As students are preparing to head off to college in the fall, many will turn to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and other forms of financial aid to help pay for tuition and other expenses. This could also leave students vulnerable if they don't know what scams to look out for.
There are many free services online to guide you through the financial aid process. Organizations looking to scam you could charge fees for "expert" advice on researching financial aid options. They might also guarantee they're able to find more financial aid than otherwise possible. Fraudulent loan servicers may charge a fee to assist with grant applications or loan consolidation, which the government-approved loan officers do for free. There are also websites that charge fees for FAFSA application support.
More information regarding financial aid is available at https:// studentaid.ed.gov/sa/types.
Filling out the FAFSA is always free, and you should never share your FAFSA ID. If you're using a website to fill the application, make sure the link ends in “.gov”.
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