If you get a text informing you that your student loans have been forgiven, or that you qualify to have you student loans reduced or forgiven, do not respond.
An MCC student recently informed the college she received a text message claiming her student loan would be reduced. The text provided a phone number she was urged to call.
Do not call the number, do not respond to the text message, it is has been flagged as a scam.
MCC first sent out a Fraud Alert to students in June, after it was informed students may be receiving text messages informing them that their student loans have been forgiven or reduced. The text also urged students to call a number that was provided in the text.
Those text messages are not from MCC, they are not from the U.S. Department of Education or any other reputable source.
The phone numbers associated with the text messages that MCC students have received are linked to several reports of similar scams targeting students, and other people who do not even have student loans.
The U.S. Department of Education urges you to never give personal information over the phone or internet unless you made the initial contact with the agency. If you have questions about an offer of aid or about your student loan account, ask your college or contact the Federal Student Aid Information Center.
MCC also recommends you check the status of your student loan with the National Student Loan Data System.
For more information on avoiding student loan and scholarship scams you can check out this page from the U.S. Department of Education.