Scholarship Fraud

  • Watch out for Scholarship Fraud!!! 

    How can you tell if a scholarship offer is a scam? The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) list these claims that should raise a red flag:

    1. "The scholarship is guaranteed or your money back." No one can guarantee to get you a grant or a scholarship.

    2. "You can't get this information anywhere else." Scholarship search companies simply access databases that you can surf for free on the Internet.

    3. "The scholarship will cost some money." Financial-aid expert Mark Jabtrowitz warns, "If you have to pay money, it's probably a scam." Occasionally there could be a processing fee of $3 to $5 for certain legitimate scholarships, but even this is rare.

    4. "May I have your credit-card or bank-account number to hold this scholarship?" Never give out your credit-card or bank-account number.

    5. "We'll do all the work." You must apply for legitimate scholarships or grants yourself.

    6. "You've been selected by a national foundation to receive a scholarship." or, "Your a finalist" in a contest you never entered. According to the FTC, a number of gogus search companies falsely claim they are foundation or nonprofit organizations to make their offer look legitimate.

    (From: Good Houskeeping/October 1998)


    More information can be found at: www.ftc.gov


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