1. Legitimate lenders do not collect upfront fees. Normally, student loan providers collect fees as a percentage of your payments when they have been completed. There supposed to be no out-of-pocket fees. Do not pay for anything upfront.
2. When you are in doubt, call your lender immediately. Your student loan company can help you with your problem. If you have difficulty meeting your payments, do not deal with middlemen. With just a few paperworks, your lender can restructure your loan, defer your penalties or perform other adjustments that would work for you.
3. Be careful with the documents that you sign. Do not sign any paper that gives “power of attorney” to a third party. You can be held hostaged by an erroneously signed document.