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09/30/2026
Houston woman says ‘ghost student’ stole her identity to apply for federal financial aid
Houston TX
HOUSTON – A Houston woman who graduated from college four years ago says she recently logged into her federal student aid account and discovered something she never expected: a new FAFSA application had been submitted in her name.
“I saw that giant banner that said, ‘Congratulations, your 2026-2027 FAFSA application was approved,’” Melanie Marti recalled. “I was like, wait a second, that’s not me.”
Marti graduated from the University of Houston in 2022 and said she had no reason to apply for federal student aid this year.
Marti believes someone stole her identity and used it to pose as a college applicant — a type of fraud federal authorities have warned can involve so-called “ghost students.”
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