How to Submit a Tip
In furtherance of its oversight responsibilities, Federal Student Aid (“FSA”) issues this bulletin to solicit information from knowledgeable sources about potential violations of the Higher Education Act and its implementing regulations. FSA has established a new avenue for knowledgeable sources to provide information about potential violations of the HEA and its implementing regulations directly to FSA’s Office of Enforcement. FSA welcomes and encourages information from current or former employees, vendors, or contractors of institutions of higher education, third-party servicers, third party lead generators, students, or any other relevant individual about potential violations. Knowledgeable sources with information about potential violations may submit relevant tips and information by visiting Ed.gov/FSATips or sending an email directly to FSATips@ed.gov.
Confidentiality
Although you may request that the Office of Enforcement keep your identity confidential, it cannot guarantee complete confidentiality. Be advised:
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Confidentiality only applies to your identity and contact information, not to the information provided (i.e., the Office of Enforcement may, if necessary, share the facts and circumstances provided by you).
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To the extent consistent with law enforcement needs and as permitted by federal laws (including the Privacy Act, the Freedom of Information Act, and any applicable Department of Education and FSA regulations), the Office of Enforcement will make a good faith effort to honor a request for confidentiality. However, it may be required to disclose your identity pursuant to a federal law (such as the Privacy Act, the Freedom of Information Act, and any applicable Department of Education and FSA regulations), a court order, or other judicial or administrative process. Also, your identity may be disclosed to other Department of Education personnel as part of the Office of Enforcement’s follow-up.
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You may elect to provide information anonymously. However, submitting information without your name and appropriate contact information prevents the Office of Enforcement from contacting you to ask follow-up questions and may limit its ability to investigate or take further action to stop alleged misconduct.
Other Resources
Do you want to file a complaint because you think you were discriminated against by your school based on your race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age, or were retaliated against because of a civil rights complaint you made? If so, you should direct your complaint to the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights: https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/howto.html or 1-800-421-3481.
Does your complaint involve fraud, waste, abuse, mismanagement, or violations of laws and regulations involving Department of Education (“Department”) funds or programs? This includes allegations of suspected wrongdoing by Department employees, contractors, grantees, schools and school officials, persons in positions of trust involving Department funds or programs, collection agencies, recipients of student financial assistance, or lending institutions. If yes, please also contact the Office of Inspector General Hotline at oighotline.ed.gov.
Are you a student looking to submit a complaint related to issues with your loan, delinquency or default, wage garnishment, school closure or release of transcripts, application issues, and/or other student issues? If so, please visit StudentAid.gov/feedback to submit your complaint.
