ALBANY As the federal student loan grace period has now ended, the New York Department of State’s Division of Consumer Protection is warning student loan borrowers to avoid scams and negative financial and credit reporting consequences while navigating the loan repayment process. Any late or missed federal student loan payments can now be reported to the credit bureaus, which can lead to severe negative consequences for borrowers who are unable to make payments. Federal student loan borrowers having difficulty making payments will need to take important steps to avoid these negative financial or credit reporting consequences. Borrowers should also be aware of potential scammers who may take advantage of consumers who are seeking assistance with repayment.