"Somebody could be enrolling in college courses in your name, and now they’re handing in the homework to keep the aid money flowing," Investopedia reports.

... "Aid administrators worry the checks also make applying harder for legitimate students. Repeated identity checks are enough to make some students give up on the application, said Sarah Austin, policy analyst at the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators."

"'Some students just do not have documentation that the school is asking for,' Austin said. Legitimate students are getting caught by the fraud checks, she said."

NASFAA's "Notable Headlines" section highlights media coverage of financial aid to help members stay up to date with the latest news. Articles included under the notable headlines section are not written by NASFAA, but rather by external sources. Inclusion in Today's News does not imply endorsement of the material or guarantee the accuracy of information presented.

Publication Date: 9/30/2026