The Fraudian Slip Podcast ITRC - 2023 Identity Theft Awareness Week, Part 4: Financial Aid Scams

Show Transcript

Welcome to The Fraudian Slip, the Identity Theft Resource Center’s (ITRC) podcast, where we talk about all things identity compromise, crime and fraud that impact people and businesses. Listen on Apple, Google, Spotify, SoundCloud, Audible and Amazon now. For Identity Theft Awareness Week 2023, the ITRC is collaborating with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). During the week, the FTC and its partners will host free informational events focused on avoiding and recovering from identity theft, fraud and scams.   

In a special five-part Fraudian Slip podcast series, college students and speakers from the FTC join Eva Velasquez, President and CEO of the ITRC, to discuss identity theft and scams directed at stealing students’ personal information and money. This week, we’ll look at a variety of scams. In this episode for part four, we’ll cover student loan and financial aid scams.

There are many misconceptions about identity crimes, including the notion that only certain folks are at risk. While it’s true that identity crimes affect generations differently, no one is immune. For those that believe that our younger generation isn’t at risk because they haven’t built up wealth, are not high-wage earners (yet) and have not built robust credit profiles – let this conversation be a reminder that it’s not about any of those things. The bad actors are seeking our identity credentials and personally identifiable information (PII). It is what they need to commit identity crimes.   

Here to help us build our foundational knowledge and get to the bottom of what risks college students face is Terri Miller, Consumer Education Specialist with the FTC, and Arielle from the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA). Arielle will ask Terri and Eva pressing questions about the financial aid scams and job scams.  

Listen to the audio above for the full podcast interview with Arielle on student loan and financial aid scams.  

Tune in tomorrow for part five, the final episode of the five-part series, when we talk to Safia of Rutgers University about social media account takeover. To listen to part one on identity theft basics, part two on impersonator scams and part three on job scams, click here.  

If you think you have been the victim of an identity crime or want to avoid becoming a victim, you can speak with an expert advisor on the phone (888.400.5530), chat live on the web or send us an email during our normal business hours (Monday-Friday 6 a.m.-5 p.m. PST). Just visit www.idtheftcenter.org to get started.