President Joe Biden and the US Department of Education are set to launch a new initiative to forgive up to $20,000 of student loan debt. But before the student loan forgiveness program goes into effect, many borrowers could find themselves targeted by scammers seeking to take advantage. Biden’s relief plan would extend the current pause on student loan payments through Dec. 31. It’ll also forgive up to $10,000 in federal loans for qualified borrowers and cancel an additional $10,000 for Pell Grant recipients. However, where there are government relief programs, there are almost always scammers looking to exploit relief-seekers.
In August, the Federal Trade Commission began issuing more than $822,000 worth of checks to borrowers who lost money in a debt-relief scam from a group called Student Advocates. The FTC advised the nearly 15,000 check recipients to reach out to the FTC for verification if needed.
“Consumers who receive checks should cash them within 90 days, as indicated on the check. Recipients who have questions about their refund should call the refund…
