8009640881

Some woman just called me about a "business matter". She asked for my ssn and dob. After repeatedly asking her for more info (which she refused), I told her that this must be a SCAM phone call. She didn't deny it and then she hung up. I had to get the company name/number from my caller ID. She wouldn't even identify herself or the company name when I was on the phone call.

Called my phone FOR my daughter...after I see all these messages I'm angry.

Contacted me about a loan back in 1990. The school closed and never recieved my certificate  or anything. I explain that to them. They say direct loans loaned you $4500. You have to pay 25 thousand  dollars because of interest and penalties. Or we will garnish your wages.
What am I supposed  to do.

Tell them to go F*CK themselves. A debt from the 90's is uncollectable even if it was a legitimate loan then. If it was backed by the gov't they would have zapped your tax refund years ago. These scum sucking leeches just want to try and scare people.

so you work for them right?

Bothered, your instincts are good but I'm afraid "Karen" is not likely to answer your question as she posted about 6 years ago.

The US Dept of Education gave me this number to bring my student loans out of default into rehabilitation status (to where if you don't make much money you will have little to no payment if you enter into this). It is a legit company that owns a lot of student loan paper. they aren't scammers. but they are still a collection agency and are prone to using the unpleasant methods that these companies use.  Not trying to defend them, But they are a real company. the US Dept of Ed would not be handing out their phone number if they didn't have legitimate reason. Calling them a scam company is incorrect. they may well be scummy or unpleasant in the manner in which  they operate, but they are still a real company.

Not sure I am believing all your story.  Why would US Dept of Ed be using a debt collector?  Why not make payments to the Dept of Ed?  I am sure they would take your money.

Besides, why are you posting here? They did not call you, you called them. You already were a "satisfied customer" and had no need to look up a number you knew was "legit."  That smells Shilly to me.

Looking  back at posts here going to 2010, I would be real skeptical about calls from this number and make sure I know my rights and responsibilities.

Adding on: MJG, one of the trusted regular posters here checked and found that "Coastal does deal with the Department of Education & ARE collectors.  The phone number on the web is different - 800-231-0225.."

From the posts here, I would be cautious about dealing with Coastal, if only to make sure you know your rights, responsibilities and consequences of your choices. Debt collectors themselves may not be the best source for the information you need.

Coast Professional (not "Coastal") is indeed one of DoE's hired thugs, or should I say rehired. Five years ago the Department dumped all of its private collectors like radioactive fuel rods for confusing and abusing the student borrowers. Before the year was out, Coast and another lawbreaker went back to work on edu accounts after pinky-swearing to behave better. Eventually two more goon squads got their "forgive and forget" contracts, including the most notorious Pioneer/Navient.

The essential problem with farming out to the private sector is much the same PR nightmare which followed the IRS assigning old tax debt cases outside their own house. The mercenary work culture of the consumer debt collector is all wrong for the task. Former students either get bullied into plans they can't afford or hustled into forbearance, which keeps the interest meter running while giving the appearance of temporary relief. Meantime, the same private collectors conveniently (and illegally) forget to advise victims of more reasonable solutions which Federal regs offer.

Obama Relies on Debt Collectors Profiting From Student Loan Woe - Bloomberg, Mar 2012
Fired, Then Rehired - Inside Higher Ed, Mar 2016
  After pledging to stop using five debt collectors last year over allegations they misled borrowers, U.S. Education Department gives two of them new business.
Trump administration welcomes back student debt collectors fired by Obama - Washington Post, May 2017

British Petroleum, Enron, Goldman Sachs, and Madoff Investment Securities have been "real companies". You want to cheer for them, too, or will you hang those pom-poms for now?

Coast and its fellow stable mates count on the DoE imprimatur to make everyone think that steamrolling a debtor's rights is normal and justified. Coast sent some mouthy shill to another number thread only four months ago. Like your repetitive smoke bomb, the prior attempt got huffy about CPI's "legitimacy". That blast was contained but the borrower complaints stand, mainly because Coast appears chemically incapable of reform even after being vilified by the watchdogs and too briefly suspended by the Department.

Readily I would agree that "they are still a collection agency" and therefore subject to the same laws which protect us in other consumer debt categories. Any one of the many reported collector antics in this thread alone would be sufficient to send me to my Federal court with a freshly printed complaint and $400 for the filing fee. I also believe that when you look in your mirror, the prior shill characters "Karen", "Jessica", and "Jolene" sometimes stare back.

Defaulted 30 yrs ago...  no way to pay...  my college discriminated against me 4 being gay, and 'lost' my financial aid...  so i was turned out senior year with only a class to go...  could only find part time, minimum wage jobs since...  had to have food stamps to eat...  then my back went bad, and now i will never have the means to pay because i can't work...  it's just beyond wrong that this wasnt forgiven years ago...

Perhaps if Coast Pro treated you to its customary abusive practices you can pick up a few grand for groceries in a damage award. Loser pays legal fees incurred by the plaintiff, whereas it's rare for bad agencies to punish the consumer with their own lawyer bills.

Fair Debt Collection Practices Act - FTC
CFPB Q&A on the FDCPA