October 10, 2006
ACS Sucks Redux
ACS is a really miserable student loan company that happens to be responsible for my student loan. They're hilarious. The last issue I had with them was in 2003, when they reported me delinquent in student loan repayment for 6 months (I was a graduate student at the time). It took me many months, several hundred dollars, and a lawyer to straighten things out.
When I moved to California, I updated my address in their records. I never received a notification with them. I logged in to the website again, and found that the address was completely wrong, pointing to a house just outside of Hoboken, NJ. I called to update the address (and dispute that I owe payment...I have paper from them saying that I am prepaid through the end of the year, they tacked on late fees and said I owed them payments since August as of now...helpful that the address they have for me is wrong so I could not receive the notices).
I inquired how my address was updated, and was told by Latoya, "The information is verified from a database by our security department." I asked if I could talk to the security department, she said, "No, but they verify the information so it's okay." I insisted that I had never been contacted to verify the incorrect information, that I never lived anywhere near the address, etc. "Well, the information is in a database, so it's okay." I'm not sure that Latoya understands English, or understands the issue at hand (identity theft?).
This afternoon, I walk to the Navy Federal Credit Union to consolidate my loan.
Hey James -
Sorry to hear that. I hired a lawyer to handle ACS, and it was only somewhat successful...my credit record still has a "60 day delinquent" rating from them from when they 'forgot' to put me on academic deferment five years ago. Fortunately my credit rating has mostly recovered since then, but I'm over it. I highly recommend consolidating with someone and prevent ACS from getting any extra interest out of you. EdFinancial is probably a good bet (who I eventually went with), though anybody would be better than ACS. It's also a good idea to consolidate as the prime interest rate dropped again recently -- lock in a nice low rate!
Reid
Posted by: Reid on January 4, 2008 05:31 PMPost a comment
Further back...
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Previous Trips...
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Hiking Mount Whitney, 2007 
Spring Break in West Virginia, 2005
New Year's in Paris, 2003-2004
Coming to America, 2003
Protesting in Berlin, 2003
Prague Bier-Tour, 2002
Dresden, 2002
Recent Reading
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Stealing the Network
I first bumped into the Stealing the Network series when reading the exploits of Joe Grand, one of the book's many hacker authors.
The 'Stealing the ...' series of books follows a rather disparate group of computer hackers as they help a former NSA spook (many of them unwittingly) gather the money he needs to retire.
The stories themselves are not fantastic fiction. The writing is uneven and choppy, the characters are stereotypical and not very well thought-out. What is fascinating about this book series is the technical accuracy of the exploits (at some points *too* accurate, with screen shots and step-by-step instructions).
It's a great series to read if you're a system administrator, or just getting into the wonderful field of computer security.
Rated 
by reid
on March 06, 2011
by reid
on March 06, 2011
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Close to the Machine
Ellen Ullman is one of those authors that somehow avoided my radar. Until now...
Close to the Machine is less a book than a collection of loosely related personal anecdotes from Ellen's time as a very rare thing -- a successful female bisexual independent computer programming consultant.
In the course of her work and relationship life, she learns hard lessons about programming, running a business, being lonely, and loving the wrong people. I found it particularly poignant being a crypto-nerd with difficult times in relationships and a more-or-less NDA'd, secret work life.
This book is a must-read for anyone into running their own business, programming, or anyone dating a person that is a business-a-holic or programmer.
Rated 
by reid
on November 23, 2009
by reid
on November 23, 2009
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The Long Trip Home
I had the joy of dining with the author in Florida. We went to a little Brazilian BBQ where he spoke with our waitstaff in (what I can only assume was) flawless Portugese.
Brian Wyllie spent 1969-1971 living in Brazil working for the Peace Corps. His recent book outlines his trip back to the United States via Bolivia, Peru, and the Carribean chain, by way of bus, train, and sailboat. The format comes spattered with observations from the modern day, and makes me think, "this must be what John McPhee's journal looks like."
The trip sounded like a fantastic one, but I was left wanting more detail...where did the gun (being snuck through customs in a variety of places, no doubt) come from? And how did Geneve's hair smell? Alas, we'll have to wait for another book to find the answers.
Rated by reid
on April 16, 2009
by reid
on April 16, 2009
I'm currently in a fight with ACS now. Thought I'd do a Google search to find out if anyone else has had problem with these idiots. Sure enough.
I've paid more than I needed to for several years and the last bill I received indicated that I was PREPAID through 2014. However, I just received a notice that I am somehow delinquent and being reported to the credit bureaus.
Wow. I'm a bit worried now. My whole defense hinges on whether they believe me when I tell them its only 2008.
Posted by: James on January 1, 2008 05:06 PM