Student Loan Fraud

While the Department of Education distributes around $150 billion in student financial aid on an annual basis, tens of millions of dollars go to fraudsters who apply for student aid using stolen identities. (To say that is a lot of money is an understatement.) A Danville,...

Listen to this Story For many, student loans mean the difference between going to college and not going. Not so for this ''Fraud of the Day'' example, found in a story in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch The article tells of...

Distance learning is big business, and many accredited universities and learning institutions offer a variety of degrees and certificate programs online. The benefits of online programs are numerous, including convenience, flexibility, cost and choice. Distance learning students do not have to be physically present...

Splitting things ''50-50'' refers to fairness. Each person gets or takes responsibility for an equal share. For example, spouses can divide household chores – one partner does the dishes and the other one takes out the trash on a regular basis....

The Grand Rapids Press reports that Raymond Coleman allegedly obtained personal information of homeless people by falsely claiming to represent an agency that helps the homeless. He is accused of then using that information to apply for federal student loan assistance. The article also...

Remember the days when students applied to college, filled out a hard copy of their student loan application and sent it in by mail? Those days are long gone, but students still need financial aid. The difference is that today they apply for it...

Let's face it – getting into college is competitive and times are tough. Most students can't rely on the promise of scholarships. Instead, they apply for federal financial aid. That's where fraudsters come in. They use the system put in place to help kids...

College is expensive. The costs add up quickly? books, tuition, and food – students have to eat – and room and board can easily reach into the thousands, if not tens of thousands of dollars, per year. If you've ever been a student or...

According to Argonne National Laboratory, the chance of being struck by lightning once is about 1 in 600,000. The probability of being stuck twice is about 1 in 360,000,000,000. (Provided you survive the first strike.) In the world of identity fraud, once your...

Criminals often go to great lengths to fraudulently obtain money. An article posted on WKYC.com tells the story of a couple who ran an elaborate scheme involving fake high school diplomas, undeserved financial aid and a college operated by the man and his wife. The...