With the recent announcement that up to $20,000 of federal student loans per person will be canceled, scammers are looking for ways to capitalize on the news. 

It happens with any big government initiative, including the COVID-19 vaccine roll-out, eviction moratorium and pandemic relief programs, according to a Better Business Bureau investigator. Scammers often try to trick victims into paying for free government programs, or they claim you can get additional benefits, or get them faster for a fee. Don O’Brien says you should never pay money for a free government program.

He says to be wary of out-of-the-blue calls, emails or text messages claiming to be from the government. In general, the government will not contact you using these methods unless you grant permission.