Student Loan Forgiveness Scams
The Federal Trade Commission has provided tips on how to avoid student loan scammers. With the recent announcement of a one-time federal student loan debt relief plan, many scammers have started using this aid as an opportunity to deceive people into sharing personal information and bank account access.
Scammers may contact you by phone, email, or another medium pretending to be representatives from the U.S. Department of Education helping you apply for student loan debt relief. Do not give them any information!
Check out the Federal Trade Commission’s blog to discover what to look out for and get specific strategies for protecting yourself from student loan scammers.
Advice includes:
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Don’t pay anyone to help you apply for loan forgiveness (the application process is free – anything that suggests otherwise is a scam!).
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Don’t give away your Federal Student Aid (FSA) ID login information.
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Don’t trust someone who contacts you saying they're affiliated with the Department of Education. If you’re not sure if the “offer” is legit, hang up and call your federal student loan servicer directly.
The application for debt relief is now available, so focus on getting information directly from the Department of Education.
Think you’ve been approached with one of these scams? Report it to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.