ScamsNOW!
The SCARS Institute Magazine about Scam Victims-Survivors, Scams, Fraud & Cybercrime
University of Phoenix Scam
By United States Federal Trade Commission & SCARS Editorial Team
University of Phoenix – FTC Action Leads U.S. Dept. of Education to Forgive Nearly $37 Million in Loans for Students Deceived by University of Phoenix
FTC charged that the for-profit University of Phoenix falsely touted relationships and job opportunities with top companies
The Federal Trade Commission announced on September 20, 2023, that its enforcement action against the University of Phoenix continues to help students deceived by the for-profit university, as the U.S. Department of Education will forgive nearly $37 million in federal loans for more than 1,200 students affected by the school’s deceptive practices, based in part on the FTC’s 2019 case.
“Students deceived by the University of Phoenix deserve strong relief, and today’s action is an important step forward,” said Samuel Levine, Director of FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “We will continue to work with our state and federal partners to protect students.”
“The University of Phoenix brazenly deceived prospective students with false ads to get them to enroll,” said Federal Student Aid Chief Operating Officer Richard Cordray. “Students who trusted the school and wanted to better their lives through education ended up with mounds of debt and useless degrees. Today’s announcement builds on the FTC’s work to provide relief to those affected by Phoenix’s misconduct and delivers on the Biden-Harris Administration’s mission to support student loan borrowers.”
According to the 2019 FTC complaint, University of Phoenix, and its parent company, Apollo Education Group, Inc., falsely claimed that their relationships with top companies created job opportunities specifically for University of Phoenix students and that they worked with these companies to develop their curriculum. The FTC charged that the companies used a multimedia ad campaign to attract students, including ads specifically targeted to military and Latino consumers. The companies’ “Let’s Get to Work” campaign featured several high-profile employers, including Microsoft, Twitter, Adobe, and Yahoo!, giving the false impression that the University of Phoenix worked with those companies to create job opportunities for its students.
The announcement by the U.S. Department of Education builds on the FTC’s prior federal court order against the University of Phoenix. As part of the record $191 million action, the school was ordered to pay $50 million to the FTC to make payments to former students and cancel $141 million in private student debt owed directly to the school. The order also prohibits the companies from further deceptive business practices. In March 2021, the FTC sent payments to eligible University of Phoenix students, which resulted in more than $45.6 million in relief. The FTC sent additional payments totaling more than $3.6 million to 130,652 people who cashed their first payment.
The U.S. Department of Education announced that it will approve federal student loan forgiveness for people who attended the University of Phoenix, were deceived by the school’s job placement claims, and submitted a valid application for borrower defense. The agency is continuing to process new and existing applications. All borrowers with approved claims will receive full loan forgiveness. People interested in submitting a claim for loan forgiveness, should visit the Department of Education’s Borrower Defense Loan Discharge informational page.
SCARS Resources:
- For New Victims of Relationship Scams newvictim.AgainstScams.org
- Subscribe to SCARS Newsletter newsletter.againstscams.org
- Sign up for SCARS professional support & recovery groups, visit support.AgainstScams.org
- Find competent trauma counselors or therapists, visit counseling.AgainstScams.org
- Become a SCARS Member and get free counseling benefits, visit membership.AgainstScams.org
- Report each and every crime, learn how to at reporting.AgainstScams.org
- Learn more about Scams & Scammers at RomanceScamsNOW.com and ScamsNOW.com
- Global Cyber Alliance ACT Cybersecurity Tool Website: Actionable Cybersecurity Tools (ACT) (globalcyberalliance.org)
- Self-Help Books for Scam Victims are at shop.AgainstScams.org
- Donate to SCARS and help us help others at donate.AgainstScams.org
- Worldwide Crisis Hotlines: International Suicide Hotlines – OpenCounseling : OpenCounseling
- Campaign To End Scam Victim Blaming – 2024 (scamsnow.com)
More:
- Biden-Harris Administration Approves $37 Million in Borrower Defense Discharges for Over 1,200 Students Who Attended the University of Phoenix | U.S. Department of Education
- 2019 FTC complaint, University of Phoenix, and its parent company, Apollo Education Group, Inc
- FTC’s prior federal court order against the University of Phoenix
- FTC Sends Nearly $50 Million in Refunds to University of Phoenix Students | Federal Trade Commission
- Federal Student Aid
- Avoid Student Loan Forgiveness Scams (romancescamsnow.com)
- Government Grants Scams (romancescamsnow.com)
- Scams Targeting College and Graduate Students (romancescamsnow.com)
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SCARS LINKS: AgainstScams.org RomanceScamsNOW.com ContraEstafas.org ScammerPhotos.com Anyscam.com ScamsNOW.com
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Important Information for New Scam Victims
Please visit www.ScamVictimsSupport.org – a SCARS Website for New Scam Victims & Sextortion Victims
SCARS Institute now offers a free recovery program at www.SCARSeducation.org
Please visit www.ScamPsychology.org – to more fully understand the psychological concepts involved in scams and scam victim recovery
If you are looking for local trauma counselors, please visit counseling.AgainstScams.org
If you need to speak with someone now, you can dial 988 or find phone numbers for crisis hotlines all around the world here: www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines
Statement About Victim Blaming
Some of our articles discuss various aspects of victims. This is both about better understanding victims (the science of victimology) and their behaviors and psychology. This helps us to educate victims/survivors about why these crimes happened and not to blame themselves, better develop recovery programs, and help victims avoid scams in the future. At times, this may sound like blaming the victim, but it does not blame scam victims; we are simply explaining the hows and whys of the experience victims have.
These articles, about the Psychology of Scams or Victim Psychology – meaning that all humans have psychological or cognitive characteristics in common that can either be exploited or work against us – help us all to understand the unique challenges victims face before, during, and after scams, fraud, or cybercrimes. These sometimes talk about some of the vulnerabilities the scammers exploit. Victims rarely have control of them or are even aware of them, until something like a scam happens, and then they can learn how their mind works and how to overcome these mechanisms.
Articles like these help victims and others understand these processes and how to help prevent them from being exploited again or to help them recover more easily by understanding their post-scam behaviors. Learn more about the Psychology of Scams at www.ScamPsychology.org
SCARS INSTITUTE RESOURCES:
IF YOU HAVE BEEN VICTIMIZED BY A SCAM OR CYBERCRIME
♦ If you are a victim of scams, go to www.ScamVictimsSupport.org for real knowledge and help
♦ Enroll in SCARS Scam Survivor’s School now at www.SCARSeducation.org
♦ To report criminals, visit https://reporting.AgainstScams.org – we will NEVER give your data to money recovery companies like some do!
♦ Sign up for our free support & recovery help by https://support.AgainstScams.org
♦ Join our WhatsApp Chat Group at: https://chat.whatsapp.com/BPDSYlkdHBbDBg8gfTGb02
♦ Follow us on X: https://x.com/RomanceScamsNow
♦ Follow us and find our podcasts, webinars, and helpful videos on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RomancescamsNowcom
♦ SCARS Institute Songs for Victim-Survivors: https://www.youtube.com/playlist…
♦ See SCARS Institute Scam Victim Self-Help Books at https://shop.AgainstScams.org
♦ Learn about the Psychology of Scams at www.ScamPsychology.org
♦ Dig deeper into the reality of scams, fraud, and cybercrime at www.ScamsNOW.com and www.RomanceScamsNOW.com
♦ Scam Survivor’s Stories: www.ScamSurvivorStories.org
♦ For Scam Victim Advocates visit www.ScamVictimsAdvocates.org
♦ See more scammer photos on www.ScammerPhotos.com
You can also find the SCARS Institute on Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, and TruthSocial
Psychology Disclaimer:
All articles about psychology and the human brain on this website are for information & education only
The information provided in this and other SCARS articles are intended for educational and self-help purposes only and should not be construed as a substitute for professional therapy or counseling.
Note about Mindfulness: Mindfulness practices have the potential to create psychological distress for some individuals. Please consult a mental health professional or experienced meditation instructor for guidance should you encounter difficulties.
While any self-help techniques outlined herein may be beneficial for scam victims seeking to recover from their experience and move towards recovery, it is important to consult with a qualified mental health professional before initiating any course of action. Each individual’s experience and needs are unique, and what works for one person may not be suitable for another.
Additionally, any approach may not be appropriate for individuals with certain pre-existing mental health conditions or trauma histories. It is advisable to seek guidance from a licensed therapist or counselor who can provide personalized support, guidance, and treatment tailored to your specific needs.
If you are experiencing significant distress or emotional difficulties related to a scam or other traumatic event, please consult your doctor or mental health provider for appropriate care and support.
Also read our SCARS Institute Statement about Professional Care for Scam Victims – click here
If you are in crisis, feeling desperate, or in despair, please call 988 or your local crisis hotline.
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A Question of Trust
At the SCARS Institute, we invite you to do your own research on the topics we speak about and publish. Our team investigates the subject being discussed, especially when it comes to understanding the scam victims-survivors’ experience. You can do Google searches, but in many cases, you will have to wade through scientific papers and studies. However, remember that biases and perspectives matter and influence the outcome. Regardless, we encourage you to explore these topics as thoroughly as you can for your own awareness.
