I attended Westwood College Online 2004/2005, not realizing I had been scammed. After completing one year, and seeing Sallie Mae presenting me with a bill for $20,000 + ... that's when the sickening reality began to sink in, "I've been scammed."
Sallie Mae to Go on the Chopping Block? - NYTimes.comdealbook.nytimes.com/.../sallie-mae-to-go-on-the-chopping-block/Jul 28, 2010 – At the time, Mr. Obama portrayed the overhaul of the student loan program as a triumph over an “army of lobbyists,” singling out Sallie Mae, ...
Me and my entire family (three children) are Autistic. (Verified by a medical specialist). When will the Department of Education step in on my behalf and the behalf of the financial calamity caused to myself and my children, due to the fraud of Westwood College's Scam?? Where is the Department of Education and Department of Justice to enforce the law that is already on the books? Somebody, out there, please help my family!!!
Not only myself, but I have three children, officially diagnosed with autism (one with PDD-NOS (Pervasive Developmental Disorder - Not Otherwise Specified) and the other two, diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome. Both conditions are on the Autism Spectrum.
Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) Aug 6, 2008 ... Autism is a complex DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY that causes problems with social interaction and communication. Symptoms usually start before ... http://nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/asd.cfm
The Legal Question remains, "Did you understand what you were signing with Westwood College?" ANSWER: No, I did not. Their sales-pitch language obscured the fine details. I did not understand what I was signing, and it was all done over the phone and like an Autistic person would, I blindly trusted them and took their word at face value.
When will the Department of Education step in, and save me from the predatorial scam perpetrated by Westwood College and Sallie Mae?
The American Medical Association states :
Mental Capacity and Contracts People with mental illness or a degenerative mental disease have special protections under the law when entering into contracts or other binding documents. Lee Black, JD, LLM http://virtualmentor.ama-assn.org/2008/03/hlaw1-0803.html "Certain requirements must be met before a legal contract-be it for property, goods, or services-is valid and enforceable. There must be at least two parties to the contract, both of which must have the capacity to enter into the agreement; that is, each party must understand what he or she is entering into and the consequences of doing so. If a person who does not have this capacity signs the agreement, it may be voided. Several conditions circumscribe the capacity to enter into a legal agreement. If one of the parties is a minor, the contract may not be enforceable because minors are legally presumed to lack capacity for contracts, even if the particular minor has understood the terms. Adults are generally presumed to have capacity to enter into a contract [4], but this rule is not absolute. There are two major exceptions to the presumption of an adult's legal capacity, one of which is being intoxicated when the agreement was made because intoxication can affect judgment. The second exception to legal capacity is mental illness or mental defect [5]. Historically, this exception intended to protect individuals who were developmentally disabled or insane. Today, the category has been expanded to include those suffering from degenerative diseases, like Alzheimer's, that may affect their cognitive abilities." http://virtualmentor.ama-assn.org/2008/03/hlaw1-0803.html
IT IS CALLED EXPLOITATION.
When will the federal law be enforced, and all money Westwood College Swindled me and my family out of, reimbursed?
The following is not the only example of how they're ripping folks off through online banking.
Awhile back, I wrote my landlord out a check ... he receives it. He told me he had already cashed it about three days ago. Guess what folks? BBT Online was *absent* of any such transaction. He goes in, cashes it walked out, and the money was removed from my account, but it never even shows up in "pending items" and doesn't even show up as missing, at all... the same false balance is showing up on BBandT Online though.
for one day...
for two days... now take note, the money was already removed and the landlord had it, but
the check suddenly appears about day three as already posted.
This has occurred on many occasions, with many transactions. You see, they had removed money -- but didn't have the courtesy to even notify me for several days.
When you complain and try to get something done about the mistakes they made... guess what folks?
THEY CHARGE YOU FOUR DOLLARS FOR TWO PHONE CALLS!!! at a 1-800 Number which is false advertising too, because 1-800 numbers are suppose to be toll free...
Yeah, those charges were incurred from BB&T, one of them (not to mention) I was disconnected, while trying to reach a customer rep, and the phone was disconnected, but it didn't stop BB&T charging me two bucks for absolutely nothing. In fact, I got nothing but hassled when I finally got through. I was not notified they were stiffing me 2 bucks per phone call I made to the bank, either.
This is how BB&T does business folks!
They run you around with excuse upon excuse... but there is no excuse!!! You have the right to know what your actual balance is. If they take money from your account, they have an obligation to tell you... but its so much easier to with-hold these transactions so they can rip you off.
Oh there's more, Can somebody tell me HOW... how does a bank let you withdraw 60 bucks, if you're really 70 in overdraft fees, in the hole. Because folks, the system is rigged to convince you that you have more money in your account, than BB&T has recorded in its private data records... with-holding crucial information from consumers, for two days!!!.
Because folks, that overdraft fee was posted two whole days after BB&T charged it and simply backdated two days. With-holding crucial information, plain and simple. WHICH IS BLATANT FRAUD!!! Not to mention false advertising, when promising up to the minute transaction reporting.
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Watch as their "Security" lies to me that they don't have a form to simply fill out, hand in, and close out an account.
What is this thing? Taken right off the BB&T website.
They managed to rip me off for $105 ... and then proceed to be hateful, as if I'm the wrongdoer. Let's get this straight... I'm the victim!!! Not only was a transaction for 135 with-held from my knowledge, but along with it, an "overdraft fee" for 70.
But the clerk and security agent, lied that you "must" go inside and see a branch representative. 'zat so? What's this on Google, folks??
Here's the screen shot so everyone can see it for themselves.
NOT ONLY THE TRANSACTION WAS WITH-HELD BUT THE OVERDRAFT FEE ITSELF WAS KEPT SECRET TOO... giving me the reassurance, "You're safe to with-draw 60" for which I received 60 from an ATM, but got hit with yet another Overdraft. BB&T's internal system knew my account didn't have 60 bucks. While 70+ in the hole... all the online system says is that 90 is available and 112 was coming through. I withdrew 60 dollars because it appeared everything was clear. If I had not withdrawn that 60 (BBT's FRAUDULENT ONLINE SYSTEM told me was safe to withdraw from), there'd been enough to cover the pending transaction (I knew nothing about, but BB&T sure did!) As a result, I not only got hit for 2 overdrafts but a third one for the $60 I withdrew. Available funds: 90+112 = 200 plus, and it wasn't enough to cover ONE TRANSACTION for 135... but it was enough for BB&T to tack on 105 in fees.
So, Banks charge $70 in overdrafts and wait two whole days before telling you about it on online banking??? Saying "Please do with-draw some more money so we can bleed you even more!"
Yep, with-held even the information of that overdraft charge for two whole days, still lying that $90 is available in the account, and 112 coming through... of which they stole every dime. Some rich CEO at BB&T is eating steak tonight... my children don't know that same luxury.
BB&T makes it easy to close another bank's account without even being *required* to go in to competitor banks, but BB&T doesn't extend the same benefit to their customers... they force you to go in and hassle customers... wasting my time. Here's that piece of paper, that can be mailed in and the bank close the account!
SEE GOOGLE: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&am...
Can somebody tell me HOW... how does a bank let you withdraw 60 bucks, if you're really 70 in overdraft fees, in the hole. Because folks, the system is rigged to convince you that you have more money in your account, than BB&T has recorded in its private data records... with-holding crucial information from consumers, for two days!!!.
Does everyone else see it? 60 was permitted to be withdrawn, sandwiched between 105 in overdrafts! HOW COULD THAT BE?
... how the heck could I withdraw 60 bucks, if there's an overdraft just before it... showing the account was in the negative! They with-held the information, and posted as if the account with 90+ in the positive and 112 was coming through. The system is rigged to rip you off.
[PDF] AUTHORIZATION TO CLOSE CHECKING ACCOUNT File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat - View as HTML Please establish direct deposit into my BB&T checking account. ... I have enclosed a deposit slip to verify my new BB&T account number. Signature(s) ... http://www.bbt.com/customerservice/si... - Similar -
They have ripped me off for $105 last month, through fraud, false advertising that their online banking is "up to the minute," it's fraud because they deliberately with-held information by failing to report transactions in the "pending items" of the account. They keep pending charges hidden, then *bang* they show up as processed days later (with-holding information BB&T has secretly in its computers, from the consumer), just itching for people to believe the false $$'s on their bank account.
One night check into your account and its showing 90 bucks in your account, *plus* a credit of 112 coming through... next day, you've been hit with 105 in "overdraft fees".
A charge you were not notified of is suddenly "posted" (never appeared in the pending section which normally... is pending for TWO DAYS or more).. but it was absent, along with any mention of an overdraft fee for 70 dollars for TWO DAYS!! I ONLY SAW 90+ in my account, plus 112 depositing... so I felt safe to withdraw 60 for my daughter's bank account.
90+ 112(deposit) equals = about 200 ... right? Seems enough to cover a bill for 135.... right? But somehow this amounts to 135 for the transaction plus $105 in blood fees for Branch Banking and Trust???
"Trust"?
Banks have reached an all time low for deceptive business practices, and the people they're preying on are the poor and single mothers.
DALLAS — The owners of Westwood College — which has branches in Dallas, Fort Worth and Houston — will pay $7 million to settle a lawsuit with the federal government.
Four years ago, News 8 investigated student complaints against Westwood, which operates seventeen schools nationwide. Its three Texas campuses are known as "career colleges," but in a federal lawsuit, the government charged Westwood was not the college it said it was, and that it did not provide careers for its students.
The lawsuit covers a period from 2002 to 2005, and contains the same complaints Westwood students shared with News 8 in 2005.
Westwood can cost a student tens of thousands of dollars, depending on the curriculum; most students get government grants and loans to go there.
The government charged Westwood with fraud and misrepresentation in participating in those loans.
Westwood told students that 97 percent of its graduates got jobs, but the government said the placement rate was far lower.
[...]
The lawsuit said students were told the credits they earned at Westwood could be transferred to junior colleges and universities. But when former student Robert Moers presented his Westwood transcript to a junior college, officials there told him to "just keep this transcript, because we don't recognize this institution [Westwood] as a school."
Westwood's Texas campuses remain open.
The government's case took years to put together. After prosecutors sought a jury trial, Westwood decided to settle, which does not admit guilt.
Here's another phone call with Sallie Mae Financial (yet another lie caught on the phone!!! with their computer right in front of them, the rep knew absolutely nothing about the recent heavy involvement of the Department of Education's Ombudsman' office which was dragged in after their predators refused to send federal forbearance forms (which needless to say is a FEDERAL CRIME), and claims to know nothing about the intermediator between Sallie Mae and Department... Rosa Van Dyke???) The guy is lying, which is typical for criminals at Sallie Mae. They would rather lie about everything, even when the truth is more conducive, but they've got to beat people out of millions, so lying is second nature to the crooks.
And due to the corrupt predatorial banking fraud that is ongoing, here's a recent email from Congresswoman Chellie Pingree who addresses these issues, head-on without mincing words. I wish that there were more in Congress, concerned about these issues which are now affecting all Americans who are students of Higher Education, across the nation. Does your Congressman give a *d* or have dirty banking corporations bought your representatives, and have them in their pocket to represent the interests of predatorial bankers like Sallie Mae Financial?
From: Congresswoman Chellie Pingree Sent: Wednesday, June 17, 2009 4:46 PM Subject: Message from Congresswoman Chellie Pingree
Dear Sharon,
Thank you for contacting me about the importance of making higher education more accessible and affordable. I appreciate hearing from you about this important issue, and I sincerely apologize for the delay in my response.
As the former chair of my school board, I care deeply about the issues surrounding education in this country - and I am well aware of the many challenges that our education system faces. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the 111th Congress to ensure that we provide a quality education to every American. This includes expanding access to higher education and ensuring that those who want to pursue a college education can do so without entering into impossible debt.
I was proud to support H.R. 1, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), which included several provisions to make college more affordable. This recovery package provided much-needed funds for work study programs, and provided money to states to help alleviate budget cuts to public universities.
The Fiscal Year 2010 Budget, passed earlier this year, also makes significant investments in higher education access, raising the maximum Pell Grant award to $5,550 for the 2010-11 school year, and making permanent the $2,500 American Opportunity Tax Credit, which will make college more affordable for millions of middle-class families and for the first time make college tax incentives partially refundable.
Earlier this year, I joined several of my colleagues in sending two letters to Chairman David Obey and Ranking Member Todd Tiahrt of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies, requesting $400 million in funding for the Gaining Early Awareness Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP), and an increase of $120 million in funding for TRIO Programs for Fiscal Year 2010. Both of these programs provide invaluable services to low income students, helping them prepare for the rigorous demands of higher education while in high school, and providing college students with the support services they need in order to successfully complete their degrees.
I also believe we must address the issue of student loan fairness and consumer protection when it comes to student loans. Too many students remain saddled with debt long after graduation, and lack the help and support to pay off their debt within a reasonable timeframe. We should ensure that lenders are operating in a fair and transparent manner, and that borrowers are provided with all the information they need to make informed decisions and pay off their loans.
As a mother of three, I am a firm believer that we must work to fix our education system to ensure that every student in Maine and across the country can have affordable access to a higher education.
Thank you again for being in touch about these important issues. I hope to see you in Maine soon.
Sincerely, Chellie Pingree Member of Congress
To contact me please visit me at http://pingree.house.gov/ If you need immediate help with a Federal Agency please call my Portland Office at 207-774-5019 or toll free at 888-862-6500.
At one point during his conversation he claims there were _only 2 over the phone transactions_ back in 2007. He was trying to wiggle out of blame for the abuse of trust in banking, they did in October 2008. My bank documents to the contrary of his claims. Realizing at some point, he was a blatant liar incapable of disputing bank records at BBandT, he changed his story, saying that the transaction in question (yes, he changed his story and _agreed something_ took place in October 2008). Despite changing his story, it was on his computer screen, all along, and he was lying about it.
Over the Phone Conversation Part One
Over the Phone Conversation Part Two
http://youtube.com/watch?v=ch82L9fUty8 (7:24 / 9:01) '... He's going to pull up my history (8:02 / 9:01) '... There's only 2 payments and that was in 2007...over the phone ma'am" Listen carefully to his smug and cocky tone as he attempts to deny the over the phone transaction in October 2008, then diverts to the "I don't give you permission to record." He was lying and he knew it. Of course he didn't want his lying recorded. (8:42 / 9:01) '...when did you make a payment over the phone?' (as if he didn't have the information on his screen?)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=O-NfHcCQ_J8 (0:26 / 5:14) '...when did you make a payment over the phone that we took 2.5x the amount?' (0:42 / 5:14) '...you did an auto-debit it takes it automatically out of your monthly payment.' (0:50 / 5:14) '...you did an auto-debit October 2008...'
Initially, I didn't catch his trying to blame me for an "auto debit". He is lying. I'll let the records at BBandT speak for themselves. http://artscape.us/sallie_mae/bbt_statement_nov_2008.jpg 10/27 SLMA DEBIT SALLIE MAE XXXXXXXD01F $313.33 Does that look remotely as if me, myself made an "auto debit"? Or rather, that Sallie Mae made that debit? It was no "auto-debit". Which explains why BBandT issued a reversal of the charge: http://artscape.us/sallie_mae/bbt_statement_dec_2008.jpg Two lies don't fix the story. There was only an over the phone transaction Sallie Mae processed, and the bank statement verifies the charge came from Sallie Mae.
In fact, take a look at the way BBandT records debits from Sallie Mae vs. online checks aka "auto debits" http://artscape.us/sallie_mae/sallie_mae_activity.jpg 03/16/2009 Debit Online Pmt Sallie Mae CKF927529477POS $40
After this act of charging 2.5x the amount, BBandT told me to not give my bank account information to Sallie Mae anymore. My bank said legitimate institutions in banking do not do what Sallie Mae has done. I think... BBandT is on to something. ---------- I got the woman who answered the phone _to admit_ that a forebearance "hardship form" is something that has income on it, and to be signed. Instead of such a form, they sent just another junk flyer for harrassment. See http://www.artscape.us/sallie_mae/envelope.jpg http://www.artscape.us/sallie_mae/enclosure.jpg (both of which are dated incidentally) Do either of those documents look like a "hardship form" to be signed or with income on it? No, they do not. Running me around in circles and avoid sending the forbearance forms they promised back in October 2008. See: 60 Minutes CBS / Default Loans = Big Profits.
Sallie Mae has repeatedly refused to send or discuss forbearance information since October 2008 (the supervisor on floor admit during conversation forbearance can be taken care of over the phone, so I'm asking WHY WASN'T IT... back in October 2008 when they promised to send them to me., March 2009 I began contacting them again -- meeting with the same refusal to send forms....
Here's where they confirmed (after emailing telling me to log in to my account) they'd locked me out from accessing my account online. They run people around in circles for months, refusing to send federal forms like federal law requires them to do, causing them to default their loans which Sallie Mae sells off to collection agencies for big profits. (Search Google for: 60 Minutes CBS + Sallie Mae Loan Fraud)
Students say college misled them 01:46 PM CST on Tuesday, February 22, 2005
By BYRON HARRIS / WFAA-TV
There's a long-held American belief that education is the key to a better life.
But a News 8 investigation has found that scores of young men and women claim to have been duped by a chain of private schools in North Texas.
They were fresh out of high school. They often lacked the grades or money for college. Yet, they wanted a degree that will lead them to a career, so they went to a private for-profit school called Westwood College of Technology for an associate degree.
What many said they got, however, were a worthless piece of paper and crippling debt.
Each morning seems bright for hundreds of students on Westwood's campuses in Euless and Dallas, because every minute spent on those campuses is based on the promise of a better life through education - a sense of promise based on Westwood's widely-aired TV commercials.
"You need to know where the really hot careers are," said the ad. "You have lots of questions, and Westwood College has lots of answers."
Westwood is expensive, from $27,000 to $34,000 for about a year and a half of classes. That's as much as a year's tuition at Harvard, or four years at UT-Austin.
Brazell said. "We were trained to make them 'feel their pain.'"
And pain is what Katrina Vargas, a single mom, felt after completing her degree at Westwood.
"Now I'm a single mother, still, and I'm in so much debt," Vargas said. "I have marks on my credit, I can't pay for my daughter's needs ... my mom has to help me."
"I got people in financial jeopardy rather than getting into a career," Brazell said. "They made bets with me on how many students I would enroll."
----- Original Message ----- From: "Sharon" To: stephen schoeni salliemae com Sent: Wednesday, March 18, 2009 1:52 AM Subject: Prison
"...And pain is what Katrina Vargas, a single mom, felt after completing her degree at Westwood. "Now I'm a single mother, still, and I'm in so much debt," Vargas said. "I have marks on my credit, I can't pay for my daughter's needs ... my mom has to help me." ~ Dallas /Fort Worth, Texas
I feel their pain, Mr. Schoeni, being I'm living through the same financial nightmare your predatory business practices lured me and untold tens of thousands into.
When Mr. Wong asked me to advertise your scam from _my_ science blog and our science web sites? Ha, there's no way... but I did tell him I'd give Sallie Mae/Westwood Scam lots of PRO BONO exposure. I read today on one site I found discussing the Westwood fraud, that somebody 'had taken down the fight westwood site'.. Okay, as promised to do, I'll do my part and create a blogspot (~fight-westwood.blogspot.com) their idea which is good enough -- and adding lots of links to information like the article at WFAA News (Dallas / Fort Worth).. and I'll use all the pre-existing sites at my disposal to give top billing to exposing and linking to the Westwood College Online / Sallie Mae fraud, republishing some of the same letters I've shared with you and the reporters. If victims of the Westwood fraud want to come mourn their sorrow, then I'll welcome them with an open embrace. But there will be no greater reason to rejoice, when the criminals at Sallie Mae and Westwood, are sitting behind bars.
You people deserve only a long stretch in federal prison, and the key thrown away!
