Students in the U.S. got a reprieve from paying back hefty federal study loans during the pandemic, with the government putting a halt on repayments. The deal was initially set to expire in January 2022 but got extended to May.
But as students prepare to get their financials in order, cybercriminals are on the prowl. Tap or click here for seven new scams to watch out for.
Read on to discover how scams are on the rise and what you can do about them.
Here’s the backstory
Scammers are now targeting victims with a new set of student loan schemes. And to make matters worse, you don’t even need to have student loans to be targeted.
Here’s how the schemes typically begin. Thieves pose as helpful student loan agents, only to walk away with the victim’s money. Such a scam comes in many forms, and it usually starts with a phone call.
According to NPR, criminals randomly call people to offer assistance in getting their loans forgiven. To do so, the scammers ask for the victim’s private details such as banking information, credit card details or Social Security number.
As usual, the criminals want to instill a sense of urgency. “This message is from the Department of Education. All programs for student loan forgiveness will be stopped immediately. For you to qualify, you must apply within the next 24…
