They were told their private student loans were paid off. Then they were sued.

Hannah Latham, Nic Antaya for BI; Alyssa Powell/BI

This is the first story in Business Insider's new series, "Student debt spiral," examining the companies, policies, and financial pressures reshaping how Americans navigate college loans.

In February 2024, Ashley Carlson got an unexpected email: "Congrats! Your SoFi Student Loan is 100% paid off."

The 35-year-old mom of two couldn't believe it. She had about $55,000 in unpaid student debt, which she'd borrowed to finance her bachelor's degree in construction management.