MICHIGAN (FOX 2) - Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is warning Michiganders to watch out for student loan forgiveness scams following the debt relief recently announced by the Biden administration.
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"The opportunity for debt forgiveness is also an opportunity for scammers to try and gain access to your personal and financial information," said Nessel. "It is important to remember that the federal government will not proactively email or text you to take advantage of this program. Residents should rely on legitimate sources for information and not fall for messages that create a sense of urgency or demand financial information."
AG Nessel provided the following tips to avoid being scammed:
1. For more information about this relief, visit the Federal Student Aid website and/or their loan servicer.
2. Do not provide your personal or financial information in response to unsolicited emails, phone calls, or texts, either purportedly from the federal government or a company claiming to be able to assist you with obtaining the announced relief.
3. Don’t agree to pay anyone for assistance in obtaining this relief.
4. Don’t be rushed. To get you to act fast, scammers say you could miss qualifying for repayment plans, loan consolidation, or loan forgiveness programs if you don’t sign up right away. Take your time and check it out.
5. Don’t give away your FSA ID. Some scammers claim they need your FSA ID to help you, but don’t share your FSA ID with anyone. Dishonest people could use that information to get into your account and steal your identity.
Those who wish to make a report about potential scams can do so with the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection team by filing a complaint online or by calling 877-765-8388.