The Federal Communications Commission and Connecticut's attorney general are warning people to watch out for robocall and text scams that may claim to offer relief from student loan debt.
The scammers may be taking advantage of the current attention around the June 30 Supreme Court ruling which struck down President Joe Biden's federal student loan forgiveness plan.
Many borrowers will be facing loan bills once again as the federal payment pause — a pandemic relief effort that stalled payments with no interest for more than three years — approaches its end in September.
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong said Monday that scammers may be looking to exploit the public's stress around upcoming payments.
Get Connecticut local news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC Connecticut newsletters.
"Do not be fooled," Tong said. "The federal government will never pressure you for immediate payment over the phone or text message. If you receive a suspicious call, do not answer, do not respond and report it to either my office or the FCC."
Here are some warning signs you should keep an eye out for to avoid scams:
You are likely communicating with a scammer if:
- The calls and texts claim to come from a "student loan forgiveness center" or a "state forgiveness center"
- The messages reference a "settlement" with the Department of Education
- You are asked to send money or give personal information
- You are asked for an upfront payment to apply or appeal your application
- You are directed to any website other than StudentAid.gov
- The caller requests that you contact them through an app-based messaging platform
- The call comes from a number with the same area code and first three digits as your phone number
- The call comes from a suspicious caller ID inconsistent with the substance of the message
- You are asked for your federal student aid ID, bank account number or credit card information
- You are offered services in exchange for payment via gift cards, peer-to-peer apps or cryptocurrency
What to do if you receive a possible scam message:
- Do not share personal or financial information
- If you are unsure, call the legitimate number for the institution if it's publicly available
- File a complaint with the FCC or with the Connecticut attorney general
