Scams You Should Be Aware Of
We all like the thought of getting something for nothing. Who wouldn’t? Today we get bombarded from every direction with these kinds of offers. We were told never to look a gift horse in the mouth. They were right.
One instance of this type of scam caters to students. They offer free grants and scholarships but are nothing but a lie to steal the student’s money. There are actual legitimate scholarships and grants available, but make sure that you are not being taken advantage of before you sign up for anything.
We get junk mail every day. Some are innocent and some not. There are too many scams out there that look legit at first glance by using a name that you recognize but just change a couple letters in the name to make you trust them. Don’t do it.
You have got to train yourself to be skeptical until you can prove the offer to be for real. The fine print is the deciding factor. You have got to read it in order to protect yourself from being taken advantage of. If you ever have a doubt about an offer, a grant, or a scholarship, talk to your student advisor or financial aid officer. They will have access to all of the information on available scholarships and grants.
The easiest targets are students that don’t have a great GPA. They are looked at as the weak in the herd or victims. They seem to be the first to fall for these scams. Don’t ever believe “First come first served,” or you may be one of the first victims.
Also never ever believe something that says “You’ve Won.” If you didn’t sign up for it, you didn’t win it, and they are just trying to suck you into their scam. Any scholarship must be applied for.
One tell tale sign that you are being scammed is often being asked for your credit card or bank account information. Do not ever give this information away unless you know to whom you are giving it to.
Another thing to look for in a scam is the phrase “It’s Guaranteed”. That’s one more thing to open your eyes to so that you are not taken advantage of.
