1. The Fee Up Front

This is the most obvious and widespread trick: You should never have to pay to apply for or get a real scholarship. To be eligible for a scholarship, you have to pay a "processing fee" "application fee" or "administration fee" They may tell you that you've "won" but you'll need to pay a "disbursement fee" or "tax deposit" to get the money

· The fraud is the fee. They don't plan to give out any money; instead they make money by charging prospective applicants thousands of modest payments

· The Rule: Don't pay to apply You should never have to pay to get a scholarship

2. The Sure Win

No real organization can or will promise that you will get a scholarship

· How it works: A business service or person says "Use our service and you'll win a scholarship!" or "We promise you'll get your money back or your fee back!"

· The Scam: These are generally high-pressure sales tactics for "scholarship matching" programs that cost too much and don't work. The "guarantee" is frequently hidden under conditions that are difficult to meet therefore it's not worth anything

· The Rule: If it's promised it's a scam

3. The "No Essay No Effort" Contest

Be very careful with scholarships that don't ask for much information or work from you

· How it works: You only need to give your name email address and maybe a short answer to the application People typically call it a "easy scholarship" "no-essay scholarship" or "sweepstakes"

· The Scam: Some contests may be real but the chances of winning are very tiny so they aren't worth your time. Their main purpose on the other hand is to get your contact information so they may sell it to other marketers or use it for phishing attacks. You'll get a lot of spam and offers that could be dangerous

· The rule is that you should spend your time on applications that need a lot of work such essays and resumes

4. "You're a Finalist!" Out of the Blue Notice

If you get a message saying you've received a scholarship you didn't apply for it's definitely a fraud

· How it works: You get an excited email letter or phone call that says "Congratulations!" You are one of the finalists for the [Fake Name] National Scholarship! Then they will ask you to authenticate your personal information or in the end pay a price

· The Scam: They get names and contact information for students from different places and send out mass messages expecting to get a small number of people to respond

· The rule is that you can't win a contest if you didn't enter it Right away delete the email

5. Requests for Very Private Information

You should never have to give your social security number bank account information or credit card information when you apply for a scholarship. The only time you should have to do this is if you are paying for a valid university application fee through a transparent secure payment channel

· How it works: The application form asks for your Social Security number driver's license number or bank routing number frequently in the name of "verifying your identity" or "setting up direct deposit"

· The Scam: This is a clear attempt to steal someone's identity Scammers can use this information to open credit cards take out loans or do other things that are against the law under your name

· The rule is that you should never give your Social Security number bank account number or credit card number on a scholarship application

6. "Limited Time" Offers and High-Pressure Sales Tactics

Scammers make you feel like you need to act quickly so you don't think about it or do your homework

· How it works: You get a message that says "This offer ends at midnight!" or "You have to act now to get your spot!" They can call you and try to get you to make a rapid choice

· The Scam: Real scholarship givers have clear deadlines and don't need to utilize high-pressure tactics. The need for haste is a way to get you to ignore your better judgment

· The Rule: If you feel like you're being pushed leave

7. Contact information that is unclear or missing

A real scholarship provider will be open about who they are and how to get in touch with them

· How it works: The scholarship information doesn't have a real address simply a P.O. Box or it gives a phone number that doesn't function and a generic email address (like Gmail or Yahoo) The name of the organization could be identical to that of a well-known real business on purpose

· The Trick: They are hiding because they are fake You can't trust an organization if you can't find information about it that you can trust

· The Rule: Do a lot of research on the provider It's a scam if you can't discover reliable information

8. The "Share to Win" Contest on Social Media

Some real companies do offer contests on social media but a lot of "share this to win" scholarships are really ways to get people to buy things or scams

· How it works: To enter to win the "scholarship" you have to share a link tag friends and like a page

· The scam's main purpose isn't to give away money; it's to get viral marketing and collect information about you and your friends. The odds of winning are very low

· The Rule: Be very careful These are not often a good use of your time while looking for scholarships