The financial aid office wanted to help students to be aware of scholarship fraud. According to the Federal Trade Commission, perpetrators of financial aid fraud often use telltale 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 money
· You’ve been selected by a “national foundation” to receive a scholarship or “you’re a finalist” in a contest you never entered
To file a complaint, or for free information, students or parents should call 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357) or visit: http://www.ftc.gov/scholarshipscams