Fall is one of the busiest seasons in college admissions. High school seniors are submitting applications, families are completing the FAFSA, and students everywhere are searching for scholarships to help make college more affordable.

Unfortunately, there’s another group working overtime this season: scholarship scammers.

Every year, students and parents encounter emails, text messages, social media advertisements, and websites promising thousands of dollars in scholarship money. Some look surprisingly legitimate. They may use official-looking logos, impressive testimonials, and language that makes it sound as though a student has been specially selected for an award.

And when families are worried about how they’re going to pay for college, those promises can be especially tempting.

Before you start gathering those scholarship dollars like leaves in your front yard, let’s talk about some warning signs that should make you stop and take a closer look.

Imagine opening your email and finding a message announcing that you’ve been selected to receive a $10,000 scholarship.

Wonderful news, right?

Well, maybe not.

If you don’t remember applying for the scholarship, entering a contest, or being nominated for an award, that’s a reason to investigate.

Scammers sometimes send messages claiming that students have already won scholarships. The catch? Before receiving the award, the student must provide personal information, pay a processing fee, or click a suspicious link.

Remember that some legitimate scholarships are awarded through nominations or automatic consideration, so an unexpected award isn’t always fraudulent. But it should always be verified.

This is one of the biggest red flags in the scholarship world.

A student receives a message announcing a $5,000 scholarship, but there’s a catch. To release the funds, the family must pay a $49 processing fee.

It may seem like a small price to pay for such a large award.

That’s exactly what the scammer wants you to think.

Be suspicious of requests for application fees, award-release fees, taxes paid directly to the organization, or special administrative charges.

There are legitimate college-related expenses, including college application fees and certain financial aid services, but paying someone to unlock scholarship winnings is an entirely different matter.

My advice? Keep your money in your pocket and move on to another opportunity.

Oh, how I wish scholarship success came with a guarantee!

The truth is that scholarships are competitive, and even exceptional students aren’t guaranteed to win every award they pursue.

Some companies advertise that they can guarantee scholarship money or promise a full refund if a student doesn’t receive an award.

Read the fine print carefully.

There are legitimate college consultants and scholarship coaching services that help students identify opportunities, organize applications, and strengthen essays. But no reputable service can promise that an outside scholarship committee will select a particular student.

Use Imagine Scholarships and Red Kite to build your scholarship strategy and prepare strong applications.

And don’t overlook local scholarships! Awards offered by community foundations, civic organizations, employers, and local businesses may have smaller applicant pools than nationally advertised scholarships.

Scholarship deadlines are real. In fact, November is an important month for many college admissions and scholarship priority deadlines.

But legitimate deadlines are different from high-pressure sales tactics.

Scammers frequently create artificial urgency because they don’t want you to stop and investigate.

You might see messages like:

“Your scholarship will be forfeited unless you respond immediately!”

“Only five students have been selected!”

“You must provide your payment information today!”

“This exclusive award expires in one hour!”

Don’t allow an urgent message to override your good judgment.

A legitimate scholarship organization should be able to explain its requirements without pressuring you into an immediate financial decision.

This one deserves special attention.

Scholarship applications sometimes request personal details, including a student’s name, address, school, GPA, and academic interests.

However, requests for Social Security numbers, banking information, passwords, or copies of sensitive identification documents should make you cautious.

Some legitimate scholarship organizations may eventually need tax identification or payment information to administer an award. But that typically happens through a verified process after the award has been confirmed.

Never send sensitive information simply because someone emails or texts you claiming to represent a scholarship organization.

If you’re unsure, contact the organization using a phone number or website you’ve verified independently.

Identity theft can create financial problems that last far longer than the college application season.

There are thousands of scholarships advertised online, but not every opportunity is quite what it seems.

Some websites promote scholarships with generous awards and simple applications, but their primary goal may be to collect students’ personal information and share or sell it to marketers and other businesses.

You may think you’re applying for a scholarship when you’re actually signing up for a flood of promotional emails, text messages, and unwanted solicitations.

And here’s what makes this especially tricky: Some of these organizations really do award scholarships! However, the scholarship may also serve as a way to attract thousands of students who willingly provide valuable personal information.

Be especially cautious of applications that ask for extensive personal details unrelated to selecting a scholarship recipient.

Remember: A scholarship application should be about evaluating your qualifications, not collecting your information for someone else’s marketing list.

Scammers have become increasingly sophisticated.

A fraudulent scholarship website may feature beautiful graphics, professional language, photographs of smiling students, and logos that resemble those of well-known colleges or organizations.

And with artificial intelligence making it easier to create convincing websites, emails, and messages, appearance alone is no longer a reliable indicator of legitimacy.

Look beyond the design.

Research the organization. Check whether the scholarship is listed on the sponsoring institution’s official website. Review its eligibility criteria and selection process. Search for independent information about the sponsor.

Be especially careful with scholarships advertised through unsolicited direct messages or social media accounts that have little verifiable history.

Now that we’ve covered the warning signs, let’s talk about the good stuff!

There are many trustworthy places to begin your scholarship search.

And remember, scholarship searches shouldn’t end when students graduate from high school. Many scholarships are available to current college students, transfer students, and students pursuing graduate or professional education.

Before submitting a scholarship application, take a few minutes to protect yourself.

Verify the organization offering the award.

Read the eligibility requirements and application instructions.

Avoid paying fees to claim scholarship winnings.

Be cautious about unsolicited scholarship notifications.

Protect sensitive personal and financial information.

Keep a record of the scholarships you’ve applied for. We have an incredible scholarship tracker on Imagine Scholarships that helps you keep track of it all.

Ask a counselor, parent, or trusted college planning professional when something doesn’t seem right.

And perhaps most importantly, never let the fear of scams discourage you from searching for scholarships.

There are wonderful organizations, generous donors, and dedicated communities investing in students’ futures every single year.

Some scholarships recognize academic achievement. Others celebrate leadership, service, creativity, perseverance, career interests, or a student’s unique story.

You don’t have to be valedictorian, a star athlete, or the student with the longest résumé to find opportunities worth pursuing.

You simply need to know where to look, how to recognize legitimate awards, and how to apply thoughtfully.

ABOUT THIS CONTRIBUTOR

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Helpful advice for your college journey.

Sherri Ross of Imagine Scholarships shares practical advice to help students and families navigate the financial side of college planning. Through the Red Kite and Imagine Scholarships partnership, we’re bringing families useful tools, trusted resources, and guidance to help make college more affordable.