Scholarship scams are common on the internet and have preyed on many students. Therefore, students applying for scholarships must verify the source of financial aid and other factors to avoid getting scammed.
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Students applying for higher education often seek financial assistance to manage the increasing living expenses around the globe. However, some sources scam students in the name of scholarships and fraud money instead.
To avoid such scholarship scams, students should be cautious while providing information online. The scammers usually target students through email by sending them promotional scholarship emails and asking them to register online.
10 Ways to Avoid Scholarship Scams
Scholarship scams are a genuine concern that is rapidly increasing. Students must strive to stop these scholarship scams by considering the following ways:
- Never Trust Unknown Emails
- Never Open Email Attachments
- Check Eligibility Criteria for Scholarships
- Never Trust Verbal Promises
- Restrict Providing Personal Details
- Never Share Bank Details
- Never Pay Money
- Do Some Research
- Contact Them
- Maintain Communication Records
Also Check: Top Scholarships in India and Abroad
1. Never Trust Unknown Emails
Scammers usually contact students through emails, phone calls, or SMS. The scholarship scams can be identified by advertising emails claiming that you’ve secured a scholarship. Such emails are fraud and used for scamming people. Students must ignore such emails and report the sender.
2. Never Open Email Attachments
The scholarship scams are usually operated through emails. Such email contains attachments and links that may steal your data and lure you with promotional schemes. Avoid even clicking on them and delete such emails from your inbox.
3. Check Eligibility Criteria for Scholarships
Scholarships are given to students who satisfy several criteria, such as academic excellence, professional experiences, etc. However, scammers lure you with scholarships with no eligibility criteria. Such scholarships are mostly fake and a part of a scam. So, students must check and verify the eligibility criteria of scholarships and then proceed with the application process.
Also Check: Popular Scholarship Interview Questions
4. Never Trust Verbal Promises
Scholarship scams can be avoided by never trusting verbal or digital promises. Never trust an email or phone call stating that you have won a scholarship without even applying for it. Always believe in a valid document, such as an official confirmation letter, company official letter, etc.
5. Restrict Providing Personal Details
Another way of avoiding scholarship scams is to restrict yourself from providing personal details to an unknown user. Scammers have found various ways to trick people online. So, to avoid getting scammed, never fill in any form, survey, or document that asks for your details.
6. Never Share Bank Details
Along with personal details, scammers usually ask for bank details. Never share your bank details, as many scammers ask for your credit/debit card details or account number to confirm your scholarship participation. Do not share any bank details, and never trust such false claims.
Also Check: Scholarships for Indian students to study abroad after 12th
7. Never Pay Money
Some scholarship scams also ask for money in the form of a processing fee, application fee, redemption fee, or refundable fee, but do not pay money, as this is the most common way of scamming, and many people fall for it. Many scammers claim to refund the money you paid but never return it, stating several clauses or reasons. Refrain from paying money in the first place to avoid scholarship scams, as scholarships are meant to provide money to students, not taking from them.
8. Do Some Research
Before proceeding with a scholarship process, students must do proper research on the company’s background to avoid scholarship scams. Scammers never provide legitimate information and bluff on contact details. Students can identify scammers by their fake websites and their approach.
9. Contact Them
After proper research on the scholarship-giving company’s background, students must try to contact them through email or phone call. Fraud companies never connect with you and avoid communication in any form. Never trust a company that avoids communication.
10. Maintain Communication Records
Another way to avoid scholarship scams is to maintain a proper communication record with the scholarship company, as these records can serve as proof if the company turns out to be a scammer.
Also Check: How to Write a Scholarship Essay?
Types of Scholarship Scams
Scholarship scams can be of various types depending on the way of approach. Some of the types of scholarship scams are listed below:
- Processing-fee asking scholarship scams
- Advance loan scholarship scams
- Documentation-free scholarship scams
- Paid seminar scholarship scams
What to Do If You Get Scammed?
Even after being cautious, if you fall for a scholarship scam, then the first thing you should do is stop communicating with the scammers and approach the nearest cyber cell police department. Update them with all the information you have and provide all the communication records for their reference. You may also contact your bank authorities to block your banking services.
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