Published on August 19, 2025 | 3 min read | Webster Bank
Parents and students in the U.S. are increasingly becoming prime targets for fraudsters seeking to capitalize on the busy academic season. With rising tuition, digital communications and young adults managing finances for the first time, scammers are targeting young adults and their families with schemes that look legitimate. Additionally, with the increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI), it’s important to know how to recognize and avoid scammers using this technology.
Whether you’re a student or a concerned parent, it’s important to recognize and avoid common scams including:
These scams promise quick loan forgiveness in exchange for upfront fees or personal information. They often impersonate government programs such as the Department of Education.
TIP: Real loan forgiveness programs never ask for upfront payments, especially over the phone. Always verify programs through official government websites like studentaid.gov.
These scams target students searching for financial aid by offering fake scholarships or grants that require a fee. Scammers can also request credit card, banking information or other personal data.
TIP: Legitimate scholarships never charge application fees. Use trusted sources like your school’s financial aid office when researching scholarships.
Scammers can send emails that appear to come from the school’s financial aid office, registrar or even IT department. These emails are designed to trick students or parents into clicking malicious links or sharing personal information like login credentials or Social Security numbers.
TIP: Never click on suspicious links or download attachments from unexpected emails. Contact your school directly with any questions or to check legitimacy of an email.
Scammers may post fake job listings on social media or school job boards, offering remote work with high pay. They may require you to pay for training, equipment and could ask for personal information or even request check deposits for payroll.
TIP: Be wary of jobs that ask for money upfront or communicate only via messaging apps. Research the company and check for reviews. Use school career centers for legit job openings. Never send money, gift cards or checks to strangers.
AI technology is becoming increasingly popular these days and is not looking to slow down any time soon. Scammers can create “deepfakes” to mimic students’ or teachers’ voices to deceive parents or students into making urgent payments for school or sharing sensitive personal information. They can also make it look like the phone number is the correct one from the official organization, also known as a spoofing scam.
TIP: If you get a call asking urgent payment or sensitive info, hang up and call the school or organization directly using a verified number. Never trust the number that called you, even if it looks familiar.
Knowledge is your best defense. Talk to your children about these scams and encourage students to ask questions before sharing personal information or making payments. Other helpful tips:
If you believe you or a loved one has been targeted with a scam of this nature, you can file a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). You can file complaints with the FCC about unwanted calls and spoofing, along with telecom billing, service issues and other matters the FCC oversees. Information about the FCC’s informal complaint process, including how to file a complaint, and what happens after a complaint is filed, is available in the FCC website.
How To Avoid Student Loan Forgiveness Scams – Federal Student Aid
College students are targeted with jobs scams, too | Consumer Advice
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