Fraudulent college student applications are increasing. That’s according to recent state reports. And some college administrators say they’re worried cuts to the U.S. Department of Education could hamper fraud prevention.
In 2021, the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office reported that about 20 percent of college applications were likely fake. Last year, the state said it was up to about 25 percent.
According to the most recent data, fake applications now make up about a third of all applications.
CalMatters reports that these fake applications received grants and scholarships for more than five million dollars from the federal government and nearly one-and-a-half million dollars from the state. That’s according to reports that colleges submitted to the state from September 2021 through December 2023.
Faculty say scammers are increasingly relying on artificial intelligence to infiltrate classes and pose as students.
