SCHOLARSHIP SCAMS

This bad enough that college students are struggling in this economy and tuition prices are rising. Now we have people who take advantage of the education systems, and promising funding if you pay.  This is a ....

SPAM ALERT!!!!

 This was posted on the DeVry website to this college students.

Beware of Scholarship Scams
An upfront fee is never needed for scholarship or loan applications! Don’t pay money to get money!

Suspect a scam?
It sounded promising at first. The financial aid seminar that promised the secret scoop on how to fund your education. The generous scholarship you qualified for without ever applying. But now, you suspect the offers may not be legitimate.

So what should you do if you think you’re faced with a scam?

1. PROTECT YOUR WALLET! Trust your gut in these situations. If you don’t believe an organization is operating in good faith, don’t let them pressure you into paying for anything or revealing any of your financial information.

2. DOCUMENT ALL YOUR DEALINGS with any company that you suspect of fraud. Include details about the offer, your response and the dates of your communications.

3. TAKE NOTES during any meetings or telephone conversations with these organizations. Record the date, time, place, nature of the conversation, the name of the person with whom you spoke and a detailed account of your communications.

4. REPORT THEM! Any of the following organizations can help:

NATIONAL FRAUD INFORMATION CENTER (NFIC)

Call their toll-free hotline at: 1-800-876-7060

Submit a complaint online at: www.fraud.org

Or write: National Fraud Information Center c/o National Consumers League 1701 K Street, NW, Suite 1200 Washington, DC 20006

FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION (FTC)

To report suspected fraud, call 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357)

Submit a complaint online at: www.ftc.gov

Or write: Federal Trade Commission CRC-240 600 Pennsylvania Ave, NW Washington, DC 20580

STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL’S OFFICE File your complaint with the Bureau of Consumer Protection in your state.