I called the number also thinking it was real and gave them my soc #. I know better than to give it out over the phone but did. Got scared called them back and the lady knew a lot about student loans said they were a clearing house. I still put a watch on accounts at my banks. By the next week got approved for a loan for my daughter. I think it is real.But I will never give info over the phone again.

funny thing is i do not have a daughter or son in school I am in school this email is untrueful and is a scam if you gave information out you may want to alert the 3 credit agenies to put a red alert on your account  because this is a new SCAM. it is not the education department an these people cliaming that it is true are probably the same people sending out the emails and stealing poor students personal information

This is a real email.  

Talked with my daughters school and talked with Direct Plus Loan dept. and they verified the phone number from the email

This is an Appeals Dept. of Plus Loans,

They re-ran our information and we were approved.

It is real....I was worried too and thought maybe I had given my information to a scam group. It is real and the school has been notified of the loan amount and terms already....Yay.

I received the same letter and was worried it was fake. It was REAL. I provided the information, they approved the exception due to extenuating circumstances and this morning the new information and approval were in my Fafsa site with the disclosures. IT IS REAL.

I was so scared after reading the responses below.

888-870-3205 IS a legit PLUS Loan phone number,

I deal with them when I need money for my childs education, I believe its student loans for parents of students only.  

PLUS Loan is different than other FA grants and loans so you may have confused your LOAN Plus information with a FA Grant information;

Go to your schools FA Office & get their help for 100% Clarity in the matter.

Until then relax the phone number is a real PLUS Loan #

Got an email from U.S. Department of Education:

============================================================

"We have reviewed your application for a PLUS Loan and have determined that there may be extenuating circumstances permitting us to reevaluate your eligibility for a Direct PLUS Loan for the 2012-2013 school year.

We understand that you may have already made other arrangements to meet your, or your son's or your daughter's educational expenses such as with additional unsubsidized Direct Loan funds, or with institutional or state-based aid.

But if you would like to find out if, for the 2012-2013 school year, you are eligible to receive a Direct PLUS Loan due to extenuating circumstances, or if you have any other questions regarding this message, call us toll-free at 1-888-870-3205.

Staff are available from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM, Eastern Time, Monday through Friday.

Sincerely,
U.S. Department of Education
Federal Student Aid
William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program"

I am really worried because I got the same email re. my student loan and called.  They took my personal information and then said they re-ran my credit and I am approved.  When I went back to the studentloans.gov website and re-applied it denied me again.  I am really not sure if this is bogus.  Any advice?

I talked with my Financial Aid office and they said that it is real so if I were you I would check with them first

Got the same email.  I called because the email spoke to my exact circumstance.  the guy answered the phone kinda funny and when he asked for my personal info he apologized.  Kinda weirs, so I googled the phone number and luckily found this.

Bogus email with bogus website.
this is the real site:
http://www.direct.ed.gov/parent.html
and all the gov't. phone numbers are 800 numbers not 888

received an email stating to call this number 1-888-870-3205 in order to review my PLUS Loan information

We have reviewed your application for a PLUS Loan and have determined that there may be extenuating circumstances permitting us to reevaluate your eligibility for a Direct PLUS Loan for the 2012-2013 school year.

We understand that you may have already made other arrangements to meet your, or your son's or your daughter's educational expenses such as with additional unsubsidized Direct Loan funds, or with institutional or state-based aid.

But if you would like to find out if, for the 2012-2013 school year, you are eligible to receive a Direct PLUS Loan due to extenuating circumstances, or if you have any other questions regarding this message, call us toll-free at 1-888-870-3205.

Staff are available from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM, Eastern Time, Monday through Friday.

Sincerely,
U.S. Department of Education
Federal Student Aid
William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program

I had some junk mail supposedly from the dept of education about a "Direct Plus Loan"-the email suggested calling for other options. Funny that was sealed up and confirmed weeks ago that our loan is good to go. The website looked legit, but for Financial Aid offices only, so I googled the phone number and found your post. Most likely a scam.