How to vet a scholarship that looks too good

The clearest red flag is an application fee. Real scholarships give money away; they don't collect it. Any 'processing fee' or 'guaranteed award for a small deposit' is a scam.

Other warning signs: no named sponsoring organization, no physical address, requests for your Social Security number early in the process, or a guarantee that you'll win.

When in doubt, search the scholarship name alongside the sponsoring organization and see whether the organization's own site lists it. A legitimate award almost always appears on the sponsor's official domain.