Never pay a fee for a scholarship. This includes website, agency or person who claims they will help you find free money. Scammers use bogus fees and terms such as "application, disbursement, redemption, and processing fees" to steal your money. Scholarships are free money and should not require any fees!
Never provide a credit card, bank, or savings account information. Scammers will steal your identity and ruin your credit for years to come. If you do fall victim to this tactic, call your bank or credit card company immediately and cancel your accounts
If you see or gear the word "guarantee", walk away. No one controls judges' decisions and there are no scholarship guarantees out there.
Before you apply for a scholarship, check all the contact information. The scholarship sponsor should supply a valid email address, phone number and mailing address. A PO Box is not a valid address for contact information.
Avoid unsolicited scholarship requests. If you are told that you have received an award for which you never applied, be alert. Ask where the sponsor found your name and contact information, and research the information carefully.
Free scholarship or "financial planning" seminars often end with a sales pitch to "act now or lose out on this opportunity." This can often lead to the purchase of various financial products, such as insurance. Legitimate organizations do not use these type of pressure tactics.
Look for typing or spelling errors on the scholarship materials. Application materials that contain typing and spelling errors or look nonprofessional may be an indication of a scam. Many misspell the word "scholarship" as "scholorship".