Inside the ‘ghost student’ scam that uses identity theft to steal college loans and financial aid

Date:

January 28, 2026

Murat Mayor has no need for an associate’s degree. The 58-year-old business analyst already has a Ph.D. But when he and his son, a high school senior, attempted last fall to apply for federal student financial aid, they learned that an account associated with both of their identities already existed.

Those accounts showed applications to multiple community colleges—and much more.

Murat Mayor and his son were the victims of a “ghost student” scam.

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Inside the ‘ghost student’ scam that uses identity theft to steal college loans and financial aid

The Always-On Insight and Networking Platform for Superintendents and Their Teams

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