With the cost of college rising, so is the need for student loans. There are currently 43 million federal student loan borrowers, 平均价格接近30美元,每名学生欠000美元, 据福布斯报道.

2022年8月，美国宣布.S. Government announced it will be forgiving up to $20,000 in student loan debt for each borrower. This puts money back into pockets of consumers to combat the inflation rates.

自从宣布了重大消息, there has been very little information released about the application process. 然而,, scammers are already capitalizing on this opportunity to release misinformation about the program through text messages, 电话, 和电子邮件.

在过去的几个月, the Federal Trade Commission has stopped many scam companies, but fraudsters continue to try to take advantage of borrowers with promises of expedited loan forgiveness.

作为你的信用合作社, we are here to support you in ensuring your money and personal information is safe and secure from these fraudsters. Here are four red flags to watch for if you’re contacted about student loan forgiveness programs:

我应该注意哪些危险信号?

1)前期费用

As the 政府ernment releases information about the program, they have made it clear that there is no need to pay anyone to obtain debt relief or loan forgiveness. If a student debt relief company charges you, 这是一个骗局, even if it appears legitimate. The Federal Trade Commission monitors this program and these “businesses” and has confirmed that these services should be free of charge.

2)加速贷款减免

If a company promises they can have your loans forgiven quicker than the timeline provided by the Department of Education, 这是一个骗局. With that being said, scammers will try to use the Department of Education logo to appear legitimate. 一定要检查 官方网站 确认.

3)凭证请求

Being careful with your personal information is key to avoid fraud. Legitimate companies will not ask for your FSA ID. 如果您被要求提供这些凭据, scammers might be attempting to steal your identity, which can have long-term impacts on your entire financial situation. The Department of Education will never contact you asking for this information. When in doubt, call your student loan servicer directly. 

4)严格的期限

When we are put under pressure, we often fail to consider our decisions completely. That’s why scammers will make you believe that requests for payment or information are time-sensitive to make you act quickly. They do this so you don’t take time to think about the program’s legitimacy or fact check their process. If you’re feeling rushed, take time to think and research before providing any information. 

这些骗局听起来像什么?

The fraudsters behind these types of scams are sophisticated criminals and often strong communicators, able to convince victims to make poor decisions that lead to their information being compromised. You may receive text messages, emails, or 电话 with information such as:

• “Act now to qualify for student loan forgiveness before the program is discontinued soon.”  
• “Your loans may qualify for complete discharge. 报名先到先得. 立即回复以开始”  
• “学生 Loan Forgiveness Alert: Your loan is flagged for forgiveness pending verification. 现在打电话来完成这个过程!” These types of messages are almost always fraud. 如果你相信 某种信息可以 be legitimate and from your servicer, reach out directly 对他们来说 instead of calling the number listed or responding to the message.

如果我成为受害者怎么办?

While avoiding any type of fraud proactively is the most ideal case, you might realize that you’ve fallen victim to a scam at some point. If so, we encourage you to take these steps to do your best in securing your finances and identity: 

保持联系 with your loan servicer and financial institution.

提出投诉 与联邦贸易委员会举报欺诈.联邦贸易委员会.政府和你所在州的司法部长.

冻结你的信用报告 with the 3 major bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.

更改密码; including your FSA ID, student loan account, and online banking logins.

我如何主动管理我的贷款?

我们是来帮你的! 第一个, we encourage you to learn more about loan forgiveness, 以及学生贷款, with one of our experts by scheduling a free 一对一的约会. They will guide you and answer all your questions.

Next, to take advantage of the Pell Grant, visit www.studentaid.政府 to apply for the official 学生 Loan Debt Relief program.

最后，考虑机会 要素再融资 巩固私人和联邦贷款. You may be able to receive a lower interest rate and extend your repayment term to lower your monthly payment.

Overall, 元素 is committed to being your financial partner, and 我们是来指导你的. Reach out to us at any time for advice and education on your personal situation. And most importantly, be alert and aware of scams in the marketplace – avoiding them 完全 最好的情况是什么!