Scholarships Scams

Need Money for College? Doesn't everybody?

Unfortunately, in their efforts to pay the bills, many students and their families are falling prey to scholarship scams.

The FTC (Federal Trade Commission) cautions students to look for tell tale lines:

• "The scholarship is guaranteed or your money back."
• "You can't get this information anywhere else."
• "I just need your credit card or bank account number to hold this scholarship."
• "We'll do all the work."
• "The scholarship will cost some money."
• "You've been selected by a 'national foundation' to receive a scholarship" or "You're a finalist" in a contest you never entered.

Information for Students and Parents

• Looking for Student Aid
• OUCH...Students Getting Stung Trying
  to Find $$$ for College [PDF]
• Scholarship Scams Audio [RAM]   [MP3]
• US Department of Education
  - Student Guide
  
  The FTC (Federal Trade Commission) works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint or to get free information on consumer issues, visit www.ftc.gov or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The FTC enters Internet, telemarketing, identity theft, and other fraud-related complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure online database available to hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad