FRANKFORT, Ky. — Attorney General Daniel Cameron today issued a consumer alert warning Kentuckians of possible student loan scams following beta testing of the federal student debt relief application. Kentuckians should report suspected scams to ag.ky.gov/scams.
“In light of the beta testing rollout of the federal student loan debt relief application, Kentuckians should watch out for scammers posing as the Department of Education or a loan provider,” said Attorney General Cameron. “In these schemes, the scammer may offer help and ask the consumer to complete a fake debt relief application, which allows the scammer to access their personal funds or personally identifiable information that could be used for identity theft.”
Student loan scammers may contact consumers claiming to be affiliated with the Department of Education or a loan servicing provider and offer specialized repayment plans, access to quicker loan forgiveness, or assistance with filling out the student loan debt relief application. To provide this help, scammers may direct consumers to complete a fake debt relief application or confirm personal loan information. These counterfeit applications may include direct deposit or power of attorney forms that allow scammers to access your bank account. In these schemes, scammers may also collect personal information to carry out identity theft.
To avoid becoming a victim of a student loan scam, the Attorney General’s Office encourages Kentuckians to:
- Never pay anyone to help you apply for loan forgiveness. Nobody can get your loans forgiven faster, even if you pay them.
- Never give unsolicited callers or emailers your FSA ID, social security number, date of birth, or credit card information.
- Be suspicious of unsolicited calls or emails from anyone claiming to be affiliated with the Department of Education. If you’re not sure the “offer” is legit, hang up and call your federal student loan servicer directly.
- Visit studentaid.gov for more information regarding the federal student debt relief application.
To report student loan scams, contact the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Hotline at 1-888-432-9257, or complete the online scam complaint form online at ag.ky.gov/scams.
Victims of student loan scams should also report the incident to the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Inspector General.