It's not forgiveness and not a scam. However, it is consumer misdirection.

The loan servicers are sending checks to those who paid off their loans. That way, the borrower is back in debt and now, they have the money while they wait for forgiveness. In other words, they just borrowed their own repayment, and now are on the hook for the forgiveness, which will go back to the loan servicer, who also makes more interest on these new debts. They've turned school loans into revolving credit.