$79 "processing fees", guaranteed admission for $3,500, phishing emails asking for passport scans — we track them all in a public registry so the next student doesn't fall for it.
Try the featureThe scams are everywhere. Now there''s a registry.
Every week, students message us about scams they almost fell for — or did. The patterns repeat:
1. The "processing fee" scholarship — $50 to $200 to "review" your application for a scholarship that doesn''t exist
2. The guaranteed-admission agent — $2,000–$5,000 for "PhD placement" at universities the agent has no relationship with
3. The phishing fellowship — official-looking emails asking for your passport scan and bank details "to confirm eligibility"
4. The pay-to-apply scheme — $800–$1,500 to "submit" applications to scholarships that are free and public
Report Fraud (/report-fraud) is our community defense. Anyone can submit a report; our moderators verify within 48 hours; verified scams go on the Public Scam Registry with the entity name, the tactic, the date reported, and the severity.
Launch registry already includes
- A pay-to-apply scholarship portal charging $79 (reported 14 times)
- A LinkedIn "PhD placement specialist" charging $3,500 with cease-and-desist letters from named universities
- A phishing email impersonating a 2025 EU fellowship asking for banking info pre-acceptance
- A "visa service" charging $1,200 to submit free public applications
Red flags every applicant should know
- Any "processing fee" or "application fee" to receive a scholarship
- Guaranteed admission or placement for a fee
- Requests for passport scans, bank details, or SSN before formal acceptance
- No verifiable physical address or institutional affiliation
- Pressure tactics — "respond in 24 hours or lose your spot"
Submit a report or browse the registry at [/report-fraud](/report-fraud). Your name stays confidential.
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