Page 56 - Security Today, May/June 2025

H I G H E R E D U C A T I O N S E C U R I T Y
S E C U R I N G H I G H E R E D U C A T I O N :
COMBATING ENROLLMENT FRAUD AND
EMPOWERING STUDENT FINANCIAL SUCCESS
A U T H O R : B R I A N S U P O N C I C I S S E N I O R V I C E P R E S I D E N T O F S A L E S A N D C L I E N T O P E R AT I O N S AT B M T E C H N O L O G I E S ( B M T X ) .
I M A G E : H A K I N M H A N / S T O C K . A D O B E . C O M
H
igher education institutions are facing a costly and grow-
ing crisis: enrollment fraud. Between 2020 and 2022, the
cost1 of acquiring a new student surged by up to 32%,
straining already tight budgets. At the same time, “ghost
students” using stolen identities to enroll fraudulently
put institutions at even greater financial risk.
The rise of enrollment fraud not only threatens financial stabil-
ity but also poses significant risks to campus security. As fraudulent
actors infiltrate educational institutions through digital means, they
potentially gain access to sensitive student data, campus resources,
and even physical spaces. This breach of security extends beyond
financial implications, raising concerns about the safety and privacy
of legitimate students and staff. Campus security teams now face
the dual challenge of protecting physical spaces and safeguarding
digital identities. The ghost student phenomenon has evolved from
a mere administrative issue to a critical security threat, demanding
a comprehensive approach that integrates cybersecurity measures
with traditional campus safety protocols.
Beyond the direct monetary losses, this wave of fraud is dis-
rupting academic integrity. When schools unknowingly distribute
aid to fake students, legitimate learners lose out. Inflated enroll-
ment numbers lead to misallocated resources, making it harder
for genuine students to access the courses they need to graduate.
As institutions struggle to keep up, the quality of education and
student success are in jeopardy because of this growing problem.
W H E N F A K E S T U D E N T S C O S T R E A L M O N E Y : G H O S T S T U D E N T S
Ghost students aren’t just a financial burden but a growing digital
threat. With open enrollment policies and minimal application bar-
riers, community colleges have become prime targets for fraudsters
using stolen identities and automated bots to exploit financial aid
and institutional resources. In California alone, a shocking 20% of
community college applications were flagged as fraudulent, with
the California State Chancellor’s Office
identifying 460,000 suspicious appli-
cations out of 2.3 million. The problem
extends beyond California. According
to the Chronicle of Higher Education,
fraudsters sent 80 fake applications to
Prince George’s Community College in
Maryland, submitting one every seven
minutes for hours, highlighting the scale and speed at which these
digital attacks can occur.
Across the U.S., colleges and universities struggle to combat a
surge in digital enrollment fraud, where cybercriminals manipulate
weak security systems to enroll fake students at scale. Academic insti-
tutions risk financial losses, misallocated resources, and compromised
student data without vigorous identity verification and digital safe-
guards. Higher education institutions must prioritize digital security as
cyber threats evolve to protect their students, budgets, and integrity.
Enrollment fraud is not just an administrative headache; it’s a
financial and operational crisis that threatens the stability of higher
education institutions. When universities unknowingly disburse fi-
nancial aid to fraudulent applicants, these funds are rarely recovered,
resulting in staggering economic losses. In California, Fullerton
College identified $1 million in financial aid payments that would
have been lost to fraud had officials not halted them in time. This
demonstrates the potential scale of losses for a single institution.
This escalating threat to campus security demands imme-
diate action. Manual verification processes are now dangerously
outdated due to increasingly sophisticated fraud tactics. Without
adopting modern identity verification tools and digital safeguards,
colleges and universities risk losing millions while jeopardizing the
education of real students who deserve support.
S T R E N G T H E N I N G E N R O L L M E N T S E C U R I T Y I N H I G H E R E D U C AT I O N
In the face of the growing threat posed by ghost students, univer-
sities are turning to cutting-edge identify verification technologies
to safeguard the integrity of their enrollment processes. By har-
nessing the power of artificial intelligence and machine learning,
institutions can uncover patterns of fraudulent activity that would
otherwise remain hidden. These advanced tools not only detect
inconsistencies in enrollment data, but they can also proactively
prevent fraudulent actions, revolutionizing the way colleges protect
their resources and students. This technological leap will signifi-
cantly shift how higher education defends against threats.
Furthermore, implementing a streamlined, secure enroll-
ment verification process goes beyond efficiency. It empowers
universities to reallocate their time and resources to what truly
matters: student success. During peak enrollment periods, the
strain of manual verification can overwhelm admissions teams,
draining valuable hours that could be better spent on supporting
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