Who to trust with questions about aid, and who to be careful with

1Places to start

• studentaid.gov for federal student aid information and forms.
• Your state higher-education agency for state programs.
• Your school’s financial aid office for your own offer.

2Be careful when

• Someone asks for a fee to submit a form or to see an award.
• You are told you have been chosen for something you never entered.
• A guarantee of any particular result is offered.
• You are asked for sensitive details before you know who is asking.

3Check before you share

Look up the organization on its own official site, not the link you were sent. Call a number you found yourself. If it cannot be verified, do not share account or identification details.

4If something went wrong

Contact your bank if account details were shared, change affected passwords, and consider reporting the offer to the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov.