Avoiding Scams

Follow these basic rules to avoid being scammed:

Never pay money to get money! Don't pay money to be considered for a scholarship or to receive scholarship applications. Don't pay money for a scholarship search, since you can do this for free on the Internet.
Watch out for advance-fee loans where you have to pay a fee before receiving a loan. If you pay the fee, the loan may never show up.
Watch out for the "scholarship prize." If you don't remember entering the contest, you're probably being scammed.
Few, if any, scholarships are "guaranteed." Beware of scholarship services that guarantee that you will receive a scholarship. Typically they only guarantee that you "qualify" - which means that if you turn in the application, you may be considered because you meet the minimum criteria. It does NOT guarantee that you will receive the scholarship.
Requiring an investment of some sort in order to receive federal student aid is a direct violation of federal and state regulations and laws.

Some helpful articles:

Scholarships