If you encounter a scholarship offer that asks for money, guarantees an award, contacts you out of the blue, or otherwise appears suspicious, report it. Reporting helps protect other students and assists authorities in investigating fraud.
1. Report to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) – United States
The FTC is the primary agency for consumer fraud reports in the U.S.
- Go to ReportFraud.ftc.gov
- Provide as many details as possible: the name of the organization, website, email addresses, phone numbers, payment methods requested, and copies of messages or screenshots.
- You can report even if you did not lose money. The information still helps track patterns.
2. Report to the U.S. Department of Education
For scams involving federal student aid, FAFSA, or education-related fraud:
- Visit the Office of Inspector General (OIG) website or use the complaint forms available through StudentAid.gov
- Report suspicious activity related to federal student aid or scholarship fraud that claims government affiliation.
3. Contact Your State Attorney General or Consumer Protection Office
Most U.S. states have a consumer protection division or Attorney General’s office that accepts scam reports. Search for “[Your State] Attorney General consumer complaint” to find the correct form.
4. Report Internationally or in Other Countries
- United Kingdom: Action Fraud (actionfraud.police.uk) or the Competition and Markets Authority.
- Canada: Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
- Australia: Scamwatch (scamwatch.gov.au).
- European Union / Other countries: Contact your national consumer protection agency or cybercrime reporting portal.
- Many countries also accept reports through local police if financial loss has occurred.
5. Notify Additional Relevant Parties
- Your school or university financial aid office — They can warn other students and may have seen similar scams.
- Better Business Bureau (BBB) — File a report through BBB Scam Tracker (bbb.org/scamtracker).
- The platform where you saw the scam — Report fake profiles, ads, or pages on social media, email providers, or websites.
- Your bank or payment provider — If you sent money, contact them immediately to attempt recovery or freeze related transactions.
6. Protect Yourself After Reporting
- If you shared personal or financial information, monitor your bank accounts, credit reports, and email.
- Consider placing a fraud alert or credit freeze if sensitive data (such as Social Security number or bank details) was compromised.
- Change passwords for any accounts that may have been exposed.
- In the U.S., visit IdentityTheft.gov for recovery steps if you believe your identity is at risk.
Information to Include in Your Report
When reporting, try to provide:
- Name of the supposed scholarship or organization
- Website addresses and email addresses used
- Phone numbers or social media profiles
- Screenshots of messages, websites, or payment requests
- Dates and methods of contact
- Any amounts requested or paid
- How you first learned about the offer
Quick Tips
- Report even if you did not pay — early reports help stop scams before more people are affected.
- Do not engage further with the scammers after deciding to report.
- Keep copies of all communications and transaction records.
Reporting scholarship scams takes only a few minutes and contributes to broader efforts to protect students. Official agencies rely on public reports to identify trends and take action against fraudulent schemes.
Absolutely. Below is an original, publication-ready FAQ section based on the topics covered by the FTC’s ReportFraud FAQ, but rewritten in fresh language rather than copied from the page. (ReportFraud.ftc.gov)
Explore Scholarships, Fellowships, Grants & Research Funding, Post Grad Job Opportunities and other Travel Guides.
Frequently Asked Questions About Reporting Fraud, Scams and Identity Theft
What is ReportFraud.gov?
ReportFraud.gov is the U.S. Federal Trade Commission’s online reporting platform for consumers who want to report fraud, scams, identity theft, and other deceptive or unfair business practices. Information submitted through the platform can help the FTC identify patterns of illegal activity and support investigations and enforcement actions.
What types of scams can I report?
You can report many types of suspected fraud or deceptive activity, including scholarship scams, government impersonation scams, fake grants, investment fraud, online shopping scams, identity theft, unwanted communications, and other fraudulent schemes.
If you are unsure whether a situation qualifies as fraud, you can still provide the information you have. The FTC uses reports to identify broader patterns and emerging scams.
Can I report a scam even if I did not lose money?
Yes. You can report suspected fraud even when you did not send money or provide personal information. Reporting attempted scams can help authorities identify fraudulent operations and warn other consumers about emerging schemes.
What if I already sent money to a scammer?
Report the incident as soon as possible. You should also contact the company or financial institution that handled the transaction and ask whether the payment can be cancelled, reversed, or recovered.
The appropriate action depends on how you paid. For example, the steps may differ if you used a bank transfer, credit card, debit card, payment application, cryptocurrency, wire transfer, or another payment method.
Can I report identity theft?
Yes. Identity theft should be reported through the FTC’s identity-theft resources. Victims can receive information about steps to take to protect their accounts, credit records, and personal information.
What information should I provide when reporting fraud?
Provide as many relevant details as possible. This may include:
- The name of the individual, company, organisation, or website involved
- How the person contacted you
- What you were offered or promised
- Dates and times of important communications
- Amount of money requested or lost
- How you were asked to make payment
- Email addresses, phone numbers, websites, or social media accounts used
- Copies or details of suspicious messages and documents
- Any personal or financial information you may have shared
You do not need to have every detail before submitting a report.
Do I have to know who committed the fraud?
No. You can report a suspected scam even if you do not know the identity of the person responsible. Information such as a telephone number, email address, website, payment details, or social media profile may still be useful to investigators.
Will the FTC contact me after I submit a report?
Submitting a report does not necessarily mean that an investigator will contact you. The FTC receives a large volume of consumer reports and uses the information to identify trends, investigate cases, and support enforcement activities.
Will reporting a scam guarantee that I will get my money back?
No. A fraud report does not guarantee reimbursement. If money has already been transferred, you should contact the relevant bank, card issuer, payment service, or money-transfer company immediately to ask about available recovery options.
Can I report a scam on behalf of another person?
If you have information about suspected fraud affecting another person or organisation, you may be able to provide relevant information through the appropriate reporting channels. However, victims should also take direct steps to protect their accounts, finances, and personal information where possible.
Is my report confidential?
Information submitted to the FTC may be used for law-enforcement and consumer-protection purposes. Before submitting sensitive information, applicants should review the FTC’s privacy information and understand how reports may be used.
What should I do if someone claims to be from the government?
Be cautious if someone unexpectedly contacts you claiming to represent a government agency and demands money or sensitive information. Do not rely on the telephone number, email address, website, or caller ID supplied by the person.
Instead, independently locate the agency’s official website and contact information and verify the claim directly.
How can I recognise a scholarship or grant scam?
Be particularly careful when a supposed scholarship or grant:
- Guarantees that you will receive funding
- Contacts you unexpectedly claiming you have already won
- Requests an upfront payment before releasing funds
- Demands payment through unusual channels
- Asks for banking passwords, PINs, or other highly sensitive information
- Uses pressure or threats to make you act immediately
- Provides unverifiable contact details
- Uses an email address or website that does not match the official organisation
- Claims that a payment is required but cannot provide an official fee policy
A legitimate programme should be independently verifiable through its official website or recognised institutional channels.
What should I do before paying a scholarship or fellowship fee?
First determine exactly what the payment is for. Some legitimate programmes may have application, examination, registration, visa, or other associated costs, but applicants should verify the requirement independently.
Do not rely solely on information sent by an unknown agent. Visit the programme’s official website, review its published requirements, and contact the organisation using independently verified contact details.
What if a scammer asks me to keep the offer secret?
Treat secrecy demands as a warning sign. Fraudsters may discourage victims from consulting family members, banks, universities, government agencies, or other trusted sources because independent verification can expose the scam.
What if I have already shared my personal information?
Act quickly. Depending on what information was exposed, you may need to change passwords, secure financial accounts, notify your bank, monitor account activity, and take steps to protect your identity.
If you shared highly sensitive information, seek guidance from the relevant financial institution or official identity-theft resources.
Should I delete the scam message?
Keep useful evidence before deleting or blocking the sender. Save relevant emails, screenshots, payment records, website addresses, phone numbers, usernames, and other information that could help establish what happened.
Can reporting a scam help other people?
Yes. Consumer reports can help authorities identify recurring fraud patterns and understand how scammers are targeting people. Reporting suspicious activity may therefore contribute to broader efforts to detect and disrupt fraudulent schemes.
What should I do if I believe a website is fraudulent?
Do not provide additional personal or financial information. Save the website address and relevant evidence, verify the organisation independently, and report the suspected fraud through an appropriate official reporting channel.
What is the most important rule when dealing with a suspicious offer?
Stop and verify before you pay or share sensitive information. Scammers often create urgency so that victims act before checking the facts. Taking time to independently verify a scholarship, grant, fellowship, job, or government benefit can prevent financial loss and identity theft.
Where can I report fraud in the United States?
Consumers can use the FTC’s official fraud-reporting service at ReportFraud.gov. For identity-theft matters, the FTC also provides dedicated resources through its official identity-theft service.
If money has been lost, contact the relevant bank, card provider, payment platform, or money-transfer service immediately in addition to making a fraud report.
Fraud Protection Contents
- Step-by-Step Guide to Protect Yourself from Student Loan Fraud
- How to Verify Scholarships, Fellowships, Grants, and Financial Aid Funding
- How to Avoid Scholarship Scams: No Upfront Payments – What You Need to Know
Disclaimer
This FAQ is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It has been independently rewritten to help readers understand common fraud, scam, scholarship, grant, fellowship, and identity-theft reporting issues. It is not an official publication of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and should not be considered legal, financial, or government advice.
Reporting procedures, contact information, and government requirements may change over time. Readers should verify current information directly through the relevant official government or law-enforcement website before taking action. ScholarshipsTravel.com does not guarantee that reporting a scam will result in the recovery of lost funds or other remedies.
If you believe you have been targeted by fraud, avoid sending additional money or sensitive information and contact the appropriate official authority or financial institution as soon as possible.