Student Loan Services
Nelnet - National Educational Loan NetworkHeadquarters
Complaints
This profile includes complaints for Nelnet - National Educational Loan Network's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see
Customer Complaints Summary
- 1,148 total complaints in the last 3 years.
- 281 complaints closed in the last 12 months.
If you've experienced an issue
Submit a ComplaintThe complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.
Initial Complaint
Date:02/17/2025
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I received a notification I was late on payment and since all my student loans are forgiven and debt wiped I again pickup the phone for about the thousandth time to go rounds with them over it (PLEASE GET THE AUDIO TAPES) I start explaining the situation again and not being able to identify this loan and nobody including nelnet has any background information or can say where money was disbursed to and that’s because after about 15 minutes and 3 phone calls with information they gave me, I was able to determine this loan is invalid and essentially fraud.. they have been investigating this for months and years with no resolution now. I called the original creditor who gave me another number who connected me to NONE OTHER THAN OUR VERY OWN UNITED STATES STUDENT LOAN RESEARCH DATABASE or whatever that GODSEND was called.. anywho, when there’s loans that they can’t seem to trace or make sense of, these people run your social and information and review and research the loan, upon doing so they told me in 2020 it was a consolidation loan and nobody knows where it came from but supposedly it was to pay off a portion of a loan that had already been covered and discharged by borrowers defense and so there was no loan to cover and thus for the money was never truly dispersed, didn’t benefit me or go anywhere on my behalf but nelnet has continued to harass me and let it grow interest during their months long investigation that took me 15 minutes.. so of course I called back nelnet and tell them what I learned, but I’m not as pleasant this time as it’s been years and additional months of supposed investigators and plus despite my loans being forgiven and wiped in 2022 I have yet to have my credit report released due to this error on their side that for some reason they are refusing to fix!! I have had it, I am filing an additional complaint with the ombudsman because to make matters worse, not only was I given an attitude about it being their fault but no resolve
Business Response
Date: 03/05/2025
Pertaining to Stefanie Wray's federal student loan account, we reviewed their concerns and provided the attached response.Initial Complaint
Date:02/13/2025
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
To whom it may concern,
Two days ago I had an 800 credit score. Today, I have a 601. I have had a credit account for 16 years and 4 months, and have never, EVER, EVER made a late payment during that time; my credit report will back that up. That is 192 payments per individual account... And I currently have 7 of them.
Today, I log on to my J* ****** *hase account today and I see SEVEN delinquent payments to "DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION/NELN" (photo attached, all of which are dated "Due 1/2025") and that my score has dipped by 199 points. With some quick research I found that my old loan provider, ***** ****s (with whom I had automatic payments set up) had switched to Nelnet. I called Nelnet and let them know about the incorrect contact information (phone/email) and immediately paid the overdue balance that I was unaware of. I was asked what I could do, and the Nelnet associate told me I could file a dispute, but that they had "no way of telling me what the affect would be, or if it would hurt/help my credit" (??). They also said it was delinquent since November, which doesn't add up to 7 payments! Upon creation of my online account, I was just now (photo attached) asked to consent to receiving emails from Nelnet. I have no problem paying these accounts, I have a problem with the delinquency on my credit report for SEVEN YEARS. Not to mention, is the DOE gets dismantled......
I am attempting to buy a house in the next year. As difficult as it has been for someone my age to pay credit cards, rent, student loans etc. etc, I HAVE, and I feel like I shouldn't be shunned for a few delinquent payments I wasn't phoned or emailed about after Gr*** ***** changed hands to another lender. I reiterate: I will pay these bills on time for the rest of my life, I just want my credit score back to where it was. Thank you for your time.
***** ***** ** ********Business Response
Date: 02/19/2025
Pertaining to ***** ********'s federal student loan account, we reviewed
their concerns *** ******* *** ******** *********Initial Complaint
Date:02/12/2025
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I am filing a formal complaint against Nelnet regarding their inaccurate reporting of my student loans, which is negatively affecting my ability to purchase a home.
Nelnet has listed my student loans as 16 separate loans on my credit report instead of correctly reflecting them as two loans: one subsidized and one unsubsidized. This misleading reporting has drastically impacted my debt-to-income ratio, making it difficult for me to qualify for a mortgage.
Despite my attempts to resolve this issue directly with Nelnet, they have failed to correct the loan structure on my credit report. Their actions are unfair and misleading, as my loans should not be broken down in a way that falsely inflates my total number of accounts and distorts my financial standing.
I am requesting that Nelnet correct my student loan reporting immediately by consolidating the entries to accurately reflect only two loans (subsidized and unsubsidized) as they should be.
I appreciate your assistance in addressing this matter and holding Nelnet accountable for their reporting practices.Business Response
Date: 02/18/2025
Pertaining to S******* *****'s
federal student loan account, we reviewed their concerns and provide the
at****** *****nse.Initial Complaint
Date:02/10/2025
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
While reviewing my credit report, I noticed accounts that don’t seem accurate, and I strongly suspect they may be linked to a data breach. I need clarification on these listings and would like you to verify their legitimacy. The accounts in question are:
Name of the Unverified Item: NELNET
Account Number: 14036****
Reporting Balance: $0.00
Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (15 U.S.C. § 1681g), I am requesting copies of any documents used to verify these accounts. I do not want a generic response stating that they have been “verified”—I need to see actual records supporting that claim. If no such documentation exists, these accounts must be deleted under Section 611(a)(5)(A)(i) of the FCRA.
It is essential that my credit report contains only accurate and verifiable information. Please resolve this matter as soon as possible. Let me know if you need any additional information from me.
I look forward to your response.Business Response
Date: 02/14/2025
Regarding the federal student loan account for ****** ****** we address their concerns w***** *** *********Initial Complaint
Date:02/02/2025
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
Nelnet was my school loan provider for several years. When being evaluated for loan forgiveness consideration my school loan was transferred to ** *******al which I was told by the Federal Student Aid agency in 2022. I received a 1098 E tax form in 2022 on which Nelnet claimed
$173,011.46 in interest on my account. I called Nelnet and they say my records are no longer in their posession and when I asked for a breakdown of the $173,011.46 they say they can't give me any information. Was the school loan written off because according to the amount they transferred to ** *******al the loan amount I owe still includes the loan amount. How can I get to the bottom of the loan basis of the $173,011.46 they put on the 1098E tax form? Do you have any suggestions as to how I can get this informationBusiness Response
Date: 02/21/2025
Regarding the federal student loan account for ***** ****h, we address their concerns within the attached response.As we understand it, you received a 1098-E tax form for 2022 with Nelnet claiming $173,011.46 in
interest paid on your account. You are concerned that you have been unable to determine how this
amount was calculated. You are asking for clarification on how Nelnet calculated this amount.Initial Complaint
Date:01/25/2025
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
Nelnet has repeatedly reported inaccurate information to the credit bureaus. I have never participated in any business or came to any agreement with Nelnet. They have not provided any legitimate proof of binding agreement, authorization or validation of the reported account and have refused to delete the invalid, unauthorized account from my credit reports (**********, ******** and *******). I am asking them to remove the loan associated with my identity from my credit report asap. By law, inaccurate and invalid information should not be reported to the credit bureaus and in the event, should be removed upon investigationBusiness Response
Date: 01/30/2025
Pertaining to ***** ********** federal student loan
account we reviewed their concerns and provide the attached response.We are writing in response to the inquiry you submitted to the Better Business Bureau regarding
your federal student loan account with Nelnet. On behalf of your lender, the U.S. Department of
Education (ED), we service your federal student loans. We take your concerns seriously and
appreciate the opportunity to respond.
Your concern, as we understand it, is that you believe we have repeatedly reported inaccurate
information to the credit bureaus. You have never participated in any business or came to any
agreement with us. You’re asking us to remove the loan associated with your identity from your
credit report.
On behalf of ED, we service your federal student loans. As of January 28, 2025, your outstanding
balance is $54,982.22. Of that balance, $47,291.44 is principal and $7,690.78 is interest. Your
account is in forbearance. You may view additional detailed loan information through Nelnet’s
website, ********************* , and ED’s website, ************** .
***** ******* **** ********* began servicing your Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL)
Program Stafford Loans in November 2008. Your FFEL loans transferred to ****** **** *********
****** in June 2009.In December 2009, your FFEL loans transferred to ***** ***** ***********
**** ********** **** ********, who serviced your loans until we received them in May 2023.
****** **** ********* ****** began servicing your Direct Loan Program Stafford Loans in
September 2009. Your loans transferred to ****** in December 2010, who serviced your ******
***** until we received them in May 2023.
We enclosed a statement detailing your loan disbursements.
It is important to know that Nelnet is not a debt collector under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.
We are contracted by your lender to service non-defaulted federal student loans. As a servicer, we
assist borrowers with repayment options. We are also required to report the loan status and balance
to the national consumer reporting agencies.Initial Complaint
Date:01/24/2025
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
Reporting inaccurate information to me credit reportCustomer Answer
Date: 01/27/2025
They have it separated into multiple loans it was one loan not several.Business Response
Date: 01/29/2025
Pertaining to ****** *******s federal student loan account, we reviewed their concerns and provide the attached response
We are writing in response to the inquiry you submitted to the Better Business Bureau regarding
your federal student loan account with ******. On behalf of your lender, the U.S. Department of
Education (ED), we service your federal student loans. We take your concerns seriously and
appreciate the opportunity to respond.
Your concern, as we understand it, is the data we are reporting to the consumer reporting agencies
(CRAs). You stated that the loans were separated into multiple loans when it used to be one loan.
You are asking for us to correct the data we are reporting to the CRAs.
We currently service your Federal Direct Stafford Loans. ED authorized the transfer of your federal
loans from ***** ***** *********** **** ********* **** ******** to ******, effective April 4, 2023.
On behalf of ED, we furnish your account data to the CRAs. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, we
have an obligation to ensure data we furnish is accurate and complete. On your credit report,
****** reported your loans grouped together as an account, limiting the number of tradelines
showing on your credit report. Conversely, ****** reports each loan as a separate tradeline. While it
may seem like you have more loans or different balances with ******, the number of loans and their
corresponding balances have not changed. The tradelines reported by ****** have been closed
due to transfer and reflect a $0 balance. We reviewed your account and confirmed that we are
reporting your account correctly as current.
If you have any other questions, you may call us at ************ from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. (Eastern)
Monday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday. You
can also email ******************************.************** or visit ******.************** .
Initial Complaint
Date:01/24/2025
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I did not authorize these payments. I have filled a dispute before and had no response. Even after explaining due to Covid and health reasons I was not even enrolled in classes. I have these bills on my credit and I need it removed since I was unaware and did not authorize it.Business Response
Date: 01/29/2025
Pertaining to ******* ******* federal student loan account,
we reviewed their concerns and provide the attached response.We are writing in response to the inquiry you submitted to the Better Business Bureau (BBB)
regarding your federal student loan account with ******. On behalf of your lender, the U.S.
Department of Education (ED), we service your federal student loans. We take your concerns
seriously and appreciate the opportunity to respond.
Your concern, as we understand it, is that you state you did not authorize the payment of the loans,
and you were not even enrolled in classes. You are asking us to remove the loans from your credit.
Our records show you have loans that were disbursed from September 18, 2020, to February 5,
2021, for your attendance at ********* *******, and a loan was disbursed on May 23, 2022, for
your attendance at ******* ***** **********.
As your loan servicer, we do not have a role in the loan application or disbursement approval
process. ED assigned your loans to us for servicing, which includes but is not limited to billing,
offering support during the repayment period, and reporting your loan information to the consumer
reporting agencies (CRAs). To learn more about how the loans were applied to your education
expenses, or for more information on the application and disbursement process, please contact the
financial aid office at ********* ******* and ******* ***** **********.
As of January 29, 2025, your account is 44 days past due for the amount of $293.33. You may view
additional detailed loan information through ******’s website, ******.************** , and ED’s
website, ************** .
If you have any other questions, you may call us at ************ from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. (Eastern)
Monday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday. You
can also email ***********************@******.************** or visit ******.************** .
Initial Complaint
Date:01/16/2025
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
My federal student loans were approved in deferment effective 2/15/24 due to my unemployment. Four additional automatic withdrawals we’re deducted in error from my checking account by services NelNet 2/16/24 thru 12/16/24 totaling $3,024.64.Business Response
Date: 01/21/2025
Pertaining to ****** ******* federal student loan account, we reviewed their concerns and provided the attached response.We are writing in response to the inquiry you submitted to the Better Business Bureau regarding your federal student loan account with Nelnet. On behalf of your lender, the U.S. Department of Education (ED), we service your federal student loans. We take your concerns seriously and appreciate the opportunity to respond.
Your concern, as we understand it, is that your payments processed on auto debit even though your account was in deferment due to unemployment. You are asking us to refund payments made February 16, 2024, through December 16, 2024, totaling $3,024.64.
We apologize for the experience you described regarding the payments processed through auto debit. We have documented your concerns, and we will use this information for process improvements. We look forward to a more positive relationship with you in the future.
Based on your concern and our review of your account, we verified you spoke to a representative on January 16, 2025, regarding a refund. They advised you the U.S. Department of Treasury must approve refund requests before funds can be issued back to the remitter of the payment. As stated, we cannot provide a time frame for when you will receive your refund. We regret the inconvenience caused by this.
If you have any other questions, you may call us at ************ from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. (Eastern) Monday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday. You can also email NelnetCustomerSolutionsBusiness Response
Date: 01/24/2025
Pertaining to ****** ******* federal student loan account, we reviewed
their concerns and provide the attached response.We are writing in response to the inquiry you submitted to the Better Business Bureau regarding your federal student loan account with Nelnet. On behalf of your lender, the U.S. Department of Education (ED), we service your federal student loans. We take your concerns seriously and appreciate the opportunity to respond.
Your concern, as we understand it, is that your payments processed on auto debit even though your account was in deferment due to unemployment. You are asking us to refund payments made February 16, 2024, through December 16, 2024, totaling $3,024.64.
We apologize for the experience you described regarding the payments processed through auto debit. We have documented your concerns, and we will use this information for process improvements. We look forward to a more positive relationship with you in the future.
Based on your concern and our review of your account, we verified you spoke to a representative on January 16, 2025, regarding a refund. They advised you the U.S. Department of Treasury must approve refund requests before funds can be issued back to the remitter of the payment. As stated, we cannot provide a time frame for when you will receive your refund. We regret the inconvenience caused by this.
If you have any other questions, you may call us at ************ from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. (Eastern) Monday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday. You can also email ********************************************* or visit **********************Customer Answer
Date: 01/27/2025
I do t understand how this claim can be closed with no action taken at all by Nelnet. How is this resolved?Initial Complaint
Date:01/13/2025
Type:Status:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
My federal student loans are serviced through this company. They consistently fail to apply my payments to my account. I have successfully made some payments through the same bank account and payment avenues so I know there are no issues on my end. They regularly do not apply payments to my account in a timely manner so they can collect more interest.Business Response
Date: 01/22/2025
Pertaining to ****** ******** federal student loan account, we reviewed their concerns and provide the attached response
We are writing in response to the inquiry you submitted to the Better Business Bureau regarding
your federal student loan account with Nelnet. On behalf of your lender, the U.S. Department of
Education (ED), we service your federal student loans. We take your concerns seriously and
appreciate the opportunity to respond.
Your concern, as we understand it, is you stated we are not applying payments made through your
bank to your student loan account. You believe there are no issues on your end. You are asking for
a billing adjustment.
On January 17, 2025, we responded to your similar concern. The enclosed response provided
details of your phone call with our agent on January 15, 2025, where you discussed, payments that
were returned, verify with your bank if they are receiving the payment information from us, and the
other options available for making payments. The enclosed response also provided details on
payments that posted to your account and your payment history was enclosed.
As of January 22, 2025, a payment is processing in the amount of $2,003.49, which will be effective
as of January 17, 2025. You may monitor the status of your payment within your
********************* online account by clicking on Payments >> Payment Activity .
If you have any other questions, you may call us at ************ from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. (Eastern)
Monday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday. You
can also email ********************************************* or visit *********************
BBB Business Profiles may not be reproduced for sales or promotional purposes.
BBB Business Profiles are provided solely to assist you in exercising your own best judgment. BBB asks third parties who publish complaints, reviews and/or responses on this website to affirm that the information provided is accurate. However, BBB does not verify the accuracy of information provided by third parties, and does not guarantee the accuracy of any information in Business Profiles.
When considering complaint information, please take into account the company's size and volume of transactions, and understand that the nature of complaints and a firm's responses to them are often more important than the number of complaints.
BBB Business Profiles generally cover a three-year reporting period, except for customer reviews. Customer reviews posted prior to July 5, 2024, will no longer be published when they reach three years from their submission date. Customer reviews posted on/after July 5, 2024, will be published indefinitely unless otherwise voluntarily retracted by the user who submitted the content, or BBB no longer believes the review is authentic. BBB Business Profiles are subject to change at any time. If you choose to do business with this company, please let them know that you checked their record with BBB.
As a matter of policy, BBB does not endorse any product, service or business. Businesses are under no obligation to seek BBB accreditation, and some businesses are not accredited because they have not sought BBB accreditation. BBB charges a fee for BBB Accreditation. This fee supports BBB's efforts to fulfill its mission of advancing marketplace trust.