An ACS Education Services lawsuit is a result of alleged misconduct and abuses by the debt collection firm. The company consolidated borrowers’ loans, processed deferment and forbearance requests, and helped them switch repayment plans. ACS Education Services was found to have violated Massachusetts consumer law by failing to properly handle income-based repayment plans, which would have allowed borrowers to secure lower monthly payments. The Massachusetts Attorney General has filed suit against the company, and the company agreed to settle the case.
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According to the complaint, ACS Education Services steered too many borrowers into short-term postponements of loan payments.
These types of loans are not suitable for most people and will result in more interest accruing. Furthermore, placing someone in forbearance is less hassle than enrolling them in a repayment plan that relies on income. Moreover, ACS Education Services engaged in a litany of consumer protection violations, including improperly allocating payments, overstating monthly payments, and imposing unreasonable and excessive fees.
The lawsuit alleges that ACS Education Services improperly steered borrowers into short-term postponements of their loan payments. This means that the borrower will end up paying more in interest in the long run. The lawsuit also claims that ACS Education Services abused its role as the sole servicer of federal education loans and engaged in abusive practices that targeted borrowers with low income. This lawsuit argues that ACS failed to protect the interests of active-duty service members by refusing to educate borrowers about effective federal repayment plans.
The suit claims that ACS Education Services misled borrowers by offering them repayment plans that are designed to reduce their monthly bills and ultimately lead to loan forgiveness.
Instead, ACS required borrowers to consolidate their loans into a single loan program, which would have forced the borrowers to transfer their accounts to a new servicing company. This delayed the process by three years, which is unacceptable in the eyes of the law. In addition, ACS misled borrowers about eligibility for Public Service Loan Forgiveness, which cancels federal student debt after 10 years of on-time payments.
ACS Education Services agreed to pay $9 million to resolve claims that it misled borrowers’ federal repayment plans. Moreover, ACS failed to protect active-duty service members and students and charged excessive late fees and excessive consumer calls. This is a major victory for the plaintiffs in the ACS Education Services v. CFPB investigation. It has been discovered that the firm failed to disclose important information and failed to inform borrowers of their rights. The settlement agreement includes a detailed description of the actions taken by the lender.
While the case is difficult to win, it is a significant win for borrowers.
The state of New York will be forced to pay $9 million to a private student loan service. In addition, the company will be required to make numerous changes to its policies and procedures. Currently, ACS Education Services has not admitted liability for any of the actions. However, it will be settling the suit to avoid further legal repercussions.
As part of the settlement, ACS Education Services will pay $2.4 million to settle the Massachusetts lawsuit. The firm’s rebranding effort has been successful. In 2014, the company changed its name to Conduent Education Services. The new name will help borrowers feel better about the company. However, it will be important to keep the complaint confidential. The government has the right to determine who is responsible for the ACS education lawsuit.
The lawsuit claims that ACS steered too many students into forbearance, which means delaying payments for a short period.
This is a type of debt relief plan that ACS should not have used in the first place. In the end, the government is pursuing a large payout from ACS Education Services to compensate struggling students. The government will receive $9 million from the state. Further, the case will also force the company to make significant changes to its policies.
The federal government will also investigate ACS Education Services. The federal agency will determine whether the company complied with the terms of the agreement. In the meantime, ACS must pay the full amount of $2.4 million. While the amount is significant, the case is likely to have a huge impact on the student loan industry. The CFPB’s investigation will help the government protect consumers. Moreover, a CFPB investigation could result in the removal of ACS’s certification as the sole servicer for federal education loans.
