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Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 2:52 pm Subject: Does anyone on this forum

Does anyone on this forum have experience dealing with Pionner Credit Recovery, Inc? Their website states they are owned 100% by Sallie Mae and have collection contracts with several federal agencies including the DOE. They have begun to harrass me at work with continual calls and threats re wage garnishment. I just mailed them a certified letter telling them to stop calling me at work since it directly effects me in an adverse and personal way. Any advise on how to deal with Pioneer's creepy agents? Do they honor the law at all and can I expect them to stop calling me at work and jeapordizing my employment? What steps do they have to take to get a wage garnishment in place? More later.

Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 2:58 pm Subject:

Call the original lender and try to work out a repayment plan. If they are willing to work with you, request them to pull your file back from Pioneer Credit Recovery, since they are calling you repeatedly for the payments. If Pioneer was assigned for the collections, you should not hear from them anymore after arrangements are done with the original creditor.

Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 3:29 pm Subject:

Do you have student loans?

Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 3:30 pm Subject:

If they are collecting on a federal student loan, you will have to deal with them, and wage garnishment will be an easy thing for them to do (I don't know the specifics, but it does not require a court hearing).

Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 3:44 pm Subject:

Also, wage garnishments on a fed. student loan are capped at 15%, so you'd likely need to pay more than that amount to avoid the garnishment (which I believe would show on your credit report as a judgement).

Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 4:12 pm Subject:

Yes I have been dealing with pioneer for almost 4 yrs. now. And they are a nightmare. Make very sure that you read anything and everything very carefully that they send you. They also will begin to contact you via mail as General Revenue.....I don't know how they are connected but they are. Because when I called General Revenue concerning my issue with them....guess what...was put on hold and then spoke to a gentleman from Pioneer. Just be aware that they are aggressive and they don't give up.

If you are dealing with them...then I assume you are in default. And, yes they do collect for Sallie Mae. But, I have never had them contact me for any of my DOE loans...although...my loans were originally Staffords so technically I guess they could claim that they represent the DOE. However, Sallie Mae is now completely privately owned and no longer affiliated with the DOE.
But, they are voraciously buying up any and all loans possible. They got mine from The Finance authority of Maine.

Just be aware....this is from my experience only. I entered into a deal with Pioneer to make 12 monthly installments and in return they would not garnish and I would get out of default. Also they promised that if I did this ....it would protect me from any type of garnishment. No CA can make this claim. It is the original holder who brings the judgement against you. Well my agreement stated that they would only allow me to make these payments if my husband agreed to garuntee the payments. And he did. Well, that officailly made him become responsible for this debt also. Even though his name was not on the original loan. Now we have to file an injured spousal form every year to protect all of our tax refunds being taken away. So even though they promised...and, we made our payments on time via bank debit....we are still dealing with our taxes being garnished.

If they send you a form to make payment arrangements...only do this in your name only. Because if they get your spouse to also sign this form...he will officailly become liable for this debt also. Try your very best to work it out with them...because I can tell you....they do not give up.

I hope this helps some....good luck!

Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 4:16 pm Subject:

One more thing.... please call 1-800-4fedaid and find out just who exactly holds any and all of your loans. I found 1 company that had bought and sold my loans and had never even contacted me.

Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 4:50 pm Subject:

Okay I just re-read all of the above replies. As stated before I have never had Pioneer/General actually contact me concerning collection for a federally funded loan. In actuality they bought my Stafford from The Finance Authority of Maine. In 4 yrs. I have only dealt with them as collecting for Sallie Mae.

Now NCO a different company is handling all of my defaulted DOE loans.

And, I tried to deal with my original lender first also. But, unfortunately once I was turned over to Pioneer....I always got a message stating that I would need to call this #...and it would be Pioneer.

So please call 1-800-4fedaid ASAP and find out if in fact Pioneer is collecting for any of your federal loans. Just know that you are not alone...I am in the same boat to the tune of $36,000 +. I have a link posted that explains just exactly what is taking place with many of us students....I'll post below for you.
There's a great deal of info. throughout the pages if you just sort through.

http://www.debtconsolidationcare.com/student-discussion/about26273.htm l

Good Luck and keep us informed.

Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 8:46 pm Subject:

Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 10:13 pm Subject:

Well I only know what happened to me.....and that is exactly what happened. I have spoken to and recieved legal advice concerning this. And, if my husband agrees to sign on any payback arrangements...he too then can and will become liable for that debt. Are you still a collector...because it sure seems that way. I am on the other end....the end where people tell you anything to get you to sign papers. I refuse to continue this battle with you on the boards. However, I will keep telling people the truth and exposing the deceptive practices that CA's and FA's have been and still are involved in.

Posted: Sat May 19, 2007 12:31 pm Subject:

If your husband signs any written payment arrangement, this could be taken as a seperate contract, and he could be held liable, just as any co-signer would it seems to me.

Posted: Sat May 19, 2007 12:50 pm Subject:

You might have been "told" differently but the fact of the matter is, only the signer of a federal prom note is liable for the debt. Payment arrangements with a CA are not and never will be a legal binding contract since they do not have the authority to admend or rewrite the contract. Most attornies dont know anything about student loans and the special rules they operate on. That is why I am not an advocate of the use of attornys with student loans. If students want legal questions answered, they should be consulting the student loan ombudsman, not an attorny who has no clue what the Higher Education Act is.

No I am no longer a collector. Havent collected since 1999 when I moved on to be a FA officer.

Posted: Sat May 19, 2007 1:13 pm Subject:

Sorry I disagree with you Soaplady.I am of the opinion of Lawstudent and others.If one signs a document agreeing to pay something,that is a written contract in the eyes of the law.That is why I always ask people to look everything over before signing any legal instrument.This agreement may not modify the loan in any way as you say,but it is a written promise to pay period. Your comment about lawyers knowing nothing is funny since a large majority of our legislators who wrote the Act for Education are indeed lawyers. I see no harm in having legal advice in matters that could cost someone a great deal of money.The attorney may not be able to get anything changed,but you have a trained set of eyes looking over your back.

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