I went through this exact same thing last year! The key is to escalate beyond MOHELA entirely. After getting nowhere with their supervisors (who seem to promise everything and deliver nothing), I filed complaints with both the CFPB and my state attorney general's office. Within 2 weeks of filing the CFPB complaint, I got a call from a different MOHELA department - not regular customer service - and they actually fixed my payment count issue. The CFPB complaint creates a paper trail that MOHELA has to respond to officially, so they can't just ignore you like they do with regular calls. Also, make sure you're documenting everything - dates, times, names, reference numbers, what was promised vs what actually happened. This documentation becomes crucial when you file formal complaints. Don't waste more time with their regular customer service runaround!

I've been lurking here for a while but had to chime in because I'm dealing with the exact same situation right now! It's so frustrating when they make promises and then just... nothing. Reading through all these responses is really eye-opening - I had no idea about the FSA Ombudsman or that CFPB complaints actually force them to respond officially. I've been wasting months going through their regular customer service thinking that was my only option. Definitely going to try the FSA Ombudsman route first since my issue is also payment count related. Has anyone had success getting a direct supervisor contact like Carmen mentioned? That seems like it could save a lot of time instead of explaining the whole situation from scratch every single call.

I'm going through this exact same situation right now and honestly, reading through everyone's experiences here has been such a huge relief! I made a payment 5 days ago and it's like it just vanished - my bank shows it went through but MOHELA's acting like it never happened. It's so stressful when you're trying to stay on top of your loans and the system just fails you like this. The 8 AM calling strategy seems to be the unanimous recommendation here, and I love that everyone's mentioning this "pending/unprocessed transactions" queue - it makes so much sense that there's some kind of digital limbo where these payments get stuck. I'm definitely setting my alarm tonight and getting all my bank documentation organized. One thing I'm curious about though - has anyone had success reaching out to MOHELA on Twitter or other social media? Sometimes companies are more responsive there when you call them out publicly. Not trying to be vindictive, just wondering if it might speed up the process! Thanks to everyone who shared their stories - it's incredible how supportive this community is when dealing with these loan servicer headaches! 🙏

This is such a stressful situation, but you're definitely in good company here! I'm a newer member but have been lurking and reading about MOHELA issues for a while now. The advice everyone's giving about calling at 8 AM sharp with all your documentation is spot on - I've seen this recommendation work for so many people in similar situations. One thing I'd add that I learned from my own banking experience: when you call tomorrow, ask the MOHELA rep specifically about ACH processing delays. Sometimes payments get held up in the Automated Clearing House system between banks, especially if there's any mismatch in account information or if your bank uses a third-party processor. If that's the case, they can usually expedite it once they know to look for it. Also, don't forget to check if MOHELA sent you any emails about payment verification - sometimes they'll send a "confirm this payment" email that can end up in spam folders, and if you don't respond within a certain timeframe, the payment just sits there waiting. Hang in there! Based on everyone's experiences here, it sounds like your payment is definitely recoverable, just stuck somewhere in their system. This community is amazing for support during these loan servicer nightmares! 🙏

Reading through all these comments as someone who just got transferred to MOHELA from Nelnet - I'm genuinely terrified now! 😰 But also incredibly grateful that you all are sharing these strategies. I had no idea it was this bad. Just wanted to add that I work in customer service for a different company, and from an insider perspective, the reason a lot of these "hacks" work is because most call centers have poorly designed phone systems that were never updated. The * then 0 trick, calling at specific times, and using alternate department numbers are all ways to bypass their queue management system that's probably from 2005. It's not your fault that basic customer service is this hard - their infrastructure is just broken. Definitely saving this thread as my MOHELA survival guide! Thanks everyone for turning this nightmare into a community effort 💪

Wow, this thread is like a masterclass in MOHELA survival! 😅 I just got assigned to them last month and honestly had no idea what I was walking into. The fact that we need elaborate strategies just to reach customer service about our own loans is absolutely insane. I'm definitely going to try the 8 AM sharp calling method and that * then 0 bypass trick - you all are legends for sharing these tips! It's both comforting and terrifying to see I'm not alone in this struggle. Bookmarking this entire conversation as my official MOHELA battle plan. Thanks for turning this nightmare into a community effort! 🙏

Diego, you're definitely not alone in this nightmare! I had the exact same issue with MOHELA last fall. They promised me forbearance in September, said it would be processed "within 2 weeks" and I didn't see it applied until December after multiple calls and complaints. Here's my advice based on what finally worked: • When you call, immediately ask for the "Student Loan Resolution Team" - they have more authority than regular customer service • Tell them you need a "case escalation" due to unfulfilled promises from January • Ask them to notate your account with the forbearance commitment they made • Request they apply retroactive administrative forbearance back to when payments were supposed to stop • Get the rep's direct extension if possible for follow-ups Also, if you have any emails or confirmation numbers from your original applications, mention those specifically. MOHELA seems to "lose" applications regularly but they can usually find them if you have reference numbers. Don't give up - it's frustrating as hell but they will eventually fix it if you stay persistent. You shouldn't have to pay for their processing delays! 🙏

Hey Diego! I just went through this exact same situation a few months ago and it was absolutely maddening. MOHELA told me the same thing in December - that I'd be on forbearance "by end of month" and then... nothing happened for weeks. What finally got them to move was when I started keeping a detailed log of every interaction and then sent them a formal written complaint through their website referencing all the broken promises. I also mentioned that I was considering filing with the Department of Education's Federal Student Aid office since they weren't honoring their own commitments. Within 48 hours of sending that written complaint, I got a call back from a supervisor who not only applied the forbearance retroactively but also adjusted my payment history. The key things that seemed to make a difference: • Being very specific about dates and what was promised • Using formal complaint channels (not just phone calls) • Mentioning potential escalation to federal oversight • Asking for everything in writing Don't let them wear you down - you deserve to have them follow through on what they promised you in January. Keep fighting and document everything! 💪

I'm dealing with this exact same issue right now! Been trying to log in for the past two hours and getting nowhere. Reading through all these responses is both helpful and terrifying - how does a major loan servicer have such a fundamentally broken system? 😤 I'm going to work through the SSN formatting suggestions first (no dashes, just 9 digits), then try the early morning login approach since their servers are probably getting hammered during peak hours. The phone payment backup at 1-888-866-4352 is clutch - thanks everyone for sharing that number! It's honestly wild that we need a whole community troubleshooting guide just to pay our loans, but I'm so grateful for all the detailed advice here. Once I finally get back in (fingers crossed), autopay is happening immediately so I never have to deal with this login nightmare again! Has anyone tried reaching out to them on social media? Sometimes public complaints get faster responses than their actual customer service 🤔

I'm having the exact same issue! Been locked out for 3 days now and it's driving me absolutely crazy. Based on everyone's advice here, I'm going to try the SSN without any dashes or formatting first thing tomorrow morning, then work through clearing cache and trying different browsers. It's honestly mind-blowing that in 2025 we're dealing with systems this broken - like how hard is it to make a functional login page? 😤 Really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences though, makes me feel way less alone in this mess. Definitely going to use that phone payment number as backup while I troubleshoot. Once I finally get back in (please universe make it happen!), autopay is getting set up immediately so I never have to deal with MOHELA's login nightmare again!