Student loan debt relief: protect yourself from scams

Biden-Harris Student Debt Relief Update - Protect Yourself From Scams

Over the past weeks, you may have signed up to receive regular updates on the Biden-Harris Administration's student debt relief plan.

Now that the student debt relief application window has opened, the Department of Education continues to share critical information on how to protect yourself from scammers trying to take advantage of student loan borrowers.

Here's a list of Do's and Don'ts to protect yourself against scams as you apply for debt relief.

DON'T pay anyone who contacts you with promises of debt relief or loan forgiveness. You will not need to pay anyone to obtain debt relief. The application is free and easy to use.

DON'T reveal your FSA ID or account information or password to anyone who contacts you. The Department of Education and your federal student loan servicer will never call or email you asking for this information.

DON'T ever give personal or financial information to an unfamiliar caller. When in doubt, hang up and call your student loan servicer directly. You can find your federal student loan servicer's contact information at Studentaid.gov/manage-loans/repayment/servicers.

DON'T refinance your federal student loans unless you know the risks. If you refinance federal student loans eligible for debt relief into a private loan, you will lose out on important benefits like one-time debt relief and flexible payment plans for federal loans.

DO create an FSA ID at StudentAid.gov. You do not need it for the debt relief application but having an FSA ID can allow you to easily access accurate information on your loan and make sure FSA can contact you directly, helping you equip yourself against scammers trying to contact you. Log in to your current account on StudentAid.gov and keep your contact info up to date. If you need help logging in follow these tips on accessing your account.

DO make sure your loan servicer has your most current contact information. If you don't know who your servicer is, you can log into StudentAid.gov and see your servicer(s) in your account.

DO report scammers to the Federal Trade Commission by visiting reportfraud.ftc.gov.

Having the most up-to-date and accurate information is your best protection against scammers.

To read more about the Biden-Harris Administration’s Student Debt Relief program, go here.