Campus Solutions

Stop ghost-student fraud before aid is disbursed

Fraudulent "ghost students" enroll to capture financial aid. Herring Bank verifies students using the same bank-grade, Fed-approved processes we use for lending and account opening — with a face-liveness check added — to protect aid funds before they're disbursed.

Bank-grade identity verified

What it is

What is student identity verification and ghost-student fraud?

Student identity verification is the process of confirming that an enrolled student is a real, legitimate person before they gain access to financial aid, credentials, or campus systems.

It has become critical because of "ghost student" fraud — schemes where fraudulent or non-existent students enroll, often using stolen identities, specifically to capture financial aid disbursements. Herring Bank's Student Identity Verification is built to stop that fraud and protect aid funds before they go out the door. As a bank, Herring Bank verifies identity every day for credit card applications, mortgages, auto loans, and account opening, so we bring those same Fed-approved, bank-grade verification processes to higher education, and add a face-liveness check that confirms the live person on screen matches their government-issued ID. Verification happens before access, aid, or credentials are issued — not after the money is gone — and integrates with your Student Information System (SIS) and the broader Campus Solutions platform. The result is bank-grade identity assurance that helps your institution prevent enrollment fraud, protect Title IV financial aid funds, and reduce the administrative burden of chasing fraudulent accounts after the fact.

What it does

Bank-grade verification, built for campus

The same identity processes a bank uses for lending — applied to protect student aid.

Ghost-student fraud prevention

Stops fraudulent or non-existent students from enrolling to capture financial aid.

Bank-grade processes

The same Fed-approved identity verification Herring Bank uses for lending and account opening.

Government ID validation

Validates the student's government-issued ID as part of the check.

Face-liveness check

Confirms the live person matches their driver's license or government ID.

Verified before disbursement

Verification happens before access, aid, or credentials are issued.

SIS & platform integration

Integrates with your SIS and the broader Campus Solutions platform.

Who benefits

Value for your institution and your students

For your institution

Business office

  • Help prevent ghost-student enrollment and aid fraud
  • Protect institutional and aid funds before disbursement
  • Reduce administrative workload
  • Strengthen compliance with bank-grade verification

For your students

Students & families

  • A fast, secure verification experience
  • Protects legitimate students and their aid
  • Supports opening a student account when needed
  • Trusted, bank-grade handling of identity

Where it fits

Built for the realities of campus

Enrollment & aid

Verify students before financial aid is disbursed to stop fraudulent enrollments.

Account opening

Supports in-flow Herring Bank student account opening for refunds.

Credential issuance

Confirm identity before access or credentials are granted.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

Ghost-student fraud involves fraudulent or non-existent students enrolling to capture financial aid funds. Verifying identity before aid is disbursed helps stop these enrollments.
Herring Bank verifies identity every day for credit cards, mortgages, auto loans, and account opening. We bring those same Fed-approved processes to the student market, and add a face-liveness check that confirms the live person matches their government ID.
Verification is designed to occur before a student is granted access, aid, or credentials — protecting funds before disbursement rather than after.
Yes. It integrates with SIS systems and the broader Campus Solutions platform, and supports in-flow student account opening for refunds.

Talk to our College & Campus team

Tell us about your institution and a Herring Bank Campus Solutions specialist will reach out.