Scholarship fee scam
Parents and students get messages about scholarships or grants they never applied for. To release the award, they must pay a processing fee and share bank and Social Security details.
How this scam works
There is no scholarship. The fee is lost, and the personal details can be used for identity theft.
Common versions of the message
- A surprise scholarship award
- A processing fee
- A request for bank and SSN details
What the message looks like
Text from National Scholars Fund
Congratulations, your child has been selected to receive a $5,000 scholarship! To release the award, pay the $149 processing fee within 48 hours and provide your bank account and Social Security number.
Fictional example based on common, publicly reported scam patterns.
The red flags
- 1
Surprise award: “has been selected to receive a $5,000 scholarship”
You cannot win a scholarship you never applied for
You cannot win a scholarship you never applied for.
- 2
Upfront fee: “pay the $149 processing fee”
Real scholarships never charge to receive them
Real scholarships never charge a fee to receive them.
- 3
Asks for your details: “provide your bank account and Social Security number”
They want your identity and your money
Bank and Social Security details are what the scammer wants.
What to do
- Do not pay or share personal details.
- Ask your school's financial aid office about any award.
- Report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
If you already replied, clicked, or paid
- If you shared your SSN, visit IdentityTheft.gov and consider a credit freeze.
- If you paid, call your bank or card issuer.
- Do not pay any further fees.
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