Weird chargeoff / student loan experience with reporting - can you advise me to a professional?

[Anonymous]

Can anyone provide insight/advice on cleaning this up? 

I had defaulted student loans 6 years ago.  I consolidated the loans thinking I was getting into a rehab program where the delinquency is removed from Credit Report after a period of on-time payments.  Oh well, at least I got the accounts current and kept them current for 5 years. 

I had part of my tax refund held back and a letter said it was due to a student loan delinquency.  I was confused and found nothing on my credit reports.  And it was only $500.  So I just told myself to look into later, and then forgot to do so.  Saturday I was notified there is a new chargeoff on my TU profile.  

I could not reach anyone at the # on my TU report.  The # is federal student loan.  They said my account is being handled by a collection agency and both provided a phone # and transferred me.  Both the transfer and dialing the actual # tell me the # is disconnected.  

I spoke with FedLoan, who handles my consolidated loan.  They said when I consolidated 3 loans there was actually a 4th loan that I did not consolidate.  So likely that loan is what is reporting charged off.  I was told there is a $0 balance and the default is settled.  The agent gave me the # of the Default Resolution Group.  They told me it is for a loan with a different university than I attended.  Weird.  

I dialed DRG # and was given the same original message that my account is being handled by an outside collection agency, they transfer me and the # is disconnected.  

So far I know

-that there was a loan in my name for a College I didn't attend. 

-the loan was in default and not included in my consolidation

-it was not on my credit report until now

-the collection agency supposedly handling this apparently doesn't exist.  

-I lost tax refund money for a loan that is clearly suspicious based on the above.  

Can anyone offer insight? 

I feel like I have AA coming my way by my creditors and I'm really disappointed and frustrated considering I've been working really hard to get and use credit.  I've used a lot of credit but have been trying to use responsibly.  It's been 5 years of on time payments and I've learned not to carry balances or use too much of my credit lines.  AFter learning a few years ago that Affirm is terrible  I haven't taken out other loans and paid a little bit extra on my consolidated student loan.  I really hope I don't get screwed by balance chasing from Chase or someone that is really strict about stuff like this.

I feel like I need to get this off my report pronto and try to get my tax refund portion back.  

[simplegirl]

Did you contact the school to figure out what was going on? I would contact them and try to get information from them and research the collection agency to see if there is another number for them. What agency is it? It sounds like an identity theft case.

[calyx]

Have you downloaded your information from the Student loan database?
  
If not, do that first, go to https://nslds.ed.gov/nslds/nslds_SA/ and get your data file.  Go through it to see where that loan is coming from, when it was dispersed, etc so you have the official information at hand.
You really need to find it out if this loan is somehow yours and what's going on with it - they should also have the information regarding the collection agency (including their contact info).   If that contact info is the same, then I get you are SOL at least on contacting.

This sounds like it's some weird fraudulent stuff, though generally that shouldn't have been able to get to your tax return.

You can also file complaints here: https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/contact/feedback
And you might need to look into filing a complaint with the CFPB if it comes to that (I've used both of these services).