Company announces SecurED Conference 2026 and new strategic partnerships to strengthen College and University fraud prevention defenses
ATLANTA, Jan. 31, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- AMSimpkins & Associates (AMSA), creator of the S.A.F.E. (Student Application Fraudulent Examination) platform, today announced its national feature on ABC News highlighting the growing "ghost student" fraud crisis impacting colleges and universities across the United States.
The investigative segment detailed how organized identity-theft rings are using stolen personal information to create fraudulent student enrollments, siphoning millions of dollars in federal financial aid while overwhelming admissions and financial aid offices. The coverage underscored a critical truth often overlooked in public discourse: colleges are not the cause of this crisis — they are among its primary victims.
"Institutions are being targeted by sophisticated criminal networks, yet they are often left to absorb the operational, financial, and reputational damage," said Maurice Simpkins, President of AMSimpkins & Associates and creator of S.A.F.E. "This is not a victimless crime. Colleges, taxpayers, and innocent individuals whose identities are stolen all suffer the consequences. Our mission is to ensure institutions are protected, supported, and never forced to fight this alone."
The ABC News feature showcased how S.A.F.E. is being used by higher-education institutions nationwide to detect fraudulent applicants earlier in the admissions process, verify identity signals, and reduce the release of financial aid to bad actors before damage occurs.
New National Collaboration Efforts Underway -
Following the broadcast, AMSA has seen a surge in engagement from higher-education leaders, policymakers, and identity-theft victims seeking guidance and support. The company also confirmed it is actively aligning with federal agencies, enrollment leadership organizations, technology partners, and institutional stakeholders to develop new collaboration models focused on:
- Fraud prevention education for colleges and universities
- Clear reporting and response pathways for institutions
- Coordinated support resources for identity-theft victims
- Best-practice frameworks for modern enrollment security
Additional partnership announcements will be shared in the coming months.
SecurED Conference 2026: A National Forum for Fraud Prevention in Higher Education
To further unite the higher-education community around this issue, AMSA announced the upcoming SecurED Conference 2026, a national event dedicated to combating admissions and financial-aid fraud.
SecurED Conference 2026
Atlanta, Georgia
November 19–21, 2026
https://www.securedconference.com
The conference will convene:
- College and university enrollment leaders
- Financial aid and admissions professionals
- Compliance and cybersecurity teams
- Federal and state agency representatives
- Higher-ed technology providers
- Policy and fraud-prevention experts
Attendees will participate in expert panels, hands-on workshops, case-study reviews, and strategy sessions focused on protecting institutions, students, and public funding.
"This conference is about building a united front," Simpkins added. "Fraud is evolving quickly — and higher education deserves modern tools, informed leadership, and strong partnerships to stay ahead."
About AMSimpkins & Associates
AMSimpkins & Associates is a Georgia-based education technology firm specializing in fraud prevention, data integration, and enrollment security solutions for higher-education institutions. Its flagship platform, S.A.F.E. (Student Application Fraudulent Examination), is used by colleges and universities nationwide to identify fraudulent applications, reduce financial-aid abuse, and protect institutional operations.
Media Contact
Laqwacia Simpkins, AMSimpkins and Associates, 1 678-682-4193, [email protected], amsa-highered.com
SOURCE AMSimpkins and Associates
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