Duped or Confused? There's Help
Try these resources if you feel misled by a loan solicitation
If you believe you've been duped by a misleading student loan solicitation, here are places to seek help:
Get the facts about the loans you have. The Education Department's National Student Loan Data System, at www.nslds.ed.gov, lets you look up your loans online.
Contact the loan company itself. The Federal Trade Commission suggests first trying to resolve problems on your own. But act quickly, the commission recommends, because companies will be more likely to accept responsibility within a certain time frame.
Send a formal letter of complaint. The FTC's website (www.ftc.gov) offers a sample letter, which gives the company a deadline, after which the borrower will contact a third party.
Contact the Education Department's Federal Student Aid Ombudsman (www.ombudsman.ed.gov). This office helps resolve disputes regarding federal student loans.
File a complaint with the FTC online or by phone (877-FTC-HELP). The FTC doesn't represent individual consumers, but it investigates complaint patterns.
File a complaint with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. This law enforcement agency investigates complaints related to mail fraud and helps bring them to court, which can result in getting consumers their money back.
Contact a consumer advocacy group. Some groups, such as the U.S. Student Association, look into consumer problems and file group complaints.
Go to your state's attorney general's office. Most offices allow constituents to file complaints online.
This story appears in the April 16, 2007 print edition of U.S. News & World Report.
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