Representatives of Get2College are alerting potential college students of a scam.
Get2College Assistant Director Brandi Lyndall, said the scam focuses on people applying for federal financial aid assistance.
The scam comes from companies that promise guaranteed student loans and grants and then charges them in order to submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid. However, Lyndall said the application is supposed to be just that, free.
“They charge a fee for what is really a free application,” Lyndall said.
Additionally the companies are requiring the applicant’s personal information, such as their social security number, date of birth and financial information.
“You have to be careful these days with your identity,” Lyndall said.
The companies trick the applicant by not asking for payment until the end of the application process.
Applicants learn of the company through letters, which prompt the potential applicant to visit their website and enter a pass code described in the correspondence, Lyndall said.
She said the letter has prompted people to call her office asking about the offer.
Applicants are lured to the site by the promise of receiving more in financial aid than they would have had they applied through the official FAFSA website, which can be found by typing fafsa.gov into an Internet browser.
Get2College offers free services to help people apply for federal and state financial aid. Lyndall said they also visit schools to help students with the application process. Their services are free, Lyndall said.
However, their office is located in Ocean Springs. To bring the information to more people, Get2College holds presentations at schools. Lyndall said one such presentation was recently held at Pearl River Central High School, and another is planned for Friday at Poplarville High School.