Scholarships and financial aid do not require upfront fees. While there are legitimate companies who will help guide you through the financial aid and college application process for a fee, disreputable companies may ask you for money up-front and provide nothing in return. Red flags to watch out for include the following:

• A "money-back guarantee" to secure a scholarship. Don't believe it. Unscrupulous companies attach conditions that make it impossible to get the refund.
• "Secret scholarships." If a company claims to have inside knowledge of scholarship money, they're lying. Information on scholarships is available freely to the public. Ask you librarian or school counselor.
• Telling students they've been selected as "finalists" for awards. If they ask for an up-front fee, head for the nearest exit.
• Asking for a student's checking account to "confirm eligibility." If they want bank account information or your credit card number to confirm or reserve a scholarship, it's a scam.
• Quoting a relatively small "monthly" or "weekly" fee. Then asking for authorization to debit your checking account for an unspecified length of time. Ongoing fees are a sure sign of a scam.
• Unsolicited offers. Whether it's an e-mail, phone call, or it arrived in your mailbox, if you didn't request the information, ignore the offer.