United Docu Prep's Student Foregiveness Robocall Scheme

The beginning of this call has not been transcribed, but it started with an incoming call from a number with a Nassau County, N.Y. area code. When I picked up, a pre-recorded message immediately began to tell me about being prequalified for a student loan forgiveness program. I have no federal student loans. The message warned me that time was running out and that this was the last time an attempt would be made to reach me. The story continues:

Unnamed agent: And are you currently enrolled in any program that helps lower your monthly payment?

Me: [Pause] Uhhhhhh. No?

Agent: And are you currently enrolled in school or do you have any plans to go back in the next six months?

Me: No.

Agent: And are you currently employed right now or self-employed or a part time job?

Me: Yes.

Agent: OK, just for demographic reason, do you currently make at least $1000 in a month before taxes?

Me: Oh, yes.

Agent: OK, from what I am seeing, sir, congratulations, you are partially qualified for our program so I am gonna go ahead and transfer you over to the specialist, who will assist you in getting your forgiveness program started, OK?

Me: Great.

Agent: Just please stay on the line until I transfer you over and don’t worry I will be on the line until you get connected.

Me: OK, wonderful, thank you.

Agent: Alright. Please wait for a moment.

[Pause]

Me: Hello?

Robot voice: Please enter your agent ID.

[Two button push noises]

Agent: Yes, I am here.

Robot voice: Your call is now being connected. Calls may be recorded for quality assurance.

[Ringing]

[Music]

Gino: Student Loan Help Center, this is Gino speaking. I am on a recorded line. Who do I have the pleasure of speaking with today?

Me: Uhhh. This is Richard Metcalf.

Gino: …

[Disconnection noise]

Agent: Hello?

Me: Hi. What happened?

Agent: Yes, what happened? What happened?

Me: I don’t know. I got through to someone called Gino at Student Loan Help Center and he said, “Who am I speaking to?” and I told him my name and then, uh, I went back through to you. I don’t know what happened.

Agent: OK, I’m gonna transfer again one more time.

Robot voice: Please enter your agent ID.

[Two button push noises]

Robot voice: Your call is now being connected. Calls may be recorded for quality assurance.

[Ringing]

[Ringing]

Juan: Hello, this is Juan. Who do I have the pleasure of speaking with today?

Me: Uh, my name’s Richard.

Juan: And what was your first name again?

Me: Richard

Juan: Richard. How you doing today, Richard?

Me: Yeah I’m good. What was your name? Juan?

Juan: Juan.

Me: Yeah. Well OK, great. So how’s it going?

Juan: Good good. So I see here you have over $10,000 in federal student loans and you’re currently out of school, correct?

Me: [Lying] That’s right.

Juan: Alright, so Richard how much in federal student loans do you currently have?

Me: [Lying] About $60,000.

Juan: $60,000, alright. And you currently making payments on them? Are you in default?

Me: No. I’m making payments.

Juan: You’re making payments. And how much are you paying a month right now?

Me: Uhhhh. About… uhhh $900 a month?

Juan: OK. Alright. So I’m gonna go ahead and explain what these programs are about, Richard. Under the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program, the Department of Education is offering income-based repayment plans and loan forgiveness for those who qualify, which can mean a much lower payment and the loan can be completely forgiven at the end of the term. Uh, so with that being said there, how about we go ahead and pull up your loans, Richard, and go over any questions or concerns might have regarding them. Then I’ll ask you some financial questions and we’ll see how much forgiveness you qualify. OK?

Me: Yeah, sure.

Juan: Alright. So, do you kind of remember making an FSA ID with a username and password?

Me: Uh, what ID? SSA?

Juan: Yeah, FSA ID?

Me: FSA? With an F, for foxtrot?

Juan: [Hesitating] Yes.

Me: Uhhhh yeah vaguely.

Juan: OK. Alright, so what we can actually do is try to retrieve it via email and date of birth. So do you have a good email that you still use? Like a Yahoo or Gmail?

Me: Uh yes I do.

[Pause]

Juan: Alright, well you can go ahead and provide that email and we can see if you’re in the system.

Me: OK. Uhm. My email address is: itsascam@gmail.com.

[Pause]

Me: Just kidding. Uhm.

[Juan laughs nervously]

Me: I’m not going to give you any information. Uhm.

Juan: OK.

Me: Because, do you know what… do you know how I got put through to you?

Juan: [Pause] Through an automated system, so…

Me: An automated system.

Juan: Yeah. You answer… once you answer the questions, you talk to a real person, and once you get there, you can get the calls transferred to us.

Me: I know. I’ve done it hundreds of times. Uhm. Yeah. I get a call with an automated message, recorded voice, telling me that this is the very last time you’re going to reach out to me and so on and so forth, which is a lie. And then I go through to some sort of call center and talk to someone who goes through a script with me, and I tell them what they need to hear, and then eventually they put me through to you, and it all seems like a criminal enterprise.

Juan: [Pause] OK

Me: Are you able to say the name of your employer, of the company you work for, if it’s a real company?

Juan: Yeah. Yeah, it’s United Docu Prep.

Me: It’s what, sorry?

Juan: [Slowly, as if speaking to a moron] United. Docu. Prep.

Me: United Docuprep?

Juan: Yes.

Me: The last part—I get United—is that one word? D.O.C.U.P.R.E.P?

Juan: D.O.C.U. is separate. It’s three words. United Docu Prep.

Me: OK. I’m going to report your company to the Federal Communications Commission for, you know, these ridiculous robocalls that you keep uhhh making to random numbers like mine.

Juan: We don’t make outbound calls.

Me: Yeah, but it doesn’t matter. They go through to you, so surely you’re responsible for them in some way, right? You… you outsource the calling to an illegal company? Is that what you’re saying?

Juan: [Breathes out] No.

Me: Well, how would you describe it?

[Disconnect noise]

Me: Hello? Are you still there?

[Long pause]