FSA ID info 'changed' email after just viewing daughter's FAFSA - didn't modify anything?

i got that same email last week!! logged in to check my sons app and then got that weird email. super confusing. i even called the fafsa number but couldnt get thru to anyone. let me know if u find out what it means

THIS HAPPENSS TO EVRYONEE! The FSA system is BROKEN! I called them 23 times last year when I was trying to help my nephew with his FAFSA and every single time something weird happened. Their system logs literally ANYTHING as a "change" - even just logging in or viewing certain pages. The whole dept of ed website is a mess and they don't care how much stress they cause parents. So sick of the entire process!!!

This is a normal notification and nothing to worry about. The FSA system sometimes sends these alerts when there's any activity on your account, not just actual changes. It's a security feature, albeit a confusing one. A few things that might trigger it: - Your session timed out and auto-refreshed - You viewed sensitive information sections - You clicked on edit (even without saving changes) - The system detected a new device or location As long as you received this at the email address associated with your FSA ID and it came from a legitimate .gov domain, it's most likely just an overzealous security notification.

when i was doing the FASFA for my kid it kept saying his info was wrong even tho i triple checked every box. the whole thing is a nightmere. good luck

I ran into something similar last month while helping my daughter with her aid application. I contacted FSA about it because I was worried someone had accessed her account. After spending HOURS trying to get through on their phone line, I finally found a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an agent in about 15 minutes. They explained that viewing certain sensitive sections of the application (especially the SAI calculation pages) can trigger these automatic security emails even if you didn't make changes. You can see how it works in their video here: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ The agent I spoke with said it's a known issue they're working on fixing, but for now it's actually a good sign because it means the security monitoring is working! Just annoying that the wording causes unnecessary panic.

Hi! I work in our college's financial aid office, and we get this question ALL the time. The FSA ID system sends automatic notifications for ANY activity on an account - logins, page views, session timeouts, etc. It's not great wording in the email, but it is legitimately from the Department of Education. Here's what I recommend: 1. Go to your FSA ID dashboard and check the Recent Activity section 2. Look for any suspicious logins from devices/locations you don't recognize 3. If everything looks normal, no need to worry! 4. If you do see something strange, immediately change your password Also worth mentioning - with the new FAFSA simplification, many parents are getting confused by these notifications. The 2025-2026 form is much improved but the notification system still needs work.

is it weird that i got this email but my daughter didnt? shes the student on the fafsa but only i got the alert email

UPDATE: I called FSA using the advice here and they confirmed it was just an automated security alert because I viewed the SAI calculation section. They said they're working on updating the email template to be less alarming. Thanks everyone for your help!

This is such a relief to read! My son is a senior this year and I've been helping him navigate the FAFSA process. I got one of these scary emails last week after just checking his application status and spent hours worrying that someone had hacked into his account. It's really frustrating that they use such alarming language - "information was changed" makes it sound like someone unauthorized accessed the account. I'm glad to know this is a common issue and that the Department of Education is supposedly working on fixing the wording. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and especially to the financial aid office worker who provided the professional insight!