The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed a bill designed to stop identity thieves from taking federal college financial aid. The “No Aid for Ghost Students Act” targets criminals who use stolen or entirely fake identities to submit FAFSA applications and pocket the money.

Florida Senator’s Support

Florida Sen. Ashley Moody is championing the companion bill in the Senate, sponsored alongside Senators Tommy Tuberville and Maggie Hassan. “Fraudsters should never be able to steal taxpayer dollars meant to help hardworking students pursue a higher education,” Sen. Moody said after the House vote.

The bill will change the Higher Education Act to place strict new requirements on both the Department of Education and colleges. The federal government will have to run every single FAFSA application through an identity fraud detection system. If an application looks suspicious, the department must notify the applicant and any schools listed on their form.

Colleges cannot give out any federal student aid until they prove the applicant is a real person. Schools will have to verify the student’s identity either in person or over a live video call. Once a college confirms an applicant’s identity, administrators must keep a record of the verification and notify the Department of Education.

Original reporting: Tampa Free Press — read the source article.