WV Attorney General Warns Of Scholarship Scams

In a press release dated August 17th, West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey urged students and parents to be cautious when pursuing scholarships.

Rising seniors and current college students applying for scholarships need to be cautious of any scam that exploits those looking for help with the ever increasing costs of tuition and housing.

Attorney General Morrisey said “Scholarships are major accomplishments for students. There are many legitimate scholarships meant to award academic ability and talent. But there are also websites and organizations looking to manipulate families paying for college.”

Scholarship matching services represent a popular scam and involve websites that guarantee or claim to find qualifying scholarships for a fee. Other websites may require money to access its scholarship resources.

Parents and students should be wary of both as online databases and websites exist for free.

Students should research scholarships before applying by talking to a guidance counselor, academic adviser or the offering group to verify the scholarships is legitimate. It is important to determine the specific terms or conditions with any accepted offer.

Those seeking assistance should also fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) annually to receive federal and West Virginia aid. For information and to apply for West Virginia scholarships, such as PROMISE, go to www.cfwv.com.

The Attorney General’s Office issues this advice as part of the third annual Off to College Consumer Protection Week.  To learn about consumer protection efforts in West Virginia, visit www.ago.wv.gov.

If you believe you have been the victim of an online scam, contact the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division at 1-800-368-8808 or visit the Office online at www.wvago.gov.

Story By

Scott Smith

Scott Smith is the General Manager for Allegheny Mountain Radio and Station Coordinator and News Reporter for WVLS. Scott’s family has deep roots in Highland County. While he did not grow up here, he spent as much time as possible on the family farm, and eventually moved to Highland to continue the tradition, which he still pursues with his cousin. Unfortunately, farming doesn’t pay all the bills, so he has previously taken other jobs to support his farming hobby, including pressman/writer for The Recorder, and Ag Projects Coordinator for The Highland Center. He lives in Hightown with wife Michelle and son Ethan. In his spare time, he wishes he had more spare time, especially to ride his prized Harley-Davidson motorcycle. scott@amrmail.org

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