TikTok videos, some with tens of thousands of views, are claiming that borrowers can have all their student loans erased by following a few simple steps.

“I just got approved today, and I don’t really know what approved means,” one TikToker says in a video posted in April. She explained that she disputed the line on her credit report that referred to her student debt and had it removed from the credit report. “Does that mean I’m not going to have to make payments?” she says.

The answer is clear, experts say: No.

Left unpaid, experts warn, these loans can inflict severe long-term financial damage. Even though parts of the federal student loan system are in flux, borrowers are still on the hook for student loans, even if some have them wiped from credit reports by disputing them.

Here’s what to know:

One TikTok video that has racked up more than 200,000 views begins, “This is how to delete your student loans.”

Some videos claim that because the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, the Trump administration’s federal cost-cutting initiative, gained access to student loan data, student borrowers can file a complaint about violation of privacy rights (under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, known as FERPA) and have their student debt erased.

Other videos state that student loan borrowers can erase their debt merely by disputing it on their credit reports, which usually make reference to the loans.

Q: If I successfully dispute a loan on my credit report, do I still have to repay it?

A: Yes. FERPA does not apply in this case, said Megan Walter, an analyst at the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators.

Having loans removed from credit reports may improve credit scores, which can make it easier, for example, to rent or buy a home, she said. But it does not mean the loans are no longer owed.

The proliferation of TikTok videos saying otherwise “makes me really nervous for the people who do not understand what this actually means,” Walter said. “While it may get removed temporarily or permanently, you still have an underlying debt obligation to the Department of Education or the lender,” she said.

Experian, one of the three major U.S. consumer credit bureaus, said in a statement that it was aware of the TikTok posts.

“Submitting a dispute does not negate a consumer’s obligation to repay their student loans, nor does it automatically remove the student loan from a consumer’s credit report,” the statement said. “However, if a consumer believes there are potential discrepancies on their credit report, including with their student loans, they can submit a dispute directly with each of the three credit bureaus.”

Credit Karma, a service that furnishes consumers with credit scores based on information from credit bureaus, also acknowledged the online conversations. It said that “the decision lies with the lender” about whether to approve or reject a request to have student loans deleted from a credit report.

If you default on debt, you could have tax refunds withheld or face legal action.

Q: I’m struggling to repay my loans. What are my options?

A: Student loan forgiveness programs aim to help borrowers who cannot repay their loans.

Among them are income-driven repayment plans that tie monthly payments to borrowers’ incomes. Other programs are available, but some are in legal limbo because of court challenges.