Susan sought financial aid to go to school. She saw a simple scholarship offer requiring only three questions to qualify. She appreciated the brevity of the application after completing several long applications. When the page offered to link her to another brief offer, she gleefully accepted it. That one followed by another and another. Within days Susan began receiving unsolicited offers from schools that did not interest her. Soon, she received 10-20 emails a day from schools and other organization.
New Twists on Old Scams
Several of the old scholarship scams recently redressed themselves in new clothing. Some of them include:
- Rewards without entries: this old scam disguises itself for students who don’t want to complete lengthy applications. They go by different names, but the essence is “You could win our weekly award by answering three simple questions: 1) What is your name? 2) What is your email address? and 3) asks a simple question “Rate your school…” or “List 3 schools you want to attend…”
- Request for Money: Purdue shares this twist “phony grant—promises to replace loans with grant if you pay”
Sites To Help You Recognize Scams
The preponderance of scholarship scams generate many web sites to help you identify, avoid, and resolve getting caught in a scam. In addition, many sites rate and grade scholarship sources. While many of them share similar information, we’ve found the ones listed here to provide additional or well written advice. We hope you find them helpful.
- Ask.com provides advice on legitimate scholarship website
- About.com College Admissions gives a page on scholarship scams
- CollegeBoard shares ideas about avoiding scholarship scams
- The Federal Trade Commission warns about scholarship and financial aid scams
- US News & World Report encouraged don’t fall for these 5 college scholarship scams
- SchoolGuide states to be aware of scholarship scams and legislation to prevent them
- Purdue University’s Division of Financial Aid lists scholarship scams
- FinAid recommends how to investigate suspicious offers
Tuesday we review the US State Dept. a source of student financial aid for post-graduates
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