8008480981

RECORDing (usually from "unknown #) keeps calling supposedly from the US Dept of Education.
But when you call the # it's ""Direct Loan servicing".  
I have no education loans/debt.

Called the # that finally showed up on my caller ID this time, they asked for SSN, but I gave them the phone # they';d been calling instead.  They claimed they'll remove me...

They have been calling 3-6 times a day for the last 3 days.  They never leave a message, i answered one today, and it said it was collecting a debt, so i followed the prompts to a representative, bc i have no idea what this is about, it put me on hold, and then when someone finally came on the line, they hung up.
This is a scam, and do not answer, these people, when you get to speak with them are very rude, and want nothing but your information!!

It's legit. I made the mistake of giving out my SS without verifying but THANK HEAVENS TO GOD this was not a scam. I was really, really lucky. I should have thought about it first but next time--when in doubt, look up the website and make sure it matches the number. Give them a direct call and ask about that specific number to make sure it isn't a scam.

http://www.finaid.org/educators/phone.phtml

Hey guys, I just had the same panic that all of you had. Please see http://www.finaid.org/educators/phone.phtml - as you can see, it's from the Collections department of the Direct Loan Servicing Center.

I also recieved a call from them. they said there the US Dept. of education - direct loan servicing center out of Utica,NY. I found there name listed under the listing of the dirrent offices at: http://www.ifap.ed.gov/dlsguides/doc0036_bodyoftext.htm

I received a call today. I called them back.
Person who picked asked for SSN. I requested for the reason for their call. And she put me on hold to verify my phone number. And she came back and told me that they might have wrongly dialed it.

They are legit. I worked for them! They are a comoany contracted by the govt to service student loans. They are instructed to answer telephones in that manner. If you dont liek it, complain directly to the US DOE, everyting they do there is directed by them so thats their direction

as someone else said, you could simply be a reference for someone else's loan. not their fault you have shady friends and family who dont pay their bilsl and put you down as a reference. i woudl think you would wanna find out who that was...

Like most on this site, I to have received 2 messages from this number (1.800.848.0981). Although I do have a student loan, it hasn't been sold to anyone and it is paid 10 days in advance (no issues there). Also, if the company who holds my loan has any issues they contact me via regular mail. After the second call I was getting tired of it, so I decided to check out the website...www.dl.ed.gov. The site works and although it looks like someone slapped it together I still didn't trust it, so I decided to call them back. Just as all of the other comments here, an automated system immediately asked for my SSN. I wouldn't give it and it asked 2 more times till it patched me through to an operator. The woman I spoke with "BETH" was very nice, but she immediately asked for my SSN. I said "No, you may not have my SSN...I do not even know who you are or what you are calling for. Please search your database by some other means and tell me the purpose of your calls". She searched her database by my phone number (which was fine with me, since they already had that info.) and said "The name on the account we are looking for is Raymond Diaz, do you know this person?" Of course that is not me nor is it anyone I know, so I told her "No". She apologized and said "She would have my number removed from our call list". I don't know if it's a scam for everyone, but it certainly was for me!!! As far as I'm concerned you should be very cautious with this and nobody...should be asking for your SSN. Never EVER give out your SSN. If you must know what is going on...call the number and do as I did. Then, if it's a scam for you I suggest reporting it. Good luck!

This seems to be legit.  Like the rest, I was curious as to why I was being called.  I have student loans, but I'm not behind.  I went to the www.dl.ed.gov website (https://www.dl.ed.gov/borrower/contactUs.do?BORROWER=1) and called the number under Direct Loan Servicing (1-800-848-0979).  I asked the guy (James) who answered about the call about the -0981 number.  He told me it was one of theirs.  I called again and got another operator who told me the same thing.  It's good to be skeptical, but there could be many reasons they are calling.  For me, it was because I just got a new number two weeks before, and the previous holder of the number was in forbearance.  Don't call it a scam just because the operator isn't friendly or reassuring, but don't just hand out your information either.

Actually, they are not a scam. It's Direct Loans and they call themselves the US Dept of Education for a reason. They are government backed for student loans. I have one with them and that's how I know. They give a separate number to call them back, but the number they call from is 800-608-0981. They area legit. You need not give your SSN to them. If the call is for you, you can have them look you up by name or addy. They will verify security info with you. But they are definitely not scam. I have had my share of those jerks in the past/present calling me. This isn't one of them.

Good luck!

Same story as most of you. I on the other hand DO have a loan so I thought that it might be something real. When I called they just rapidly asked for my social security number. Like an idiot I almost gave it but then I realized nobody just up and asks that, no intro, nothing. Just straight asking for SSN.

Today,
I got a recorded message from them. After checking them up online and seeing that they were legit. I called back, and when they asked for my SSN, I said "I believe that you can look me up with other information."

The guy said ok, and then asked for my name, and DOB, and zip and told me my address.
So you don't need to give them your SSN.

Apparently it was that they didn't have my current address.
The funny thing is that when the guy checked he said that they no longer had my loan, so they didn't need my address anyway. Such is life.

Oh, well :)

Though how do we know that andrea is legit?

It was 6 10 p.m. - I was busy in another room. The phone rang and a message was left. This is the United States D... Learning Center calling about your student records. I called back in less than 2 minutes only to be told to call back during regular working hours. Why are they calling outside of regular business hours?  And what student records?

I have several nieces, nephews, grand-nieces who are students or have student loans.

I received my MBA in 1992, I retired in 2004. I never borrowed any money for my education. I have stopped several dozen attempts at identity theft. My mom, grand niece to Democratic Speaker of the House of Representatives, had her identity stolen once and it took her a year and a cooperative police detective to clear her records.

It is not a scam or anything of the sort. They ask for the social security number because until recently that was the account number. If you do not have a student loan with Direct Loans just simply call them and let them know that. They'll ask for the number we called and remove it from the system.

FALL-2011...getting several annoying calls from a 1-800 number - I let it go to voicemail,  they leave weird messages and they are trying to get personal information........BE AWARE!

Just a automated call from Direct Loans (school loans). Legit call...

This actually really is the Dept. of Education direct loan servicing department.  I got a call from this number today and googled it (finding this site)  before I listened to the message they left.  

It was an automated call advising me of a change to the way they are debiting bank accounts ( one day later than previously).  This is something I was already aware of, having coincidentally gone on the website earlier this week to check my account.  So seeing as they didn't want a call back from me, gave only information I knew to be correct, and I do have a student loan; I'm sure this is a legitimate number.  When you call the servicing center they do ask for your SSN first, but I think they assume that you know where you're calling.  I'm surprised that anyone can call anymore and get straight through to a person..l always have to navigate a menu and then wait on hold.

Legitimate call - Department of Education - Direct Loan Servicing. I have consolidated student loans with them and they left a message reminding me about a payment plan change. No need for them to ask for my SS because they already have it, duh.

http://www.finaid.org/educators/phone.phtml

I've received two phone calls from this number (800-848-0981). The first time I answered and noone responded to my "Hello" as I waited for about a minute.  The second time I just pressed ignore and they didn't leave a message.