Beware of Student Loan Forgiveness Email Scams: Tips to Spot and Avoid Them

Beware of Student Loan Forgiveness Email Scams: Here’s a guide to identifying and steering clear of student loan forgiveness scams, along with what to do if you believe you’ve been targeted.

With the right knowledge and tools, you can avoid becoming a victim of student loan forgiveness scams if you are a college student or a recent graduate.

There are many kinds of online scams and back-to-school scams, targeting particular groups of people and exploiting current events, such as the Biden-Harris Administration’s one-time debt-relief program.

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Beware of Student Loan Forgiveness Email Scams: Tips to Spot and Avoid Them

The following are some warning signs of student loan forgiveness scams, as well as what to do if you come across one:

Uninvited communication

Student loan forgiveness scams often begin with spam emails, constant phone calls, and texts from unknown numbers that claim you might be eligible for forgiveness.

This type of unsolicited communication should put you on high alert, whether it’s vishing (voice phishing) or smishing (SMS phishing). Don’t be fooled even if it includes specific information, such as your current loan balances.

Don’t be fooled by promises that sound too good to be true

Most government forgiveness programs require specific eligibility criteria and qualifying payments, so be cautious of offers that sound too good to be true.

Log-in information shouldn’t be shared

StudentAid.gov account details, including your FSA ID, should never be shared. Legitimate organizations will never ask for your password.

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Advance payment requests

It’s a scam if anyone asks for upfront money to help you apply for student loan forgiveness. The same goes for fees to consolidate your loans, lower your interest rates, and find scholarships and grants.

In order to assist you with your federal student aid application, the Department of Education and its trusted partners never ask for payment. Don’t be fooled if someone suggests you set up “monthly maintenance payments” with your credit card. This is credit card fraud.

Keep an eye out for typos and unofficial contact information

Verify the sender’s address and contact details to ensure they’re legitimate. Scam messages may contain spelling errors or unusual formatting.

Unless otherwise stated, emails from the U.S. Department of Education will only come from authorized addresses, such as noreply@studentaid.gov or ed.gov@public.govdelivery.com. Text messages will come from designated numbers, such as 227722 or 51592.