Every year thousand of students and parents are defrauded by scholarship scams. And many of them even unaware that they had dropped into the trap of scholarship scams, the victims usually write off the money paid up front to the scams as thinking they just simply didn’t win the scholarship.

Let review some of common scholarship scams so that your will be alerted and precaution about the suspicious scholarship offers.

Common Scholarship Scams

According to the Federal Trade Commission’s Scholarship Scams, if you receive an offer that uses one of these tactics, be suspicious:

* The scholarship is guaranteed or your money back

Beware of scholarship-finding services that guarantee you will win a scholarship or your money will be refunded. If it is a scam, you will find it extremely difficult to qualify for refund, because this refund guaranteed often have terms & condition attached. Get and review refund policies before you pay.

* Ask for your credit card or bank account to hold the winning scholarship for you

If you receive phone call saying that you have won a scholarship and they need your credit card or bank account in order to hold the winning scholarship for you. Never! Never give out any credit card or bank account without getting information or confirmation in writing first. It might be a set-up for an unauthorized withdrawal from your account.

* A super low interest rate loan that need advance fee

This scam will offer you an unusual low interest rate loan but they will ask you to pay for a fee during the loan application submission. And when you pay for it, the promised loan never materializes. Be aware, real education loan usually deduce the fees from the disbursement check. It never required you to pay for a fee when you submit an application. If the loan is not issued by a bank or other recognized lender, it is probably a scam. Check the offer with your local bank’s manager before you pay..

* You can’t get this scholarship information from anywhere else

There are many scholarship lists available for public. A real scholarship is normally announced to public and you can get this information easily from college and the recognized financial aid agencies. Start your own researching from those locations before you pay for somebody to do the work for you.

* You won a scholarship prize!

The scam will inform you that you have won a college scholarship worth a few thousands of dollars but you will be asked to pay for a “redemption” fee or taxes before they can release your prize. If you receive this good news but you don’t remember entering any scholarship contest, be suspicious. Even If you have entered the contest, check and get the winning confirmation letter first before any payment being made. There are scams use the real scholarship contest to cheat for money, they know many people are enrolled for the contest and by chance you are in the list.

Summary

The above are just some commons in scholarship scams. There are still many other scholarship scams around. Always be precaution in any scholarship offer to you and always check for confirmation before any money pay out. The basic guideline is “if you have to pay money to get money, it’s probably a scam”.

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More than 340,000 people are duped by scholarship fraud every year. Private scholarships are usually awarded to very specific applicants, such as students with a particular career interest, or members of a certain religious organization or church. These institutions have created funds for students. They are willing to give them to qualified people and have no interested in keeping the money a secret.

You can easily learn more about these opportunities by checking with appropriate institutions. Contact organizations or clubs to determine what they look for in an applicant. Your high school or college guidance counselor can also provide information on scholarships.

Beware of Scholarship Fraud

If you decide to use a scholarship locater service, watch out. These scams have been around for many years. More than 340,000 people are cheated by scholarship fraud annually, losing some $5 million, according to the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators.

How to spot a scholarship fraud

The Federal Trade Commission offers the following tips regarding spotting potential scholarship fraud.

* ”The scholarship is guaranteed or your money back.”

This is an empty promise. The first red flag is that you need to send somebody money in order to get money. This is a guarantee that is easy to make but harder to honor. If it is an application that you are sending in then it means that you probably have not been awarded the scholarship. If this is the case, then how could anybody promise it to you? This does not make any sense. Anytime somebody makes a promise that is hard to keep, you should be very cautious.
* ”You can not get this information anywhere else.”

* ”We need your credit card or bank account number to reserve this scholarship for you.”

This is a very common scam technique and anytime you hear these words, you should question it. This is identity theft under the guise of a scholarship locator service. Once the con artist has your personal information, he can empty out your bank account or make purchases to your credit card.
* ”We do all the work.”

* ”The scholarship will cost money.” It is understandable that you might have to pay a small processing fee when you submit your application, but this is also indicative that this is a business, a scam, or a fake scholarship program.

* ”You have been selected to receive a scholarship” or “You are a finalist” in a contest you know you did not enter.

People are rarely contacted by scholarship locator services in this manner. Normally, you send in the paperwork and then you are awarded a scholarship not the other way around. If somebody contacts you claiming to be from a scholarship locator service, and they ask you for your credit card number, be careful. Exercise safe credit card practices by NOT giving out your personal information unless you initiated the call to begin with. The caller is more interested in your personal information such as bank account or credit card numbers than giving you a scholarship.

There are lots of consumer fraud schemes out there. It is up to you, the consumer, to educate yourself to recognize what is and is not legitimate. By doing so, you can minimize becoming a victim of consumer fraud crimes.

Fabiola Castillo is an online marketer for the website NinjaCOPS.com. This virtual store specializes in home security products where you can buy wireless hidden cameras, kubatons, cell phone stun guns, nunchaku, air Tasers, expandable batons, and many other self defense products.

1. The first myth that is widely believed about college scholarships is that they are usually only available to those who have the highest grade averages, such as a “A”. This is just simply not true. Although many scholarship programs do list having a good academic record as a contributing factor in receiving the scholarship, there are actually several other factors that are taken into consideration as well.

The truth is that even those who have a “B” or “C” grade average can often qualify for many scholarships because of other factors instead. For instance, many scholarship programs place a high priority on a student’s involvement in extracurricular activities, especially those in the community. To them, this helps indicate that you are a well rounded individual who will do well in a college environment and are seeking personal advancement. So if you want to qualify for college scholarships, try to involve yourself in activities that allow you to give something back to the community and expand your horizons.

2. Another college scholarship myth is that you generally cannot get a scholarship if you do not have some sort of financial need, and that middle class students are usually unable to receive scholarships.

Again, this is simply not true. Although some scholarship programs are based on need, there are many that aren’t. In fact, quite a few scholarships are based more on merit than on need. This means that a good combination of academic performance as well as extracurricular activities that indicate personal growth can often qualify a student for being awarded the scholarship even if you come from a middle class family.

3. A commonly held scholarship myth is that there are billions of scholarship dollars that go unused every single year. While it is true that there is some scholarship money that goes unclaimed, this is usually because the scholarship qualifications are very rigid and narrow in nature and simply were not filled for that reason. What this means for the average student is that there is a lot of competition for the scholarships that are readily available, and you should start applying for them as soon as possible in order to get a head start. And applying for as many as you possibly can qualify for, and handle at one time, is also a good practice.

4. Another myth about scholarships that can actually cost you money is that there are programs out there that will do all the work for you so that you don’t have to do anything to apply for college scholarships. Although there are organizations that advertise this, they are usually scams that are set up to separate college students from their hard earned money rather than help them get the scholarships that they need. So if you come across any scholarship program that claims to do all the work for you, or asks for any kind of payment or credit card information in advance, be aware that there is a good chance that this type of program is a scam that should be avoided.

Hopefully, by being aware of the various college scholarship myths that are in circulation today, you can be better prepared to get the scholarship funding that you really need.

Steadman Issenburg writes on many consumer related topics including education. You can find unusual scholarships and unclaimed scholarships and more by visiting our education website.

Here we discuss certain telltale signs that are typical of a scam. But, the occurrence of these signs necessarily does not mean fraud always. However, a combination of few of these may very well point towards a possible scam, and hence one should take care not to fall prey to such traps.

A scholarship can mostly be a scam if the applications involve fees. Legitimate scholarship sponsors do not solicit a fee. The point is – Be Cautious if there is a Fees Involved.

In the internet, one could find umpteen number of private scholarship providers and it is a gruesome task to separate cheese and chalk. Hence it would be prudent to seek the advice from any trusted source such as the financial aid administrator at a local college or university, your high school guidance counselor or the local reference librarian.

One can reliably verify the existence of a company by calling the directory assistance. If they are not listed, then their legitimacy is circumspect. One can look for listings in BigBook, Switchboard, Yahoo People Search or WhoWhere.

Do not reveal your social security number, account numbers and other critical information to strangers. If the scholarship sponsor is legitimate, then they have no business of asking your personal information other than your academic credentials and extra curricular grades.

If somebody approaches you, in the first place, get every bit of offers, promises and guarantees in writing. In other words, do not take any verbal promises.

Asking the organization about the source from which they got your name is a useful check of their credential and identity. Remember, the College Board, for example, will give the mailing list only to universities and colleges and carefully selected non-profit tax-exempt foundations. Verify the information they provide with the source to make sure their authenticity.

Take care to keep Photostat copies of all correspondence with the company and other promotional materials they might have sent you. If the organization turns out to be fraudulent, include these documents as well in the complaint to the law enforcement agency.

Above all, trust your instincts. If you get any inkling that something is amiss with a particular offer, don’t proceed until all concerns are addressed. Our brain is a super computer and it cannot go wrong when it comes to discerning things.

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Outside from personal or family savings, there are government grants, federal or personal loans, and scholarships. Government grants are almost always limited and only cover a fraction of the total cost of attending college. Federal and personal loans are debt, which has to be repaid after graduating. Loans are great resources for covering expenses left over after there is no other source of income available. Scholarships are, for some students, the only hope for attending college with little or no upfront cash and without piling up thousands of dollars of debt.

Each year, there are billions of dollars of free scholarship money that goes unclaimed. Students are just not aware that this money is available. The most visible scholarship monies are offered by large corporations and charities. These scholarships receive thousands of applications for a small pot of available money. It is usually the local, community based scholarships that are overlooked by students.

When applying for scholarships, students must be as diverse as possible with their search. National organizations advertise there scholarship opportunities in widely distributed media outlets. The competition for these scholarships is very high and is limited to a few exceptional students. Students should continue to apply for these scholarships despite the competitiveness, but broadening their search to local opportunities will be to their advantage.

Many scholarships are offered by churches and local small businesses. But these scholarships are not always widely advertised. Finding out about these scholarship opportunities are not difficult with a little work.

Visiting a few churches and reading the news letters can be an effective way to find out if a particular church is offering any scholarships. Listening to the local AM stations is also an effective way to get information about scholarship offers from local churches and charitable organizations. Many churches also have websites that are indexed in the popular search engines. Using Yahoo or Google to search on a few small organizations in town can yield some valuable information as well.

To reach even more scholarship sources, it would be a good idea to take notice of local small businesses. Many small businesses usually give scholarship to students that it has a direct or indirect affiliation with. For example, a local business may offer scholarships to sons and daughters of their employees. Asking mom and dad to keep watch for these opportunities can pay off big, as these types of aid almost always go without notice and have very little competition.

Taking advantage of every opportunity to receive the most scholarship funding can benefit students in two ways. First, students with an abundance of scholarship aid can attend college for little or no out of pocket money. Second, students will not graduate with an enormous amount of debt.

Jimmy Walker is the founder of CitePlanet.com. Find thousands of quality citations from books, periodicals, and electronic sources.

Common Online Scholarship Scams Most scholarships scams will try to request money during the application process. You will usually ask to pay for all kinds of fees during the scholarship application process. The scholarship sponsors may charge what they call an application fee, entrance fee, reading fee, judging fee, or administrative fee. You may also ask to pay a processing or handling fee just to receive a copy of scholarship application form or to request more details information about the scholarship.

Other than those kinds of fees, scams may pile on the hidden fees after you have submitted an application. You may receive an email or mail notification saying that you have won a scholarship, but to collect it, you must first pay a “disbursement” or “redemption” fee. A warning alert should be immediate triggered once you receive the message asking you to pay money in order to receive your scholarship award, because no legitimate scholarship program will ask you to pay any money in order to receive money that you have supposedly won.

Do you know that most of scholarships are tax-free? If you do not know, you may fall into the trap of scholarship scam when you are asked to pay for taxes on your scholarship award. Be aware that you only have to pay taxes on a scholarship award if you use the money for other purpose than paying your tuition fee; for example you use the scholarships money to buy a new computer, to pay for room’s rental or spending in paying the cost of traveling from and to the campus. Even if you need to pay taxes for your scholarship award because of these reasons, you should never have to pay federal, state, or sales taxes to organization giving you the scholarship; instead, any required taxes should pay directly to IRS.

Another technique used by scholarships scam that may causes you expose to identity theft, you may be asked to disclose a bank account or credit card number in order to hold the scholarship. Never give out information like this, not even if the sponsor insists it is required to process the scholarship that you have already won. No legitimate scholarship programs would ask for it.

How to Avoid Scholarship Scams? While a few legitimate scholarship programs do charge an entrance or administrative fee, the majority do not charge anything at all. Hence, to be safe, limit your scholarship applications to scholarship programs that don’t charge any fees to apply. If you are asked to pay for any hidden cost after you have submitted your application form, turn your scholarship hunt to elsewhere because there are many other legitimate scholarship programs that are free of charge in application.

Summary To avoid getting taken by scholarship scams, watch out for offers that seem too good and ask you to pay an up front fee. You must approach every scholarship program with caution and limit your application for scholarships that don’t ask you to pay any fee to apply.

Julie Harvard is the author of studykiosk.com, an online school directory that let you browse over 1000 online degree programs such as online communication degrees offer by accredited online universities and colleges.

Scholarships are “free money” given away by the government, private institutions and organizations, charitable foundations, schools, universities, clubs, etc. Unlike loans, scholarships are not repaid to the scholarship provider.

Some of the scholarships available are:

* Athletic Scholarships

* National Merit Scholarships

* Academic Merit Scholarships

* Professional, Career, and Trade Association-Sponsored Scholarships

* FAFSA

* Work Study

* Ethnic and Religious Scholarships

* Community Organization Sponsored Scholarships

* Special Scholarships

* Alumni Legacy Scholarships

* Transfer Student Scholarships

With so many scholarships, how do you know which one to apply to or where can you go for an application?

Some scholarships are based on your kid’s grades or financial needs, while others are awarded based on ethnic groups, athletic or artistic abilities, or given to students interested in a particular field.

In some instances, your kids don’t have to have perfect grades to apply for a scholarship, and some don’t even ask for any proof of income.

For example, the Work-Study Scholarship will require your kid to work part-time for the money given and most jobs are on campus.

Finding information on scholarships on the Internet can be difficult because you won’t find everything you need to know to finance your child’s education.

A year ago, when my daughter was going to college, I searched the Internet and the only thing I found simple enough to do was fill out a FAFSA application. Since I didn’t have time to search the Internet at the moment, and because other information I found was so confusing, I decided just to fill out the application and did nothing else.

I promised myself that for the next year, I would search in advance because even though my daughter got some financial aid, I was convinced that there had to be other resources out there for her education.

That’s when I came accross a guide written by a father that went through the process of getting a scholarship for his child, who spent time talking to financial aid officers at many universities and discovered that just filling out the CSS Profile and FAFSA financial aid forms and meeting some deadlines is only half the battle in acquiring Federal Pell grants, college need-based grants, and Federal Stafford and Perkins loans.

I learned how college financial aid offices actually determine what federal aid and state grants will be given out to potential students and if you know in advance how to prepare yourself to receive the maximum amount for your child’s college education, you will obtain better results.

Once you know where to find the information and when and how to apply for a scholarship, it will be easy to obtain financial aid for your kids.

Maria Estarellas www.1mykids.com Information on How to Apply for Scholarships, Parenting Tips, Crafts, Games, School Projects and Essays, Music Downloads, Clothing, Candles, Hobbies for Mom and Dad, Information on How to Start Your Own Online Business, Mortgage Tips, Beauty Tips and More.

Some scholarship awarding bodies include the government, charities, clubs, businesses, cooperative organizations and even schools. While some scholarships are specifically for certain types of people, others are generally for all kinds of people.

You can find specific scholarships like athletic scholarships, scholarships for those students in a specific field of study, scholarships for students living in a specific state or city, etc.

Some tips to help you secure the right scholarship include:

- Ensure your position matches the criteria: If you see an athletic scholarship and apply for it because it’s very juicy but you know you aren’t athletic, you are wasting your time. There’s very little chance that you will get it. Nothing irks a scholarship provider more than to go through an application from an applicant that doesn’t match the criteria requested. Don’t do it.

- Fill your application exactly as it should be filled: Don’t make unnecessary and avoidable mistakes when filling your application. Provide all the information required in the most honest and professional manner possible. Don’t lie in filling the application because that lie can come to hunt you in the future.

- Apply as early as possible: To increase your chances of getting a scholarship, always apply as early as possible. Don’t wait until the last minute before applying. Remember… “procrastination is the thief of time”.

- Apply to as many scholarships as possible: The more scholarships you apply for, the more chances you will have. It makes no sense to apply for one or just a few scholarships then to go home and pray. The odds will favor you more if you take the time to search for and apply to as many of the scholarships you will find as possible.

- You don’t have to pay to apply: If you are asked to pay some money to be eligible for any college or university scholarship, then it might as well be a scam. Scholarships are to give you money, not take money from you. There are many such scholarship websites today that are set up to defraud unsuspecting scholarship-seekers like you. So, beware.

- Use the Internet to find more scholarships: Thanks to the Internet you can easily search for as many scholarships that meet your position as possible. And the good thing is that you can apply for many of these scholarships online. Even if the scholarship is not within your immediate environment, you can still apply for it online, especially if it matches your position.

Low Jeremy contributed this article. http://scholarship.articlekeep.com has other well-written and helpful articles related to Scholarships like 10 Factors In Choosing The Right College and A Guide To Searching For Scholarships. This article may be used only in its entirety with all links included.

College Scholarships

Many colleges offer monetary awards for their specific college. If you know which schools you’d like to attend, it may be to your benefit to find out whether those schools offer school-specific scholarships as part of your financial aid package. Schools that do offer specific scholarships to students of their college typically include requirements the student must maintain in order to remain eligible for the money.

For example, many colleges require students receiving scholarship money from them to maintain a certain GPA, pursue a defined course of study, or other specific academic requirements. Not every college offers school-specific scholarship awards however, so it’s a good idea to do your research beforehand so you won’t end up disappointed.

Athletic Scholarships

These types of scholarships seem to be less talked about than the majority of monetary awards, but that doesn’t necessarily make them any less viable. It used to be that students who didn’t excel academically, but were amazing when it came to athletics, believed they could fund their college education on an athletic scholarship alone.

These days however, that’s simply not the case. It’s not impossible to receive an athletic scholarship for your hard work on the field, but these scholarship awards are highly competitive. If you excel athletically, it’s a good idea to research the school or schools you’re interested in attending to see if they offer athletic scholarships to promising athletes. You’ll also want to look into the process of applying for an athletic scholarship so you know what’s involved.

Academic Scholarships

These awards are often college-specific as well, and are awarded to outstanding students who excel academically. Because they are merit-based, academic scholarships are also highly competitive. While you may have to apply separately for these types of awards, oftentimes an academic scholarship is included with your financial aid package from the school if you show academic excellence in one field or another.

Different departments of various colleges may also have specific scholarships available to students pursuing a specific course of study within that department. If you already know what you plan to major in, it would be a good idea to contact the school you’re interested in attending and see if they offer scholarships specific to students in your course of study.

Private Organizations

These organizations are not affiliated with any specific school, and awards from these types range from small monetary awards to $20,000 or more depending on the specific organization. These scholarships require a good deal of research to determine whether the opportunity is legitimate, and may have specific requirements for applying.

Various corporations may offer scholarships to students who are interested in pursuing a major within that specific business’ field. These scholarships may be a bit difficult to find, but they are out there. Check with your parents’ employers to see if they offer any sort of scholarship program to prospective students. These scholarships often have less competition, so your chances of obtaining funding this way are greater than they would be otherwise.

Religious groups oftentimes offer scholarships to students who are involved with the church or specific religious organization. If you belong to a religious group, check to see if they offer monetary awards for people interested in attending college. Not every religious organization offers these awards, but you may be surprised at what you discover.

High schools almost always have scholarship opportunities available to students. Check with your guidance counselor and find out which scholarships you may be eligible for. The sooner you begin researching your various scholarship options, the better chances you’ll have of securing funding for at least a portion of your college education.

You may also considering checking with your local Chamber of Commerce for various scholarship opportunities that may be available within your community. They’ll have plenty of information available about the different business’ that may offer scholarships, and will be able to direct you to the appropriate source for your inquiry.

Finally, there are still many other organizations that offer scholarships to students from all walks of life. The “other” category is where you’re apt to find the most opportunities available. Check online at reputable scholarship websites to see if you’re eligible for any, and what requirements these groups may have. You never know what you may find once you start researching your various options.

Of course, the Military is always an excellent option for students who are interested in receiving scholarship money for college. Of course, Military scholarships require students to perform an active tour of duty, and you MUST be willing and able to comply with the requirements in order to receive your scholarship. Most branches will even pay your entire college tuition, depending on which branch you serve and what you’re planning to study. If serving in the Military coincides with your educational goals, you may want to check out which scholarships are available and the requirements for obtaining one. However, be sure that you’re going to be able to follow through with the requirements, because once you’re in – you’re in.

There are countless ways to help cover the costs of your college education, and various scholarship opportunities await you. All you need to do is put in a bit of time and effort to locate those scholarship opportunities that you’re eligible for, and make sure you comply with the requirements exactly. Applying for college is a daunting task, but if you are serious about furthering your education and need help covering the costs, scholarships are a viable way of earning your degree without having to go broke doing it.

Andre Alonzo is Owner/Publisher of the Scholarship Talk

Offering scholarships to minority and disadvantaged students has gained popularity. Corporate giants like CNN, Coors, General Motors, Lockheed Martin, MasterCard, NASCAR, Office Depot, Sallie Mae, Time Warner and Wachovia are among the companies providing scholarships to Hispanic students this year. Why are these do-gooders dedicating thousands of dollars to Latino scholarships and what can other companies learn from them?

While each one of these companies may have more than one reason to support existing Hispanic scholarship programs established by Latino organizations such as the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, National Association of Hispanic Journalists, Hispanic College Fund and Hispanic Scholarship Fund, most benefit from the positive community and public relations results the programs generate.

Over the years, Latino consumers have become increasingly acculturated into mainstream America. Some have gained positions of influence in the public and private sectors and most have become more sophisticated consumers. Part of the process has resulted in the realization for some that they have been neglected and even mistreated by many companies that ever since the 2000 Census target them as consumers for their products and services.

At the same time, marketers and communicators have begun to wise up to the growth and potential of the Latino markets with many keeping their eye on of the future prize of the rapidly growing Hispanic buying power, estimated by The Multicultural Economy, 1990-2009, report from the Selig Center for Economic Growth to near $700 billion a year. Scholarship programs are a relatively inexpensive means of generating good will among future consumers of their products and services. At the same time, the recipients of the scholarships may also become members of their future workforce.

There are critics who argue that in some cases the scholarships are too few in relation to the total number of students in need. And that they are the direct result of criticism of exclusionary policies that have denied Latinos their fair share of the American pie. That may very well be true. And yet, more students than before are benefiting from scholarship programs. As they graduate and join America’s working hordes, they too will impact the future and perhaps generate additional programs.

The good news is that this results in opportunities for Hispanics students and benefits the donors in multiple ways. The impact is immediate as Latino communities and leaders become aware of the programs. There are also long term effects as the recipients go to school and eventually graduate with an appreciation toward the company that made it possible, in part, for them to complete their studies.

At the same time the Internet has made scholarship hunting much easier and possible for many students who a few years ago would have been limited to their school counselor’s advice and other local resources. The generation entering America’s colleges and universities has better access to online resources, including information on scholarships and who funds them, than any other before it. Smart companies are banking on the benefits by putting their money where their corporate mouths are and funding Latino scholarships. And equally smart Latino students are taking advantage of the increasing opportunities.

Elena del Valle is a 20-year marketing and communications veteran. She is editor and contributing author of Hispanic Marketing & Public Relations (Poyeen Publishing $49.95). Additional information on marketing and public relations targeting Latino consumers and Hispanic scholarship programs is available at http://www.hispanicmpr.com/resources/scholarships/