Hi Mehreen!
I have experience in getting scholarships and financial aid scams. I can provide you with detailed information about scams. Scholarship and financial assistance scams usually begin with a social media post, an email, or a letter in the mail. It might seem to be a personalized invitation informing you that you have been offered a specific scholarship or financial aid package.
Sometimes, there is a callback number or detail about personal training at a nearby hotel. However, these calls force you to pay for their services quickly. These scams especially happened for scholarships or financial aid packages.
Signs of Scammers
Here is how to tell. If someone advertises an offer using any of these conditions or a variation of them, it must be a scam.
- “The scholarship or your money back is guaranteed.”
- “You can’t find this information anywhere else.”
- “I just require your credit card or bank account number to hold this scholarship.”
- “We’ll do all the work.” You only pay a processing fee."
- “The scholarship will cost some fee.”
- “You’re a finalist [for a contest you never entered].”
Steps to avoid scholarship and financial aid scams
When you begin looking for financial aid or a scholarship, take these steps:
- Fill out the free FAFSA form to apply for financial help. It is the most critical step in receiving financial aid.
- Never pay someone to complete your FAFSA. It must be a scam.
- Speak with a guidance counselor or the financial assistance office about your financial aid and scholarship opportunities.
- Never pay at seminars on how to obtain financial aid or scholarships, especially if you are pressured to pay. It is probably a scam.
- Before you pay someone for financial aid or scholarships, do your research.
I hope! This information is enough for you to avoid scams for any scholarship and financial aid.
