Other LanguagesHere's a new scam that came across my inbox today. An Auburn woman says her mother-in-law received a phone call from a "Ms. Poor," supposedly from The College Board who wanted $129 for materials related to the S.A.T. that her grandson had supposedly ordered. But the family claims no such materials were ordered and the student can't even take the exam until next year. Luckily, no one lost any money.
On a related note, the Better Business Bureau warns students and parents NOT to pay upfront for a company that promises to help find scholarships and grants. Here's a snippet from their recent news release:
One such company, Edifi-College Financial Aid, sends prospective college students a letter explaining they have been selected for a personal interview. Students who call for their interview are scheduled for a financial aid seminar along with other students and parents. Complainants say they attended the seminar and later paid more than $1,000 for help finding aid, but the services offered were mostly assistance in filling out financial aid forms.
BBB is also receiving complaints about J.E.C.C., Inc. Complainants say they thought they were taking advantage of a free trial CD-ROM on how to get federal grants for college. Some were charged as much as $69 even before receiving the information in the mail and those who did receive the information complained that it wasn’t helpful at all.
Here are a few FREE scholarship search sites to try, courtesy of the Washington Higher Education Coordinating Board: