Tips to Avoid Student Loan Scams

Signs a Scammer Might be Targeting You

• Contacts you out of the blue, claims there is an emergency, or tells you to keep it secret.
• Impersonates an official agency (such as the U.S. Department of Education) or a licensed attorney, using unfamiliar websites and toll-free numbers.
• Tells you to avoid making payments, contacting your servicer, or speaking to a non-profit counselor.
• Guarantees or promises positive results, including student loan forgiveness.
• Asks for personal financial information, such as your bank account and Social Security numbers.
• Charges you to apply for benefits that are already included in the promissory note of your federal student loan.

Steps to Protect Yourself

• If you do not know who is reaching out to you, do not respond to calls, texts or emails, or click links.
• Double check the contact if you receive a call or email from your student loan servicing company.
• Find the company phone number on your student loan statement, or at Who's My Student Loan Servicer? | Federal Student Aid (Trusted Partner Link).
• File a complaint with the Maine Student Loan Ombuds if you are concerned about a potential scam.

Things to Avoid

• Paying money up front for help negotiating with your servicer, or with the promise of getting forgiveness. Only the U.S. Department of Education can offer forgiveness for Direct Student Loans.
• Sending your loan payments to anyone other than your servicer.
• Giving someone your financial or personal information before verifying if that person is licensed in Maine. CLICK HERE (Trusted Partner Link) to check a license.