<p>Wish now that we never did fafsa… We knew we would likely not qualify anyway…
Now we have financial data “out there” in a system with very little security</p>
<p>For example:
Our child got email with a URL where all anyone need to enter is SS and birthdate and last two digits of last name. This provides complete access… Extremely insecure online system.</p>
<p>So is it possible to go in there and zero out everything or remove the application?</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>No, you can’t delete your FAFSA…but I wouldn’t fret about having anyone hack it. iirc you also need to know the childs pin to actually see the FAFSA data.</p>
<p>“you also need to know the childs pin to actually see the FAFSA data.”</p>
<p>That is not the case. There was a URL sent via email indicating the SAR which has a key in it that only requires SS and bday. This URL has gone through email servers and can easily be captured and forwarded and on top of it does not expire.</p>
<p>This basically lowers my confidence about the entire system of security and privacy.</p>
<p>And why just SS and bday? Facebook has essentially discredited bday as any security measure nowadays</p>
<p>If someone other than yourself or your child knows his/her social security number (beyond the child’s employer, school, and the government, of course), you have bigger problems than someone being able to access minimal financial information on the FAFSA form.</p>
<p>FAFSA is not as lacking in security as you seem to believe (nor are emails) unless you have released information about your child’s SSN to anyone but the above mentioned entities. And if any nefarious individuals do have the number, they will more than likely be uninterested in the information on FAFSA and will go straight for identity theft measures.</p>
<p>As for facebook, since when does an online social networking site have any authority over what constitutes as secure? I do not mean to offend, but I would suggest doing your own research over how to remain secure online if you are as concerned as you seem to suggest and not rely on the information that sites like facebook provide.</p>
<p>OP, delete the e-mail and stop being so overly paranoid. If you had done some research beforehand, which there’s plenty of calculators for EFC and statistical limits and such for computing grants, you wouldn’t have had to fill out the FAFSA if it was so pointless to you anyway. </p>
<p>I’m willing to bet that without direct access to someone’s e-mail, nobody has cracked the FAFSA website and stolen everyone’s information before.</p>
<p>Ok. Let me provide some context.</p>
<p>I understand that SS number is not to be shared…</p>
<p>Before the online world the only means to GET and USE a SS was either via phone, PO mail or in person. These mechanisms added some implied security layer on top of the already existing one of HAVING the SS.</p>
<p>Today’s electronic communications allow for an SS to be GOTTEN and USED via electronic means whether it is through interception (gateways, virus, etc…) or through data retrieval (someone gets the data from some server…). This has essentially made for a lot of institutions to create additional layers of security such as expiring passwords, site keys, etc… </p>
<p>Most online users have been exposed to this practice and hence when one comes across a process/site that handles private info which does not implement some of these then it gets raised as a red flag…</p>
<p>For example: passwords could be used, even better if they expired to augment security. See, once a SS / BD are compromised, then one can’t change them, but a PW can easily be changed.</p>
<p>It is not necessarily (although I don’t discount it) about being paranoid but also about establishing confidence that the security practices employed by the online fafsa process are up to date with today’s expectations.</p>
<p>BTW, this site is not as friendly as I had come to expect. Oh well.</p>
<p>Sorry, I don’t think there is any deleting a FAFSA. You don’t have to file in the future as long as you don’t want your child to be eligible for federal loans. I believe you also have the option of doing a paper FAFSA though. </p>
<p>It’s not that people are being unfriendly…but there are millions of families submitting FAFSA each year with no data security problems. It’s probably unlikely that you will have any either…meanwhile, I guess people just have more pressing concerns like how to pay for college! There is a toll-free FAFSA helpline that you could call…maybe they’ll be able to allay your fears.</p>