As the 2025-26 school year begins, federal agencies are warning students and their families to stay alert for seasonal scams aiming to steal personal information and money.
Common fraudulent schemes during this period include fake school shopping deals, deceptive scholarship offers, college housing rentals, and student loan forgiveness programs. According to federal officials, these scams often masquerade as legitimate financial aid or school-related services.
In response to these threats, the U.S. Department of Education recently launched a national campaign to combat identity theft and fraud within federal student aid programs. Additionally, Grants.gov, a division of the Department of Health and Human Services, released guidelines to help the public identify grant scams, noting that the federal government almost always contacts grant recipients by mail rather than phone or text.
To help protect sensitive information, consumer protection experts recommend several safety measures:
Verify federal contacts: Real government agencies typically correspond through mail. If a caller claims to represent a government agency, hang up and contact them using verified contact details from official “.gov” websites.
Keep login credentials private: Never share Social Security numbers, bank details, or FAFSA/student loan account logins.
Avoid phone-based payments: Legitimate student loan payments are not required to be made over the phone.
Confirm school offers: Check directly with schools to verify the legitimacy of retail or fundraising offers.
Individuals who suspect they have been targeted by a scam are urged to report the incident to local law enforcement and the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov. Complaints regarding illegal robocalls or scam texts can also be filed with the Federal Communications Commission.
Source: WAVE
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