whom I had spoken were of less than reasonable intelligence, I assumed that the misspelling was just another error.

I found out that this loan was for an entrely different person and had nothing to do with me. I also got SM to admit that my loan payments were not due until 6 months after my son graduated. SM refused to refund my money for either case. They asked me how much I had paid on the wrong loan and how much I had paid on the correct loan and told me they would credit my account. I resisted the temptation to tell them I had paid the whole sum. I still argued that the money they conned me out of should be refunded. That got me nowhere.

When SM began calling for payments, 6 months after my son's graduation, I asked to speak to a supervisor to get the mess straightened out. I was told they would have one contact me. That never happened. I continued to get phone calls from their dialing machines so when I answered the phone, I was put on hold. Mostly I hung up, kept a record of these calls, and established billing in the amount of $200 per call for the intrusion, harassment, etc. I continued to ask to speak to a supervisor to rectify my account. I was told they would contact me and they never did.

Sometime during this ordeal, I received a late statement that included statements for two other individuals totally unrelated to my case. In my estimation, they have violated the privacy of those two individuals as well as that of the other person whose invoices they sent to me. SM continued to harassed me by phone so much that I began to cringe whenever the phone rang - even if it was a friend or family member. Isn't their treatment of me little over the top?

I wrote a letter to the CEO, Albert Lord, telling him of the incompetence of his staff. I received a call from a lady who was to try to sort things out. By that time, SM owed me almost $100,000 at my standard billing rates, which was far more than the $25,000 I originally borrowed from them. During our negotiations, she threw me a bone here and there, such as negating certain amounts of accrued interest, but she never justified billing me prematurely, billing me for the wrong loan, refusing to give back my money which they wrongfully took, or sending out other people's confidential information.

In my estimation, they have harassed and badgered me unmercifully. If a jury would hear how I was treated - and all because of SM's mishandling of the affair - I feel that I would be able to get a huge judgment against them. I just told her that they would need to pay my charges of roughly $100k. I feel that is a small amount compared to what a jury would award me. They have now turned my account over to a collection agency. What do you suggest?

Regards,

Allen D. Buck

Optional Information:
State/Country relating to Question: Indiana

Already Tried:
I have discussed my situation with collection clerks, one spervisor, and a "Big Cheese" who was supposed to get the matter settled. I have not pursued the matter with anyone outside of Sallie Mae.