Source: FCC
Summer is winding down and before heading back to the classroom consider brushing up on the scams that attempt to cash in on students and their families.
Common themes in back-to-school scams include: school shopping scams, fake scholarship offers, college housing rental scams, and student loan forgiveness. Regardless of the approach, ultimately fraudsters are trying to steal your personal information, your identity, and your money.
As the 2025-26 school year begins, federal agencies are working hard to raise awareness about student loans and government grant scams:
- The U.S. Department of Education (DOE) recently announced a national effort to stop ID theft and fraud in federal student aid programs.
- Grants.gov (an agency in the Department of Health and Human Services Department) has tips on how to recognize and avoid grant scams. Note that contact regarding federal government grant awards is almost always done by mail, not by phone or text.
Back to school is a busy time and scams may be harder to spot alongside legitimate school fundraisers, grants and scholarships, and other efforts that genuinely seek to assist students and their parents. Anytime you get an offer or a request for money, by phone, text or voice-mail, keep the following tips in mind:
- Do not share your student loan and FAFSA account information.
- You are not required to make loan payments over the phone.
- If the caller says they’re from a government agency, hang up and search for that agency’s website, which should end in “.gov”. Contact the agency by phone or email using the information you find on its site.
- Check with your student’s school to make sure retail or fundraising offers are legitimate.
- Never share your Social Security number, bank account info, credit card numbers, PINs and passwords, or login information for school or social media accounts.
If you feel pressured by a caller, or an offer sounds too good to be true, hang up and do some simple research using the tips above.
Report illegal activity
If you think you’ve been scammed, contact local law enforcement and notify the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
File a complaint with the FCC about scam attempts and illegal robocalls and texts. Visit the FCC Complaint Center FAQ for information about our informal complaint process, including what happens after a complaint is filed.
FCC Scam Glossary
Get more information on consumer scams and how to avoid them.