FERPA LETTER - Stix Figures Gaming

[Your Full Name]
[Your Address]
[City, State, ZIP Code]
[Email Address]
[Phone Number]
[Date]

Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20202-8520

Subject: Request for Student Loan Forgiveness Due to DOGE Data Breach and Violations of Federal Law

Dear Family Policy Compliance Office,

I am writing to formally request forgiveness of my federal student loans as a result of the recent data breach involving DOGE, which exposed my personally identifiable education and financial records without my consent. This breach is not only a violation of FERPA (20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 CFR Part 99) but also violates several other critical federal privacy and consumer protection laws.

Let’s be clear: students should not be held financially accountable for institutional negligence—especially when that negligence results in our private information being put at risk. This breach was preventable. The protections were already written into law. The failure was on the part of those responsible for safeguarding our information.

Federal Laws Violated by DOGE’s Breach

FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act)
- Protects the privacy of student education records. No institution receiving federal funds may disclose student information without written consent.
- My information was accessed and potentially distributed without my permission. That’s a direct FERPA violation.
Higher Education Act (HEA) [20 U.S.C. § 1094]
- Requires schools participating in federal student aid programs to protect student financial records.
- This breach demonstrates a failure to meet these obligations.
Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA) [15 U.S.C. §§ 6801-6809]
- Requires institutions to safeguard sensitive financial information.
- My student loan information was clearly not protected, violating this federal mandate.
Privacy Act of 1974 [5 U.S.C. § 552a]
- Prohibits the unauthorized disclosure of personal records by entities tied to the federal government.
- If DOGE managed this data on behalf of a federal institution, this law was broken.
Federal Trade Commission Act (FTC Act) [15 U.S.C. § 41 et seq.]
- Prohibits unfair or deceptive practices, including false claims about data security.
- If DOGE represented its systems as secure when they were not, this qualifies as a violation.
Identity Theft and Assumption Deterrence Act [18 U.S.C. § 1028]
- Protects individuals from unauthorized use of personal data for fraudulent purposes.
- This breach has increased the risk of identity theft by exposing critical personal identifiers.
Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) [18 U.S.C. §§ 2510-2523]
- Protects digital data from unauthorized access.
- If DOGE’s systems were compromised digitally, this law was also violated.

Why Forgiveness Is Justified

This breach was not my fault. I took out my loans in good faith, assuming my personal and educational information would be kept safe. That trust has been violated. If our data is mishandled and leaked because an institution didn’t follow the law, we should not be forced to pay the price—literally.

I am therefore requesting the following actions:

A full investigation into DOGE’s legal violations, including FERPA and other federal statutes.
Immediate consideration for the full forgiveness of my federal student loan debt as a result of these violations.
A clear outline of the next steps, including any documentation I need to submit to formalize this process or pursue further action.

Please understand that this is not just about financial relief—it’s about accountability. The government must protect citizens when federally backed institutions and their partners fail to do so.

I appreciate your time and look forward to your prompt response.

Sincerely,

[Your Full Name]
[Your Contact Information]

Where to Send This Letter

Email: FERPA.Complaints@ed.gov
Mail:
U.S. Department of Education
Student Privacy Policy Office
400 Maryland Ave, SW
Washington, DC 20202-8520

Tip: Include a copy of any documentation that shows your student loan status and any communications or evidence related to the breach if available.

Yes, this tactic can be used against MOHELA, but with a few important clarifications and additions:

1. MOHELA is a federal loan servicer, not a school

MOHELA (Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority) is one of several contractors hired by the U.S. Department of Education to manage student loan accounts. FERPA typically applies to schools and educational institutions, but if MOHELA was involved in the DOGE data breach, and your personally identifiable information (PII) related to education records was accessed or leaked through them, you may still have grounds under:

GLBA (Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act) – covers how financial institutions (including federal loan servicers like MOHELA) handle and protect nonpublic personal information.
FTC Act – if MOHELA made false or misleading claims about data protection.
Privacy Act of 1974 – if MOHELA, while acting as a federal contractor, failed to properly safeguard your personal data.

2. If your data was handled or leaked due to MOHELA’s involvement, you can:

File a complaint directly with the Department of Education (using the FERPA letter with edits to mention MOHELA).
File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for mishandling sensitive data.
Submit a complaint to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) about MOHELA’s handling of your loans and personal information:
https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/

Modified Action Plan if MOHELA Was Involved in the Breach

Use the same core letter, but modify it slightly:
- Replace “DOGE” with “MOHELA and/or associated third-party contractors”
- Emphasize Privacy Act, GLBA, and FTC Act violations
- Still send the letter to the Department of Education’s Student Privacy Policy Office
- Also submit a complaint to CFPB and FTC

MOHELA Letter:

[Your Full Name]
[Your Address]
[City, State, ZIP Code]
[Email Address]
[Phone Number]
[Date]

Student Privacy Policy Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20202-8520

Subject: Request for Federal Student Loan Forgiveness Due to Data Breach Involving MOHELA and Violations of Federal Law

Dear Student Privacy Policy Office,

I am formally requesting the forgiveness of my federal student loans due to a significant breach of my personal and financial data involving MOHELA or its affiliated third-party systems. This breach exposed my personally identifiable information (PII) and potentially my educational loan records, in direct violation of several federal statutes designed to protect borrowers like myself.

This is not just about negligence—it is a systemic failure of a federally contracted loan servicer to uphold its legal obligation to safeguard sensitive information.

Federal Laws Potentially Violated

Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA) [15 U.S.C. §§ 6801-6809]
- Requires financial institutions, including federal loan servicers, to implement adequate security protections for customer data.
- The breach demonstrates a clear failure to comply with GLBA’s Safeguards Rule.
Privacy Act of 1974 [5 U.S.C. § 552a]
- Prohibits unauthorized disclosure of records maintained by or on behalf of federal agencies.
- If MOHELA handled or failed to protect this data while acting as a federal contractor, this is a direct violation.
Federal Trade Commission Act (FTC Act) [15 U.S.C. § 41 et seq.]
- Prohibits deceptive or unfair practices, including misrepresentation of data security.
- If MOHELA advertised or implied data safety while lacking the safeguards to prevent this breach, this may constitute an FTC violation.
Identity Theft and Assumption Deterrence Act [18 U.S.C. § 1028]
- Increases in identity theft risk due to exposure of Social Security numbers and financial records must be treated as serious violations under this statute.

Request for Remedy

As someone whose loan and identity security is compromised due to institutional error, I am requesting the following:

A full investigation into MOHELA’s breach and potential violations of federal law.
Immediate student loan forgiveness as a remedy for these violations.
Instructions for submitting any additional documentation needed to move this request forward.

I trusted the system to protect my identity and financial standing. That trust was violated. I respectfully urge the Department of Education to act on behalf of the citizens it serves.