Even though thousands of students receive scholarships every year, there are some "scholarship programs" you should avoid.
In fact, the Federal Trade Commission has published a set of common ways used by these scammers who attempt to gather student contact information.
Here are the 6 common tactics you should be aware of:
- "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.
If you ever see any of the above comments or ads listed beside a scholarship program, don’t apply. It’s probably a scholarship scam, and it should get reported directly to FTC.gov.
