On January 9, the CFPB released its 2025 Private Education Loan Ombudsman Annual Report analyzing consumer complaints on both private and federal student loans from July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025. During this period, the CFPB received approximately 22,900 complaints concerning student loans, marking the highest volume of complaints recorded in a single year. Out of those, about 4,500 complaints involved private student loans, while roughly 18,400 involved federal student loans. The report noted how there was a “significant increase” in untimely responses from entities, with approximately 20 percent of complaints not receiving a timely reply — reportedly double the rate from the previous year.

The CFPB highlighted growing concerns about frauds and scams targeting student loan borrowers, particularly those with private loans. The report recommended that policymakers, law enforcement agencies, and advocacy groups identify populations vulnerable to fraud and coordinate interagency efforts, including consumer education campaigns. Additionally, the CFPB urged enhanced enforcement actions against perpetrators of fraud and called for improvements in the timeliness, completeness, and accuracy of company responses to consumer complaints, suggesting further action if deficiencies persist.