5 Surefire Ways To Spot A Student Loan Scam

Business,Concept,About,Student,Loan,Scams,With,Phrase,On,The

DISCLAIMER: As the COVID-19 public health situation evolves, new regulations are being continually issued. This page/story/information may not include the most recent information.

By Dori Zinn and Mike Cetera: 03/15/2021

Imagine being anxious about affording your federal student loan payments. And then you receive a phone call from someone who says he’s affiliated with the U.S. Department of Education. His company can help you qualify for federal programs to permanently reduce your monthly payments.

All you have to do is pay an advance fee of about $1,000, make monthly loan payments directly to this company instead of your servicer and promise to ignore future phone calls and emails from your servicer or the Department of Education. Desperate to get out from under your debt, you sign up.

This is what a student loan scam looks like, according to the Federal Trade Commission, which in February 2021 announced a $1.7 million settlement with one company alleged to have bilked student loan borrowers out of millions of dollars by falsely promising to help them seek debt relief.

These types of student loan scams are not uncommon. Read our guide to learn what to look for, the biggest known scams to avoid and what to do if you’ve been victimized.

Student Loan Scam Red Flags

Student loan forgiveness scams aren’t always easy to pick out, but there are some clear warning signs you should look for when someone claims to be able to help you with your debt. Here are the five red flags you should be aware of.

1. The Company Charges Upfront Fees

A student loan service provider shouldn’t demand payment for something it hasn’t yet done. What’s more, most student loan relief and basic services are free. For instance, all your federal loans handled through the U.S. Department of Education offer income-driven repayment (IDR) plans and consolidation loans you can apply for—all at no charge.

You also can ask the Department of Education or your loan servicer for help with applying for student loan forgiveness programsforbearance or deferment. They even can help you get your loans out of default.

If you’re considering debt relief, talk to a certified student loan counselor at the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) or another accredited nonprofit organization.

2. They Seek Your Personal Information

Unless you’ve signed a loan contract, you should keep your private information private. In some instances, you might need to share your Social Security number or your Federal Student Aid ID (FSA ID). This gives companies access to log into and manage your account on your behalf. Only do this if you’ve vetted the company you’re sharing this information with.

3. You’re Given Forgiveness Promises

With total outstanding student loan debt well into the trillions of dollars, many borrowers are drowning with no way out. It’s no wonder they turn to forgiveness options with whomever offers it.

But student loan forgiveness is only offered by the federal government through programs like income-driven repayment or Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF). While you might qualify for a modified repayment plan—through the federal government or by refinancing with a private lender—that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re on track for PSLF. And remember, if you refinance your student loans through a private company, you lose out on any chance to qualify for PSLF.

4. The Sales Staff Seems Pushy

If you’ve ever been told you need to sign something right away without reviewing a contract or application first, you should be on the defensive. For one thing, it’s not likely you’ll find any “deals” on student loan assistance programs. If you’re browsing student loan refinancing options, you might qualify for the lowest interest rate, which has nothing to do with a limited-time deal and everything to do with your stellar credit score.

5. They Claim to Be Connected with the Government

The only company that handles your student loan is your student loan servicer. The federal government contracts those companies, like Navient FedLoan Servicing, but they don’t work with other companies to handle forgiveness or relief.

Be careful with scammers that use language and logos from the federal government. If you’re unsure if there’s a legitimate affiliation, reach out to your loan servicer or the U.S. Department of Education for the truth.

5 Student Loan Scams to Avoid

The good news, if there is any, is that most student loan and student loan forgiveness scams fall into a few recognizable buckets. The top student loan scams to avoid include:

  1. Student loan consolidation scams. You can consolidate your loans through the federal government for free. If a company charges you money to consolidate your loans, it’s not a real program.
  2. Student loan debt elimination scams. The only way you can eliminate your debt is to pay it off yourself—or to qualify for forgiveness through your payoff plan or by meeting certain eligibility criteria. Beware of a company that promises fast debt relief through forgiveness or other means.
  3. Advance fee scams. This is when a company charges an upfront fee to refinance your loan. You shouldn’t pay a company to refinance your loan before it gets refinanced. If there are fees, like a loan origination fee, it’s typically rolled into your loan payments once you’ve applied and been approved.
  4. Lawsuit scams. Many big-time student loan servicers have millions of clients and sometimes various pending or recently settled lawsuits. Navient, for example, has 10 million customers. If a company reaches out to you about a recent lawsuit through a big loan servicer and requests a fee promising loan forgiveness, it’s not real.
  5. Student loan forgiveness scams. This can be a standalone scam or tacked on to another one listed above. Only the Department of Education offers forgiveness programs to federal student loan borrowers. If any company reaches out to you about forgiveness, beware. Private student loan forgiveness is extremely rare, so you shouldn’t let a company convince you otherwise.

I’ve Been Scammed. What Do I Do Next?

If you believe you’ve fallen victim to a student loan scam, you need to take immediate action by:

  • Filing a complaint. If you’ve already turned over sensitive information or otherwise been scammed, you can file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission, your state Attorney General, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau or your lender.
  • Changing your login information. If you have FSA ID information that you passed along, immediately log in and change your information. Don’t share your new login with anyone.
  • Contacting your loan servicer. You’ll need to tell them that you want to revoke any power of attorney or authorization you gave to a third party. Review your loan activity to make sure nothing suspicious has happened yet. If it has, make sure your loan servicer is aware.
  • Checking your bank. Review your recent transactions to see if any payments have been made. You might need to contact your bank or credit card lender to stop payments to the student loan debt relief company.

Bottom Line

Paying off student loans is a major burden on millions of Americans. If you’re looking for help, talk to an accredited student loan counselor or your student loan servicer to see what options you have. For instance, if your monthly payments are too high, you might be eligible for an income-driven repayment plan. If you work in public service, you might qualify for forgiveness. Don’t fall for a telemarketer’s pitch to help save you from student loan debt.

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Pinterest

Michigan license number:   DM-0016282 Available to the public and licensed in Michigan.

Section 13(1)  When a licensee establishes a debt management plan for a debtor, the licensee may charge and receive an initial fee of $50.00

Section 13(2)  A licensee shall attempt to obtain consent to participate in a debt management plan from at least 51%, in number or dollar amount, of the debtor’s creditors within 90 days after establishing the debt management plan. If the required consent is not actually received by the licensee, the licensee shall provide notice to the debtor of the lack of required consent and the debtor may, at its option, close the account. If the debtor decides to close the account, any unexpended funds shall be returned to the debtor or disbursed as directed by the debtor.

Sec. 14. (1) A contract between a licensee and debtor shall include all of the following:

(a) Each creditor to which payments will be made and the amount owed each creditor. A licensee may rely on records of the debtor and other information available to it to determine the amount owed to a creditor.

(b) The total amount of the licensee’s charges.

(c) The beginning and termination dates of the contract.

(d) The principal amount and approximate interest charges of the debtor’s obligations to be paid under the debt management plan.

(e) The name and address of the licensee and of the debtor.

(f) Any other provisions or disclosures that the director determines are necessary for the protection of the debtor and the proper conduct of business by a licensee.

Sec. 18. (1) In addition to the fee described in section 13(1), a licensee may charge a reasonable fee for providing debt management services under a debt management plan. The fee under this subsection shall not exceed 15% of the amount of the debt to be liquidated during the express term of the plan.

(2) A licensee may offer a debtor the option to purchase credit reports or educational materials and products, and charge a fee to the debtor if the debtor elects to purchase any of those items from the licensee.  Fees charged under this subsection are not subject to the 15% limitation on fees described in subsection (1).

(3) Except for a cancellation described in subsection (4), in the event of cancellation of or default in the performance of the contract by the debtor before its successful completion, a licensee may collect $25.00 in addition to any fees and charges of the licensee previously received by the licensee. This $25.00 fee is not subject to the 15% limitation on fees and charges under subsection (1).

(4) A contract is in effect when it is signed by the licensee and the debtor and the debtor has made a payment of any amount to the licensee. The debtor has the right to cancel the contract until 12 midnight of the third business day after the first day the contract is in effect by delivering written notice of cancellation to the licensee. A cancellation described in this section is not subject to, and a licensee shall not collect, the fee described in subsection (3).

(5) If a debtor fails to make a payment of any amount to a licensee within 60 days after the date a payment is due under a contract, the licensee may, in its discretion, cancel the debt management contract if it determines that the plan is no longer suitable for the debtor, the debtor fails to affirmatively communicate to the licensee the debtor’s desire to continue the plan, or the creditors of the debtor refuse to continue accepting payments under the plan.

(6) A licensee shall not contract for, receive, or charge a debtor an amount greater than authorized by this act. A person that violates this subsection, except as the result of an inadvertent clerical or computer error, shall return to the debtor the amount of the payments received from or on behalf of the debtor and not distributed to creditors, and, as a penalty, an amount equal to the amount overcharged.

530 W Allegan Street, 7th Floor
Lansing, MI  48909-7720
877-999-6442

Credit Advisor Logo 3

Schedule a Call Back

Credit Advisor Logo 3

Get Help Now!