In the News

Student Loans In the News

DCWP Op-Eds and Blog Posts

  

Read op-ed via amNY, "When it comes to navigating public service loan forgiveness, even an NYC Commissioner needs a financial counselor" By Vilda Vera Mayuga, Department of Consumer and Worker Protection Commissioner (06/14/23)

Read blog post via Medium, "Black Borrower’s Blueprint to Reducing Student Loan Debt" By Melissa Barosy, former Press Secretary for the NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (02/24/21)

Read blog post via Medium, "Be Real about Student Loans: 5 Tips Every New Graduate Needs" By Amelia Josephson, Office of Financial Empowerment at the NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (05/20/19)

Read op-ed via The Hill, "Is student loan debt the next financial crisis?" By Lorelei Salas, Commissioner of the NYC Department of Consumer Affairs (04/02/18)

Read blog post via Medium, "Three Unexpected Ways Defaulting on Your Student Loans Impacts Your Long-Term Credit" By Lorelei Salas, Commissioner of the NYC Department of Consumer Affairs (04/25/18)

2025 Press Releases

2024 Press Releases

CFPB Report Details Student Borrower Harms from Servicing Failures and Program Disruptions (11/15/24)

CFPB Survey Reveals Impacts of Student Loan Debt Relief and Repayment Challenges (11/13/24)

Biden-Harris Administration Releases Proposed Rules to Authorize Debt Relief to Nearly Eight Million Borrowers Experiencing Hardship (10/25/24)

Biden-Harris Administration Approves Additional $4.5 Billion in Student Debt Relief for 60,000 Public Service Workers, Bringing Total to Over 1 Million Public Servants (10/17/24)

CFPB Report Highlights Challenges Facing Servicemembers and Veterans with Student Loans (09/24/24)

CFPB Bans Navient from Federal Student Loan Servicing and Orders the Company to Pay $120 Million for Wide-Ranging Student Lending Failures (09/12/24)

CFPB Takes Action Against Western Benefits for Swindling Student Loan Borrowers (05/20/24)

Biden-Harris Administration Allows Borrowers More Time to Consolidate Loans to Get Credit for Progress Toward Loan Forgiveness Programs (05/15/24)

Take the Stress Out of Summer: Department of Consumer and Worker Protection Provides End of School Year Tips to Help College Students (05/10/24)

Biden-Harris Administration Approves $6.1 Billion Group Student Loan Discharge for 317,000 Borrowers Who Attended The Art Institutes (05/01/24)

Biden-Harris Administration Releases First Set of Draft Rules to Provide Debt Relief to Millions of Borrowers (04/16/24)

FTC Action Leads to Industry Ban for Ringleader of Student Loan Debt Relief Scam (04/16/24)

Biden-Harris Administration Announces Additional $7.4 Billion in Approved Student Debt Relief for 277,000 Borrowers (04/12/24)

Biden-Harris Administration Announces New Plans to Deliver Debt Relief to Tens of Millions of Americans (04/08/24)

Biden-Harris Administration Approves Additional $5.8 Billion in Student Debt Relief for 78,000 Public Service Workers (03/21/24)

FTC Sends More Than $4.1 Million in Refunds to People Who Lost Money to Student Loan Debt Relief Scheme (03/13/24)

Biden-Harris Administration Approves $1.2 Billion in Loan Forgiveness for Over 150,000 SAVE Plan Borrowers (02/21/24)

Biden-Harris Administration Takes Next Steps on Rulemaking to Provide Debt Relief to Student Loan Borrowers Experiencing Hardship (02/15/24)

CFPB to distribute more than $10.9 million to consumers harmed by student loan debt-relief business (02/15/24)

FTC Action Leads to Permanent Ban for Scammers Who Charged Students Seeking Debt Relief with Junk Fees (02/06/24)

Biden-Harris Administration Continues Rulemaking Process to Provide Debt Relief for More Student Loan Borrowers (01/31/24)

Biden-Harris Administration Announces Additional $4.9 Billion in Approved Student Debt Relief (01/19/24)

Millions of Student Loan Borrowers Are Trapped in Long-Term Defaults (01/17/24)

Biden-Harris Administration to Shorten Path to Debt Cancellation for Some SAVE Borrowers (01/11/24)

CFPB Report Identifies Challenges Faced by Borrowers in Resumption of Student Loan Payments (01/05/24)

2023 Press Releases

CFPB Report Finds Many College-Sponsored Financial Products Charge High and Unusual Fees (12/19/23)

Biden-Harris Administration Announces Nearly $5 Billion in Additional Student Debt Relief (12/06/23)

Biden-Harris Administration Prepares for Third Student Debt Relief Negotiation Session (12/04/23)

Biden-Harris Administration Announces Framework for Student Loan Servicer Accountability To Protect Borrowers Nationwide (11/09/23)

Biden-Harris Administration Announces Nearly 5.5 Million Borrowers Are Enrolled in the SAVE Plan (11/08/23)

Biden-Harris Administration Continues Efforts to Provide Debt Relief for More Student Loan Borrowers (10/30/23)

U.S. Department of Education Announces Withholding of Payment to Student Loan Servicer as Part of Accountability Measures for Harmed Borrowers (10/30/23)

Biden-Harris Administration Releases Final Rules that Strengthen Accountability for Colleges and Consumer Protection for Students (10/24/23)

Sollers College to Cancel $3.4 Million in Student Debt to Resolve Charges It Used Deceptive Ads to Lure Prospective Students into Illegal Contracts (10/18/23)

Student Loan Debt Relief Scammers Permanently Banned from Industry, Ordered to Turn Over Assets under Proposed Order (10/06/23)

Biden-Harris Administration Announces an Additional $9 Billion in Student Debt Relief (10/04/23)

CONSUMER ALERT: Attorney General James Provides Tips to Borrowers as Federal Student Loan Payments Resume (09/30/23)

Biden-Harris Administration Moves Forward with Student Debt Relief Negotiated Rulemaking to Deliver Support to as Many Borrowers as Possible as Quickly as Possible (09/29/23)

Biden-Harris Administration Announces Landmark Final Rules to Protect Consumers from Unaffordable Student Debt and Increase Transparency (09/27/23)

Attorney General James Reaches Agreement with Marymount Manhattan College to Invest $3.5 Million to Protect Students’ Online Data (09/21/23)

Biden-Harris Administration Approves $37 Million in Borrower Defense Discharges for Over 1,200 Students Who Attended the University of Phoenix (09/20/23)

CFPB Report Finds College Tuition Payment Plans Can Put Student Borrowers at Risk (09/14/23)

100 Groups Join “SAVE on Student Debt” Outreach Campaign, Reaching More Than 18 Million Americans (09/12/23)

Biden-Harris Administration Announces More Than 4 Million Student Loan Borrowers Are Enrolled in the New SAVE Plan (09/05/23)

Biden-Harris Administration Approves $72 Million in Borrower Defense Discharges for over 2,300 Borrowers who Attended Ashford University (08/30/23)

Biden-Harris Administration Seeks Nominations for Non-Federal Negotiators to Continue Rulemaking Process on Student Debt Relief (08/29/23)

Biden-Harris Administration Launches Most Affordable Repayment Plan Ever, Transforming Income-Driven Repayment by Cutting Undergraduate Payments in Half and Preventing Unpaid Interest Accumulation (08/22/23)

FTC and DOJ Send More Than $9 Million in Refunds to People Who Lost Money to a Student Loan Debt Relief Scheme (08/22/23)

FTC Stops Scammers Charged with Preying on Students Seeking Debt Relief (08/21/23)

Biden-Harris Administration Begins Discharges for 804,000 Borrowers with $39 Billion in Automatic Loan Forgiveness as a Result of Fixes to Income-Driven Repayment Plans (08/14/23)

Biden-Harris Administration Releases State-By-State Data on $39 Billion in Loan Forgiveness for 804,000 Borrowers as a Result of Fixes to Income-Driven Repayment Plans (07/18/23)

Biden-Harris Administration to Provide 804,000 Borrowers with $39 Billion in Automatic Loan Forgiveness as a Result of Fixes to Income Driven Repayment Plans (07/14/23)

FACT SHEET: President Biden Announces New Actions to Provide Debt Relief and Support for Student Loan Borrowers (06/30/23)

Secretary Cardona Statement on Supreme Court Ruling on Biden Administration's One Time Student Debt Relief Plan (06/30/23)

FTC Staff Files Comment on U.S. Department of Education’s Proposed Regulations to Protect Postsecondary Education Students (06/21/23)

FTC Sends More than $3.3 Million to Consumers Harmed by Student Loan Debt Relief Scam (06/14/23)

FTC Stops Student Loan Debt Relief Schemes that it Says Bilked Students Out of Millions (05/08/23)

U.S. Department of Education Announces $42 Billion in Approved Public Service Loan Forgiveness for More Than 615,000 Borrowers Since October 2021 (05/08/23)

CFPB Heightens Scrutiny of Unlawful Collection of Payments on Discharged Student Loans (03/16/23)

Education Department Announces Use of Secret Shopping to Protect Students, Crack Down on Institutions that Lure Students with Lies (03/14/23)

CFPB Uncovers Illegal Junk Fees on Bank Accounts, Mortgages, and Student and Auto Loans (03/08/23)

Secretary Cardona Statement Following Supreme Court Oral Arguments (02/28/23)

Department of Education Releases New Data Showing the American Rescue Plan and Other Pandemic Relief Funds Kept Millions of College Students Enrolled in School (02/01/23)

FTC Finalizes Order with Ed Tech Provider Chegg for Lax Security that Exposed Student Data (01/27/23)

Statement by Secretary Cardona in Response to Filing of Student Debt Relief Amicus Briefs (01/11/23)

New Proposed Regulations Would Transform Income-Driven Repayment by Cutting Undergraduate Loan Payments in Half and Preventing Unpaid Interest Accumulation (01/10/23)

Statement from Secretary Cardona on Legal Brief Filed with the Supreme Court on the Student Debt Relief Program (01/04/23)

2022 Press Releases

Biden-Harris Administration Continues Fight for Student Debt Relief for Millions of Borrowers, Extends Student Loan Repayment Pause (11/22/22)

Federal Trade Commission Returns More Than $830,000 to Students Misled by Saint James Medical School’s Deceptive Marketing Claims (11/03/22)

FTC Brings Action Against Ed Tech Provider Chegg for Careless Security that Exposed Personal Data of Millions of Customers (10/31/22)

Consumer Alert: Attorney General James Reminds Public Servants to Apply for Student Debt Relief Ahead of Deadline (10/27/22)

Education Department Announces Permanent Improvements to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program and One-time payment Count Adjustment to Bring Borrowers Closer to Forgiveness (10/25/22)

CFPB Supervisory Examinations Find Violations of Federal Law by Student Loan Servicers and University-Owned Lenders (09/29/22)

Education Department Approves $1.5 billion in Debt Relief for 79,000 Borrowers Who Attended Westwood College (08/30/22)

FACT SHEET: President Biden Announces Student Loan Relief for Borrowers Who Need It Most (08/24/22)

Biden-Harris Administration Announces Final Student Loan Pause Extension Through December 31 and Targeted Debt Cancellation to Smooth Transition to Repayment (08/24/22)

Thanks to Temporary Changes, U.S. Department of Education Announces Public Service Loan Forgiveness Surpasses $10 Billion in Debt Relief (08/23/22)

Federal Trade Commission Sends More than $822,000 to Students Deceived by Student Advocates’ Debt Relief Scam (08/18/22)

Education Department approves $3.9 billion group discharge for 208,000 borrowers who attended ITT Technical Institute (08/16/22)

Attorney General James Delivers $230,000 to New York City to Support Consumer Financial Literacy Programs (07/14/22)

Federal Trade Commission Sends More than $2 Million to Students Harmed by Debt Relief Scam (06/22/22)

CFPB Seeks Ban Against Operator of Student Loan Debt Relief Scam Reboot (06/09/22)

Education Department Approves $5.8 Billion Group Discharge to Cancel all Remaining Loans for 560,000 Borrowers who Attended Corinthian (06/01/22)

CFPB Orders Scam’s Ringleaders to Pay More Than $8 Million to Consumers and Student Loan Borrowers (05/11/22)

Attorney General James Calls for Full Cancelation of Federal Student Loan Debt (05/04/22)

CFPB Obtains Ban Against Debt Relief CEO Daniel Crenshaw (04/29/22)

Attorney General James Secures Student Debt Relief for Thousands of New Yorkers Whose Federal Loans Were Allegedly Mismanaged by the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) (04/27/22)

Department of Education Announces Actions to Fix Longstanding Failures in the Student Loan Programs (04/19/22)

Federal Trade Commission Takes Action Against For-Profit Medical School for Using Deceptive Marketing to Lure Students (04/15/22)

Statement by President Biden Extending the Pause on Student Loan Repayment Through August 31st, 2022 (04/06/22)

Attorney General James Urges Former Students Deceived by DeVry University to Apply for Federal Loan Discharge (03/31/22)

CFPB Sanctions Edfinancial for Lying about Student Loan Cancellation (03/30/22)

Mayor Adams Delivers $20 Million in Debt Relief to Former Berkeley College Students (03/02/22)

CFPB Steps Up Scrutiny of Student Loan Servicers That Deceive Borrowers About Public Service Loan Forgiveness (02/18/22)

Education Department Approves $415 Million in Borrower Defense Claims Including for Former DeVry University Students (02/16/22)

Remaining Defendants Banned from Providing Student Loan Debt Relief Services in Settlements with FTC (01/26/22)

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to Examine Colleges’ In-House Lending Practices (01/20/22)

Attorney General James Secures $1.85 Billion From Deceptive Student Loan Servicer Navient (01/13/22)

2018 - 2021 Press Releases

Statement by President Joe Biden Extending the Pause on Student Loan Repayment an Additional 90 Days (12/22/21)

Student Loans Negatively Affect Life Decisions for Half of New York City Borrowers (12/17/21)

U.S. Department of Education Increases Servicer Performance, Transparency, and Accountability Before Loan Payments Restart (10/15/21)

U.S. Department of Education to Establish an Enforcement Office Within Federal Student Aid (10/08/21)

Fact Sheet: Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program Overhaul (10/06/21)

FTC Targets False Claims by For-Profit Colleges (10/06/21)

U.S. Department of Education Announces Transformational Changes to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program, Will Put Over 550,000 Public Service Workers Closer to Loan Forgiveness (10/06/21)

FTC Charges Two Florida-based Companies with Helping Student Debt Relief Scammers (07/12/21)

FTC Sends Checks to People Who Lost Money to Student Loan Debt Relief Scheme (06/25/21)

FTC Sends Refunds to People who Lost Money to Student Loan, Mortgage Debt Relief Scheme (06/24/21)

FTC Sending More than $147,000 in Refunds to People Affected by Student Loan Debt Relief Scam (05/19/21)

Operators of Student Loan Debt Relief Scheme Banned From Providing Debt Relief Services as Part of Settlement with FTC (05/17/21)

FTC Sends More than $273,500 in Refunds to People Who Lost Money to Student Loan Debt Relief Scheme (05/05/21)

FTC Sends Nearly $50 Million in Refunds to University of Phoenix Students (03/24/21)

FTC Sends More than $1.7 Million in Refunds to People who Lost Money to Student Loan Debt Relief Scam (02/10/21)

Department of Consumer and Worker Protection Releases Brief on Inequalities for Student Loan Borrowers With Low Incomes (01/19/21)

Student Loan Debt Relief Scammer Brandon Frere Agrees to Settle FTC Charges (11/19/20)

FTC Warns Frank Financial Aid to Stop Potentially Misleading Marketing Directed to Students Seeking Coronavirus Financial Relief (11/16/20)

Operators of Student Debt Relief Scheme Agree to Pay at Least $835,000 to Settle FTC Allegations (09/09/20)

Department of Consumer and Worker Protection Report Highlights Major Factor in Racial Wealth Gap – Student Loan Debt (08/05/20)

Court Rules in FTC’s Favor Against Student Debt Relief Scammers (07/20/20)

FTC Sends More than $1 Million in Refunds to Victims of Student Loan Debt Relief Scam (07/09/20)

FTC Returns More than $3.1 Million to Victims of Student Loan Debt Relief and Credit Repair Scheme (03/26/20)

Student Loan Debt Relief Companies Agree to Settle FTC Charges They Falsely Promised to Lower or Eliminate Consumers’ Student Loans (03/20/20)

Three Defendants in Student Debt Relief Scheme Banned from Selling Debt Relief and Telemarketing (03/10/20)

FTC Obtains Record $191 Million Settlement from University of Phoenix to Resolve FTC Charges It Used Deceptive Advertising to Attract Prospective Students (12/10/19)

FTC Stops Student Loan Debt Relief Scheme that Allegedly Bilked Consumers out of Millions (11/12/19)

FTC Sends More Than $5.4 Million to People Who Paid for Worthless Student Loan Debt Relief (09/20/19)

FTC Takes Action against Operators of Student Loan Debt Relief Schemes and the Financing Company that Assisted Them (09/12/19)

FTC Names Additional Defendant in Student Loan Debt Relief Case (09/03/19)

Additional Defendants in Student Debt Relief Schemes Agree to Settle FTC Charges (07/31/19)

FTC Stops Student Loan Debt Relief Scheme, Charges Operators with Misleading Consumers (07/11/19)

Ringleader of Student Loan Debt Relief Scheme Liable for $11 Million in Settlement of FTC Charges (05/30/19)

Department of Consumer and Worker Protection Encourages New Yorkers to "Be Real" About Student Loan Debt in New Public Awareness Campaign (04/25/19)

Department of Consumer Affairs Introduces Rules to Protect New Yorkers from Predatory For-Profit Schools (03/05/19)

FTC Seeks to Add New Defendants in Student Debt Relief Case (02/07/19)

Department of Consumer Affairs Releases Report Examining the Factors Contributing to Student Loan Distress Across New York City Neighborhoods (11/01/18)

Department Of Consumer Affairs Files Charges Against Berkeley College For Deceptive And Predatory Practices (10/19/18)

National College Savings Month: Department of Consumer Affairs Encourages New Yorkers to Start Saving Early for College (09/12/18)

Department of Consumer Affairs Announces 50,000 New Yorkers Have Received Free Counseling at Financial Empowerment Centers (06/14/18)

National Consumer Protection Week: Consumer Affairs Warns New Yorkers about the Growing Student Loan Debt Crisis (03/06/18)

Department of Consumer Affairs Launches Student Debt Clinics in Targeted Neighborhoods to Aid New Yorkers (01/26/18)


This page was updated on 07/2025.