<p><div>Legitimate College Funding Sources Versus Scams: Watch The Money!</div><div>by Michelle Connor</div></p><div><p>Tuition for traditional and online school programs can be more affordable with the help of college grants, scholarships and fellowships that don't have to be repaid the way student loans do. You do, however, need to be beware of scams. The Federal Trade Commission in 2009 received nearly 840 consumer complaints about scholarship and grant programs, up from 177 complaints in 2008, according to a report published in Smart Money in April.</p><p>Companies might begin by offering scholarship seminars or scholarship consultant visits at no cost and then charge as much as $2,000 for their services, the Smart Money report noted. In at least one instance, an Arizona woman responded to an offer of $15,000 in federal stimulus grant money to help pay for her education, cashed a $2,000 check that she received and sent the company that provided it $2,100 for alleged taxes on the full amount, according to a March report from Phoenix-based ABC 15. But the woman never received the $13,000 balance, and the $2,000 check she deposited bounced after her $2,100 cleared, ABC 15 suggested. If you need more information about <a href="http://www.educationconnection.com/forms/SEM-legal/blog.aspx">online programs</a>, look on the internet.</p><p>Students and parents seeking online college grants, scholarships and fellowships might consider some advice from experts:</p><p>(1) Don't participate in free grant offers that are unsolicited, and don't spend money for "free" government grants, the Federal Trade Commission and ABC 15 reporter Joe Ducey caution. If you have not applied for a government grant (online or otherwise) and are told you're receiving one, it's a scam, according to information that's been attributed to the Better Business Bureau. And you can stop telemarketing calls by registering your telephone number with the National Do Not Call Registry, the Trade Commission reminds.</p><p>(2) Don't deposit checks from people and companies you don't know, and don't wire money to anyone you don't know, Ducey suggests. Likewise, don't provide bank account information in instances where you don't know a company or why the information is needed, the Federal Trade Commission cautions.</p><p>(3) Don't believe everything you hear. There are legitimate companies advertising that they can provide students with scholarship lists in exchange for advance fees, the Trade Commission reports. There are also companies that charge upfront fees to compare student profiles with possible scholarship opportunities, the Trade Commission adds. But legitimate companies never guarantee or promise scholarships or grants for online college and traditional college pursuits, the agency suggests. If you receive an unsolicited grant offer, Ducey recommends that you consider doing an Internet search, and the Trade Commission recommends checking to ensure government agency names are correct. The commission also cautions you to be wary of statements like, "You've been selected by a 'national foundation' to receive a scholarship", and "You're a finalist" in a contest you never entered.</p><p>(4) Do research grants online and at the library and talk with financial aid representatives and guidance counselors. There's typically no cost for applying for online college grants, scholarships and fellowships that schools, large companies, non-profit organizations and government agencies make available. Completing a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which is available on the US Department of Education Web site, allows applicants to receive information about the types of government financial aid, including low-interest student loans, best suited to them. And a Web site that the Federal Trade Commission says is the only official access point for federal grant-making agencies in general includes an online database. The government itself doesn't contact anyone to offer money, Better Business Bureau information on the database Web site reports. And the database Web site states that it doesn't ask for social security numbers, banking or credit card information and that it doesn't share information, except when it comes to government agencies that can offer assistance.</p><p>(5) Do your homework when attending financial aid seminars. The Federal Trade Commission recommends that you investigate any organization that you consider paying for assistance and that you be wary of testimonials. The commission's advice: Ask the company to provide three referrals, and speak with those referrals about how satisfied they were with products and services; ask the company about its costs, services and refund policy, and get that information in writing; be cautious of seminar representatives who evade or are reluctant to answer questions; and consider that you may never have money refunded from some unscrupulous operators, even if a refund policy is in writing. There is an abundance of information about <a href="http://ezinearticles.com/?Finding-Legitimate-College-Funding-Sources---Watch-the-Money&id=4146543">federal grants</a> on the web.</p><p>There are few things more frustrating than needing money to take classes on campus or at <a href="http://www.educationconnection.com/">colleges online</a> and then finding out someone has scammed you. Searching for <a href="http://www.educationconnection.com/financial-aid/">government grants</a> sources, government financial aid, loans, and scholarships will turn up both legitimate and fake resources and you will need to use some common sense and do some research.</p></div><p>Article kindly provided by <a href='http://uberarticles.com'>UberArticles.com</a></p>