'Ghost students' steal millions in financial aid using stolen IDs, investigation findsDURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) -- An I-Team investigation in collaboration with ABC News is uncovering a widespread identity theft scheme involving so-called "ghost students" -- scammers who steal personal information, enroll in colleges, take out federal student loans, and then vanish. How the Scam WorksThese "ghost students" aren't students at all. A $3.5 Million Scheme in FayettevilleA Fayetteville woman, 59-year-old Cynthia Melvin, is currently serving federal prison time for leading a $3.5 million ghost student fraud scheme. "The ghost student has no idea their name and identity are being used." "But the ringleader just takes that information and keeps extending it without the straw student or the ghost student's knowledge."