Lenders Taking More Borrowers to Court Over Student Loans

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Fall behind on your student loans these days and you could end up getting more than hectoring phone calls and threatening letters. Some lenders appear to be taking more people to court.

Lawyers tell The Associated Press that the number of lawsuits filed over delinquent student loans that were made by private lenders has increased significantly in the past two years.

It's happening even though borrowers are missing payments much less often than they did during the height of the recession.

No one tracks exactly how many such lawsuits are brought. But an AP review of court websites in several states finds several thousand, many filed since 2013.

Loan industry officials have not returned calls or will not comment on the apparent uptick.