Don't Pay For Financial Aid Information That You Can Get For Free

Commercial financial aid advice services can cost well over $1,000. You might have heard or seen these claims at seminars, over the phone from telemarketers, or online:

You can't get this information anywhere else. If you are patient and organized, you can find all the information you need yourself free. Below, there are a list of sources.

Give me your credit card or bank account number and I will hold financial aid for you. Never give out a credit card or bank account number unless you know the company or organization you are giving it to is legitimate.

"Buy now or miss this opportunity." Don't give in to pressure tactics. Remember, the opportunity is a chance to give a company money for information you could find for free elsewhere.

Try these free sources of information:

The Student Loan Network

A college or career school financial aid office

A high school counselor

The U.S. Department of Educations website: http://www.FederalStudentAid.ed.gov

Other federal agencies (including the military, if appropriate): www.students.gov

Your state education agency

The reference section of your school or public library

Free online scholarship searches

Foundations, religious organizations, community organizations, local businesses and civic groups

Organizations (including professional associations) related to your field of interest

Your employer or your parents' employers

Dont Pay for the FAFSA
Several Web sites offer help filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for a fee. These sites are not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Department of Education. We urge you not to pay these sites for assistance that is provided free elsewhere. The official FAFSA is at www.FederalStudentAid.ed.gov, and you can get free help from:

FAFSAOnline.com, from the Student Loan Network

The financial aid administrator at your college

The FAFSAs online help at www.FederalStudentAid.ed.gov

Remember, if you are asked for your credit card information while filling out the FAFSA online, you are not at the official government site.

Keep Your Information Safe
How does identity theft happen? Criminals use their access to personal data such as names, Social Security numbers, and bank and credit card information. Using the stolen data, the criminal can fraudulently obtain credit cards, buy items over the Internet, and even establish cell phone accounts.

Reduce Your Risk
Apply for federal student aid by filling out the FAFSA at www.FederalStudentAid.ed.gov.

After completing the FAFSA online, exit the application and close the browser.

Keep your Federal Student Aid PIN in a secure place. (Get your PIN at www.FederalStudentAid.ed.gov.)

Dont reveal your PIN to anyone, even if that person is helping you fill out the FAFSA.

Review your financial aid award documents and keep track of the amount of aid applied for and awarded.

Shred receipts and copies of documents with personal information if they are no longer needed.

Immediately report all lost or stolen identification (credit card, drivers license, etc.) to the issuer.

Report Financial Aid Fraud
A company charging for financial aid advice is not committing fraud unless it doesnt deliver what it promises. For more information about financial aid fraud or to report fraud, call the Federal Trade Commission toll free at 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357) or go to www.ftc.gov/scholarshipscams.

Report Identity Theft
If you become a victim of identity theft or suspect that your student information has been stolen, contact:

U.S. Department of Education
Office of Inspector General Hotline
1-800-MIS-USED (1-800-647-8733)
complain online: www.ed.gov/misused

Federal Trade Commission
1-877-IDTHEFT (1-877-438-4338)
complain online: www.consumer.gov/idtheft

Social Security Administration
1-800-269-0271
www.ssa.gov/pubs/idtheft.htm

Equifax Credit Bureau
1-800-525-6285
www.equifax.com

Experian Information Solutions (Formerly TRW)
1-888-397-3742
www.experian.com

TransUnion Credit Bureau
1-800-680-7289
www.transunion.com

Christopher S. Penn is the producer and creator of the Financial Aid Podcast, a daily free Internet radio show about making college affordable, as well as Chief Technology Officer of the Student Loan Network.

This organization offers federal student loans and student loan consolidation for college students, both undergraduate and graduate. His work has been featured in several books, newspapers, and conferences.

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/3.0/us/

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