Back-to-School Scams: Fake Scholarships, Supplies, and More
American families spend an average of $890 per child on back-to-school supplies and expenses. College students face even higher costs: textbooks, tuition, housing, and technology. Scammers target both groups with fake scholarships, fraudulent supply deals, and financial aid phishing — timing their attacks for July through September when spending decisions are urgent.
Fake Scholarship Scams
With student debt exceeding $1.7 trillion in the US, scholarship offers are irresistible. Scammers exploit this desperation:
The fee-based scholarship. You "win" a scholarship, but must pay a processing fee, tax, or registration cost to receive it. Legitimate scholarships never require payment from recipients. The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) is clear: if you have to pay to receive scholarship money, it's a scam.
The information-harvesting scholarship. Fake scholarship applications request your SSN, bank account numbers, or other sensitive information. The "scholarship" doesn't exist — the application is a data collection tool for identity theft.
"Congratulations! You've been selected for the American Education Excellence Award — a $10,000 scholarship. To finalize your award, please submit a $75 enrollment verification fee and your Social Security number for tax reporting." — Neither the scholarship nor the organization exists.
The guaranteed scholarship. Services that claim they can "guarantee" you'll receive a scholarship for a fee. No legitimate service can guarantee scholarship awards. They take your money and either do nothing or send you a list of scholarships you could have found for free on sites like Fastweb or Scholarships.com.
Textbook Scams
College textbooks cost an average of $1,200 per year, creating a market for scam deals:
Think it might be a scam?
Paste it here for a free, instant verdict.
Free · No signup required · Cmd+Enter to scan
Fake online textbook stores. Websites offering deeply discounted textbooks that either never ship, ship counterfeit editions with missing content, or ship international editions when domestic editions were advertised (international editions may lack key content).
Social media textbook sellers. Students selling "used textbooks" through Instagram, Reddit, or Facebook groups. Payment is sent, books never arrive. Always use platforms with buyer protection or insist on in-person campus exchanges.
Fake digital access codes. Many courses require online access codes (McGraw-Hill Connect, Pearson MyLab, etc.). Scammers sell "discounted" codes that are expired, already used, or completely fake. Only buy access codes from the publisher or your college bookstore.
Financial Aid Phishing
Students and parents receive emails, texts, or calls claiming to be from FAFSA, the Department of Education, or their college's financial aid office:
- "Your FAFSA application requires immediate verification. Click here to update your information."
- "You've been selected for a federal student aid grant. Log in to claim."
- "Your financial aid is at risk of cancellation. Call this number to verify."
FAFSA communications come from specific official domains. Log into studentaid.gov directly — never through links in messages. Your college's financial aid office can be reached through the number on their official website.
Fake Supply Deals and Ads
Social media ads promoting back-to-school supply bundles, electronics, and clothing at impossibly low prices. These ads lead to fake storefronts that collect payment information and either ship nothing or send cheap knockoffs.
Laptop scams are particularly common. "Refurbished MacBook Pro — $199!" listings on social media lead to sites selling non-functional or counterfeit devices. Buy electronics from authorized retailers or verified refurbishment programs.
Student Housing Scams
As students search for off-campus housing, rental scams spike. Fake listings on Craigslist, Facebook, and even Zillow target students unfamiliar with local markets. The "landlord" asks for deposits or first month's rent via wire transfer before showing the property. The listing uses photos from legitimate rental sites.
Always verify property ownership through local records. Visit in person before sending money. Use your school's off-campus housing resources.
Campus Job Scams
Students receive emails (often to their .edu addresses) offering easy, high-paying jobs:
- "Work from home, earn $500/week as a data entry clerk"
- "Personal assistant needed — $25/hour, flexible schedule"
- "Market research participant — $200 for 30 minutes"
These jobs either don't exist (after you pay a "startup fee"), involve check fraud schemes (deposit this check and forward the money), or harvest personal information for identity theft.
How to Protect Yourself
Use free scholarship search tools. Fastweb, Scholarships.com, and your school's financial aid office are free. Don't pay services to find scholarships.
Verify before you buy. Check unfamiliar textbook sites, supply stores, and deal offers through IsThisAScam before entering payment information.
Never pay to receive financial aid or scholarships. This is a universal rule with no exceptions.
Use your school's official resources. Campus bookstores, financial aid offices, housing boards, and career centers are verified and safe. Use them as starting points.
Buy textbooks through known platforms. Amazon, Chegg, campus bookstores, and publisher websites offer buyer protection. Social media transactions don't.
Verify job offers through your career center. Legitimate campus employers recruit through official channels. Unsolicited high-paying "easy" job offers are almost always scams.
Received something suspicious? Check it now for free →