How do I report a student loan or education scam?
Report to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). For UK student finance scams, report to Action Fraud and Student Loans Company.
Last reviewed: 10 June 2026
Explanation
Student loan scams typically involve companies charging fees to access government relief programs, consolidation services, or forgiveness applications that are free to apply for directly, as well as fake scholarship and financial aid offers that require upfront fees. The legitimate US federal student loan forgiveness and consolidation programs are always free at studentaid.gov.
In the US, report to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to the CFPB at consumerfinance.gov/complaint. The CFPB has enforcement authority over student loan servicers and takes action against deceptive relief companies. Your state attorney general can also act against companies based in your state.
In the UK, report student finance fraud to Action Fraud and to the Student Loans Company's fraud team. Scholarships and bursaries from UK universities and UCAS are free to apply for and never require advance payments.
For fraudulent degree mills or unaccredited schools that charged tuition for worthless qualifications, report to the Department of Education (US) or the Office for Students (UK). If you took a private loan from the school, consult a consumer rights lawyer about loan discharge options.
Common red flags
- A company charged an upfront fee to access student loan forgiveness programs
- You were asked for your Federal Student Aid (FSA) login credentials
- A scholarship required a processing or application fee to claim
- The school was not accredited by a recognised accreditation body
- Your loan servicer account was accessed or changed without your consent
- A caller warned your student loans would be cancelled unless you acted immediately
What to do now
- Report to the FTC and CFPB using their online portals
- Change your FSA account password if credentials were shared
- Contact your loan servicer directly to verify account status
- Report to your state AG if the company was locally based
- In the UK, report to Action Fraud and the Student Loans Company
- Read /scams/education-student-scams for typical patterns
Frequently asked questions
Is there a legitimate private service that can help with student loan relief?
Some non-profit credit counselling organisations offer free guidance on student loan options. The key distinction is that legitimate services never charge upfront fees and never ask for your login credentials. Always go directly to studentaid.gov (US) to manage federal loans.
What if I already gave a company my FSA login?
Change your FSA ID password immediately at fsaid.ed.gov. Contact your loan servicer to confirm no unauthorised changes were made to your account. Report to the FTC and the FSA's fraud hotline.