SCAM OF THE WEEK: Student Loan Relief Scams

The U.S. Government recently announced its plan to give citizens up to $20,000 of student loan relief. This plan requires that citizens submit an application to determine if they qualify for the loan. Cybercriminals are taking advantage of this process by using fraudulent applications in their scams.

Cybercriminals send you a phishing email that appears to come from an official federal agency, such as the U.S. Department of Education. This email states that you need to apply for student loan relief and provides a link to the application. If you click this link, you'll be taken to a spoofed application page that asks for sensitive information, such as your direct deposit details. Cybercriminals can use this information to access your bank account and steal your money.

Follow the tips below to stay safe from similar scams:

• Be suspicious of emails, texts, and social media posts that contain information about student loan or other financial relief plans. These messages may lead to disinformation, which is false information designed to mislead you.
• Stay up-to-date about financial relief efforts by following local news and other trusted sources. To see what actions you may need to take, visit an official government website and only follow links from the website.
• Before you click a link, hover your mouse over it. Make sure that the link leads to a legitimate, safe website that corresponds with the content in the email.