![113853_StudentLoan_IG_082817 34 Companies That Could Take Over Your Defaulted Student Loans](http://thecollegeinvestor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/113853_StudentLoan_IG_082817-1.png)
Student loan debt collectors and collection agencies will contact you if you default on your federal student loans.
While it’s not good to ignore your student loan payments, there may be some circumstances where you can’t make payments on time or end up missing payments altogether.
This will most likely result in a serious situation called student loan default.
And if your student loans go into default, your loans will be transferred from your student loan servicer to a third-party debt collection company. And this can be strange to many borrowers. You might have spent years dealing with a company like Fedloan or Nelnet, then suddenly you're receiving a call from a company named Educational Credit Management and you're very confused. Is it a scam? What's going on?
Here's what you need to know about dealing with student loan debt collectors, including the full list of all debt collection agencies that work on behalf of the Department of Education so that you can be sure you're not going to be scammed.
If you're not quite sure where to start or what to do, consider hiring a CFA to help you with your student loans. We recommend The Student Loan Planner to help you put together a solid financial plan for your student loan debt. Check out The Student Loan Planner here.
Important Note For Student Loans In 2024: Collection activity on student loans is set to resume in September 2024 - after the 12 month grace period. If you've been in a rehabilitation program, your non-payments during Covid-19 count and you should resume in good standing. However, if you've been in default, you need to be prepared. Learn about the Fresh Start Program here.
Repercussions Of Defaulting On Your Student Loan Debt
Student loan default is one of the worst financial actions that can happen to you. You'll be dealing with the following.
If you do find yourself in default on your student loans, you'll need to communicate with the collections agency that has been assigned to your debt. You'll have a couple of options, including student loan rehabilitation, setting up a repayment plan with them, or potentially even settling the debt.
Federal vs. Private vs. Privately-Held Federal Loans
Depending on your loan type, you'll encounter various debt collectors. For Federal loans, the Department of Education has stopped using private debt collectors and now simply uses it's existing loan servicing companies. You can see your loan information here: https://myeddebt.ed.gov/
For private and privately-held Federal loans (like FFEL or Perkins), you may encounter one of the agencies below.
There are over 20 different student loan collections agencies, many with names you're not going to be familiar with. If one of them reaches out to you, you need to take it serious.
Below is a list of common student loan collection agencies along with their contact information if you need to reach out to them.
Debt Collection Laws Protect You
Remember, these companies are third party debt collectors, and there are laws that limit what they can and can't do. The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) is a federal law that provides limitations on what debt collectors can do when collecting certain types of debt. The federal Fair Credit Reporting Act covers how debt collection is reported in credit reports. In addition, there are state laws that provide protections.
These companies may NOT:
- Contact you before 8am or after 9pm. Also if a debt collector knows that you're not allowed to receive the debt collector’s communications at work, then the debt collector is not allowed to contact you there.
- The debt collector may not harass you or anyone else in regard to the debt.
- If you tell the debt collector to stop contacting you in writing, they must stop contacting you except to take legally allowed actions against you, such as filing a lawsuit (if this happens, you need to get a student loan lawyer ASAP).
If you are contacted by a debt collector for your student loan debt, they are required to tell you the following information about your debt:
- The name of the creditor (this will be your student loan servicer and should sound familiar)
- The amount owed (remember, this amount may be much larger than your original debt amount due to accrued interest and fees from being in default)
- That you can dispute the debt
- That you can request the name of the original creditor, if different than the current one
Also, certain states have also increased borrower rights. For example, California recently passed the California Student Loan Borrower Bill of Rights.
Student Loan Debt Collection Agencies
Here is the full current list of student loan debt collection agencies. These companies do change from time to time, and we strive to keep this information as current as possible.
For federal student loans, the U.S. Department of Education is directly managing most collection activity through their Default Management Resolution Group. However, if you have other student loans, these agencies may contact you.
1. Account Control Technology, Inc
P.O. Box 8012
Canoga Park, CA 91309
(888) 830-7770
![ACT logo 34 Companies That Could Take Over Your Defaulted Student Loans](http://thecollegeinvestor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/ACT-logo.png)
2. American Student Assistance Corp
![asa_logo_social 34 Companies That Could Take Over Your Defaulted Student Loans](http://thecollegeinvestor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/asa_logo_social-1024x536.png)
3. Central Research, Inc.
122 N. Bloomington, Suite I
Lowell, AR 72745
(479) 419-5456
www.central-research.com
![tmp_10040_8-1-2017_55336_ 34 Companies That Could Take Over Your Defaulted Student Loans](http://thecollegeinvestor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/tmp_10040_8-1-2017_55336_.png)
4. Coast Professional, Inc.
P.O. Box 2876
West Monroe, LA 71294
(888) 815-2843
![Coast Professional 34 Companies That Could Take Over Your Defaulted Student Loans](http://thecollegeinvestor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Coast-Professional.jpg)
5. Collection Technology, Inc.
P.O. Box 2300
Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91729
(800) 743-4284
![logo-retina 34 Companies That Could Take Over Your Defaulted Student Loans](http://thecollegeinvestor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/logo-retina.png)
6. Collecto, Inc. dba Collection Company of America
PO Box 329
Norwell, MA 02061
(877) 395-5997
![eos-cca-debt-collection-services_logo_10223_widget_logo Collecto, Inc. dba Collection Company of America](http://thecollegeinvestor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/eos-cca-debt-collection-services_logo_10223_widget_logo.png)
![footer-logo Collecto, Inc. dba Collection Company of America](http://thecollegeinvestor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/footer-logo.png)
8. Credit Adjustments
330 Florence St.
Defiance, OH 43512
(800) 544-6359
www.credit-adjustments.com
9. Debt Management and Collections System
PO Box 5609
Greenville, TX 75403-5609
National Payment Center
PO Box 105028
Atlanta, GA 30348-5028
(800) 621-3115
![MyEdDebt 34 Companies That Could Take Over Your Defaulted Student Loans](http://thecollegeinvestor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/MyEdDebt.png)
10. Delta Management Associates, Inc.
P.O. Box 9242
Chelsea, MA 02150-9242
(855) 282-5983
![AAEAAQAAAAAAAAa7AAAAJGI5YzE3YTNjLTJiYjAtNDdhZi04YzFjLTg3YzY0OTBjMmQ3Mg 34 Companies That Could Take Over Your Defaulted Student Loans](http://thecollegeinvestor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/AAEAAQAAAAAAAAa7AAAAJGI5YzE3YTNjLTJiYjAtNDdhZi04YzFjLTg3YzY0OTBjMmQ3Mg.png)
11. ECSI Federal Perkins Servicer
100 Global View Drive Suite 800
Warrendale, PA 15086
(888) 549-3274
![ESCI 34 Companies That Could Take Over Your Defaulted Student Loans](http://thecollegeinvestor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/ESCI.png)
12. Educational Credit Management CORP
PO Box 16408
St. Paul, MN 55116-0408
(855) 810-4922
![ECMC 34 Companies That Could Take Over Your Defaulted Student Loans](http://thecollegeinvestor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/ECMC.png)
13. Enterprise Recovery Systems, Inc. now Alltran Education Inc.
![FAMS logo 34 Companies That Could Take Over Your Defaulted Student Loans](http://thecollegeinvestor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/FAMS-logo.png)
15. Florida Department of Education OSFA
Local Metro Area
Tallahassee, Fl
850-410-5200
![osfa_logo_v1 34 Companies That Could Take Over Your Defaulted Student Loans](http://thecollegeinvestor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/osfa_logo_v1.gif)
16. FMS Investment Corp
![fms 34 Companies That Could Take Over Your Defaulted Student Loans](http://thecollegeinvestor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/fms.png)
![gc_logo 34 Companies That Could Take Over Your Defaulted Student Loans](http://thecollegeinvestor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/gc_logo.bmp)
18. General Revenue Services (USA Funds)
4660 Duke Drive
Suite 300
Mason, OH 45040-8466
Phone: (800) 234-1472
![logo 34 Companies That Could Take Over Your Defaulted Student Loans](http://thecollegeinvestor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/logo.jpg)
19. Immediate Credit Recovery Inc.
6 Neptune Road
Suite 110
Poughkeepsie, New York 12601
(800) 234-4271
(855) 889-3111
![Immediate Credit Recovery Inc. 34 Companies That Could Take Over Your Defaulted Student Loans](http://thecollegeinvestor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Immediate-Credit-Recovery-Inc..png)
![mistudentaidlogo_533361_7 34 Companies That Could Take Over Your Defaulted Student Loans](http://thecollegeinvestor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/mistudentaidlogo_533361_7.png)
![National Recoveries 34 Companies That Could Take Over Your Defaulted Student Loans](http://thecollegeinvestor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/National-Recoveries.png)
![national-credit-services-squarelogo-1437083507154 34 Companies That Could Take Over Your Defaulted Student Loans](http://thecollegeinvestor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/national-credit-services-squarelogo-1437083507154.png)
23. New York Higher Education Loan Program (NYHELP)
99 Washington Avenue
Albany, New York 12255
(800) 888-0741
![New York Higher Education Services Corp. 34 Companies That Could Take Over Your Defaulted Student Loans](http://thecollegeinvestor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/New-York-Higher-Education-Services-Corp..png)
24. Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency
Pennsylvania State Grant Program
P.O. Box 8157
Harrisburg, PA 17105-8157
(800) 692-7392
![pheaa_logo_2016 34 Companies That Could Take Over Your Defaulted Student Loans](http://thecollegeinvestor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/pheaa_logo_2016.jpg)
25. Pioneer Credit Recovery, Inc.
26 Edward St.
Arcade, NY 14009
(585) 492-1234
![pioneer_logo50 34 Companies That Could Take Over Your Defaulted Student Loans](http://thecollegeinvestor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/pioneer_logo50.png)
26. Progressive Financial
![progressive-financial-services_logo_11180_widget_logo 34 Companies That Could Take Over Your Defaulted Student Loans](http://thecollegeinvestor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/progressive-financial-services_logo_11180_widget_logo.png)
27. The CBE Group, Inc.
![CBEGroup-new 34 Companies That Could Take Over Your Defaulted Student Loans](http://thecollegeinvestor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/CBEGroup-new.jpg)
![U.S. Department of Treasury 34 Companies That Could Take Over Your Defaulted Student Loans](http://thecollegeinvestor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/U.S.-Department-of-Treasury.png)
29. West Asset Management, Inc.
171 Mercy Rd., Omaha, NE 68106
(402) 391-5285
(800) 397-7243
30. Windham Professionals, Inc.
380 Main Street
Salem, NH 03079
(800) 969-0059
![windam-logo-tagline (1) 34 Companies That Could Take Over Your Defaulted Student Loans](http://thecollegeinvestor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/windam-logo-tagline-1.png)
Avoiding Student Loan Default
Of course, the easiest way to steer clear of having to deal with any of these companies is to avoid student loan default altogether. Make sure you understand what type of loans you have and commit to making your payments on time.
Also, seek out student loan debt relief options like refinancing, deferment or forbearance, and even student loan forgiveness. Student loan forgiveness is not a quick fix and you'll still have to pay on your student loans but it's wise to see if you qualify if you hold federal student loans.
Final Thoughts
Navigating student loan collections can be challenging, especially if you haven't looked at your student loans in a long time.
Consider getting the help of an attorney who specializes in student loan debt so that you can find the answers you need before you commit to something that may not help you financially.
![Robert Farrington](https://thecollegeinvestor.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Profile2014-Updated-Size.jpg.optimal.jpg)
Robert Farrington is America’s Millennial Money Expert® and America’s Student Loan Debt Expert™, and the founder of The College Investor, a personal finance site dedicated to helping millennials escape student loan debt to start investing and building wealth for the future. You can learn more about him on the About Page or on his personal site RobertFarrington.com.
He regularly writes about investing, student loan debt, and general personal finance topics geared toward anyone wanting to earn more, get out of debt, and start building wealth for the future.
He has been quoted in major publications, including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, ABC, NBC, Today, and more. He is also a regular contributor to Forbes.
Editor: Clint Proctor Reviewed by: Chris Muller