MILWAUKEE (WKOW) — Scammers are targeting student loan holder by pretending to represent the student loan forgiveness program, according to the Better Business Bureau.
BBB stated in a release that scammers will often call or leave a voicemail asking you to fill out an online application that asks for personal information — such as your bank information — to see if you qualify for forgiveness.
In other variations, the scammer insists that you need to pay an upfront fee or even redirect your current student loan payments to them. For example, someone reported a scam to BBB saying they got a “Final Notice” letter that has the debt amount listed. When they called the number listed, the scammers had the victim change their password, got their bank account number and got direct payments set up.
Currently, most of the student loan forgiveness scams reported to BBB Scam Tracker are government impostors. Be sure to watch out for new variations as scammers have time to get creative.
BBB’s tips to avoid scammers
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When in doubt, contact the government agency directly. If you receive a message that seems legitimate, but you aren’t sure, stop communicating with the person who contacted you. Then, verify their claims by contacting the government agency they say they represent. For details on the student loan forgiveness program, visit ED.gov or
