What do you do if a private organization refuses to pay a promised scholarship?

Question

What do you do if you supposedly win a scholarship from a private organization yet they refuse to pay?

Answer 1

As far as forcing them to pay, there is probably not much that you can do. Sadly, scholarship fraud is not an uncommon incident in this country.

If you are a victim of scholarship fraud - like, for example, if you paid this organization money to provide you with this scholarship (registration fees, processing fees, application fees, origination fees, whatever), you should file a complaint with one or more of the following organizations:

Federal Trade Commission

National Fraud Information Center

Bureau of Consumer Protection at your State Attorney General's Office

US Postal Inspection Service

Better Business Bureau

Contact information for all of those is available on the helpful page below.

A complaint may not help you get the money you were promised, but it will help other students avoid becoming a victim, and it may lead to the company being shut down.

I wish I had better news for you. Good luck with school!