Beware of scholarship scams

Watch out for pitches that boast:

• "You're a finalist!" or "You've won!" a contest or scholarship you never entered. Be wary, especially if they ask you for a credit card or bank account number to hold your "winnings." Don't believe it. You must apply for scholarships to receive them.
• "First come, first served." While you do need to get your application in before the scholarship deadline, the “first come, first served” rule does not apply to scholarships.
• "Millions of dollars go unclaimed." Legitimate scholarship awards are predetermined. Sponsors work very hard to find the most qualified applicant.
• "It's guaranteed!" Scholarship searches can only guarantee search results. They can’t guarantee you the scholarship money.
• "We'll do the work for you, for a fee." The fee may be nominal and the offer may come from someone sounding official. So make sure you do your research before paying anyone to do a search for you.

If the offer sounds too good to be true, it probably is.