( InvestigateTV ) — Scammers are cashing in on college aid more and more with the help of fake identities. The accounts associated with these “ghost students” allow the scammers to steal grants, scholarships, and taxpayer dollars.

“We’re seeing a huge uptick in the student aid fraud area,” said Jason Williams, Assistant Inspector General for Investigations at the U.S. Department of Education .

As the school year approaches, Williams has issued warnings to students, faculty and parents to be on alert for ghost students.

“So, ghost students are students that don’t exist,” he explained.

He said fraudsters will complete an online application to a college or university using aliases or stolen identities. Then they enroll in classes once accepted.

In the most serious cases, the scammer

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