Rules of Thumb:

1. If you must pay money to get money, it might be a scam.
2. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
3. Spend the time, not the money.
4. Never invest more than a postage stamp to get information about scholarships.
5. Nobody can guarantee that you'll win a scholarship.
6. Legitimate scholarship foundations do not charge application fees.
7. If you're suspicious of an offer, it's usually with good reason.

The FTC cautions students to watch 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.

More Information about Scholarship Scams:

• Office of Inspector General: Scholarship Scams
• Looking for Student Aid
• Common Scholarship Scams

Where to Report a Scam:

• Office of Inspector General Fraud Hotline
• FTC Consumer Complaint Form
• U.S. Postal Service Inspection Service –Mail Fraud Complaint Form
• National Fraud Information Center – Online Incident Report Form
• State Attorney General Offices: http://www.finaid.org/scholarships/attyoffices.phtml