<p>The child is responsible, not you. However,child, and, yes, PARENT FAFSA fraud happens frequently. One party or the other fills out the FAFSA even digitally signing it without permission or sometimes even knowledge. Yes it is illegal, yes it could have serious ramifications. However, given that it’s a family thing it rarely get very far. </p>
<p>But in this case, if the child filed as an emancipated minor, unless there is a part on the form that required a parental signature that was done by someone not the parent as it should have been, that is fraud on part of the child I don’t think there is such a signature required when one files as an emancipated minor So the parent is not directly involved in this.</p>
<p>IF, however, this undergoes ANY kind of verification and doesn’t pass muster, it usually just doesn’t go anywhere. The school generally asks for some proof, can’t be provided, isn’t provided and it just doesn’t go any further. No aid given either. However, if for some reason it flies through and money is obtained due to the fraud, when caught, we are talking federal crime and there are possibilities of some stiff penalties. IF parental signatures were forged anywhere along the way, the parent might be dragged into this for that and have to state and maybe show they were not involved and signatures were indeed forged. Of course, for most of us, when are kids are in trouble, even if we are not directly implicated, we do often become involved.</p>
<p>Yes, there is FAFSA and fin aid fraud. How much, who knows, because it isn’t exactly broad cast. I haven’t looked for any figures, but even if they are out there, they wouldn’t take account of it all.</p>
<p>It may be possible, if a fin aid office at a school doesn’t bother to verify anything and takes the word of the applicant and the info on the report that results, that money does get dispensed and it isn’t caught. I know when my son applied for a DIrect Unsub loan to meet unexpected expenses, I did have to file a stinking FAFSA with all of our family info even though we did not qualify for a dime of aid and none of that financial info was needed at sll since that loan was an entitlement despite any financial info, and the school put us through verification! Had to give even more info including a physical copy of signed tax return, which I felt was ridiculous. But that school does that for every single first request for any aid including unsub student loans, PLUS,whatever. This was before the IRS verification tool was in place with them too. I was told though, that subsequent requests for such loans would most likely not require that kind of scrutiny. Just the first one. Believe me, I did not feel good sending our tax return and other documents to some person who happens to be working in the fin aid dept of a school. He had so much personal info on us that if he wanted to perpetuate an identity theft or other fraud, it was all at his finger tips. Just about the whole family’s ssns, financial info, you name it I do get it that some folks do not want to give this out. </p>