Beyond room and board, watch out for the manipulation tactics that turn your family’s best intentions into profit for tricksters. Are you paying for free help? Find out now.

As if college doesn’t already cost enough, there are even more ways parents are separated from their money in the higher education space. When families begin the college search and planning process, they encounter all kinds of information. The COA, or Cost of Attendance, is one of the first litany of expenses parents and their students see, and it can cause pure panic. 

Unfortunately, it doesn’t end with tuition, housing, meal plans, textbooks and supplies, et cetera, et cetera. Nope. The expenses just keep piling up, including transportation, parking passes, lab fees, and plenty more. So, it’s understandable that parents will look to cut their costs any way they can. And that’s why they fall for common college scams.

Avoiding the Tricks Aimed at Students and Parents

Okay, we’ve all paid for things we shouldn’t have sometimes in our lives. In most instances, these represent small cases of buyer’s remorse and aren’t particularly financially devastating. They are simply impulse purchases or the next shiny new thing. These purchases may not even be all that expensive. But when people are tricked out of their money, it’s a whole different matter. Deceit is nowhere near the same as a snap decision or a whim, because when you’re fooled solely for the purpose of financially benefitting a fraudster, it’s unfair and unethical (though not necessarily illegal).

What to Watch Out for When Paying for College

Parents naturally want to do the very best for their kids. It’s this instinct that some individuals exploit, counting on mom and dad to make decisions based on emotion rather than logic. So, manipulation is a major tool, and it’s used to perpetrate scams that target parents and college students for services or “help” that are either unnecessary or available for free directly from the school, government, or other legitimate channels:

1. Fake FERPA/parent access or record release services. Scammers send letters or emails with QR codes/links offering to “process” a FERPA release form for parent access to grades, billing, or records — often charging $100–$200+. Students can submit these authorizations for free directly through the university’s registrar portal or forms. No third-party service is needed.
2. Scholarship or financial aid “guarantee” services. Companies charge upfront fees (hundreds of dollars) for “finding” scholarships, filling out the FAFSA, or “guaranteeing” aid. They may send generic lists or promise results. The real FAFSA is free on studentaid.gov. Scholarship searches are free via legitimate sites, and no one can guarantee awards. Schools and advisors provide this help at no cost.
3. Fake tuition payment or “discounts.” Third parties contact families offering to pay tuition for a small fee or “5% discount” if you give them login info or pay through their site. Or they claim unpaid tuition and demand immediate payment. Always pay tuition directly through the university’s official portal. Schools never ask for payment through random third parties or via urgent, unsolicited calls/texts.
4. Housing/Rental Scams (fake listings or moving). Scammers post unrealistically cheap apartments on Craigslist, Facebook, etc., require upfront deposits or fees without letting you see the place, or offer “moving services” that require advance payments. Verify listings in person or through official university housing offices. Legitimate landlords rarely demand large payments sight-unseen, especially for students.
5. Textbook or course material “deals” / fake prep. Offers for “cheap” textbooks, access codes, or test prep that require payment to a third party, often with promises of big savings or guaranteed better grades. Buy/rent directly from the campus bookstore, official publishers, or verified platforms. Many materials are available through the school library or included in tuition/fees.

The bottom line is that unsolicited contacts, urgency/pressure to pay quickly, requests for unusual payment methods (gift cards, wire transfers), or claims that something official requires a third-party fee. Always go straight to the university’s official website or contact the relevant office (registrar, financial aid, housing) to verify. If something feels off, report it to the school and the FTC.

Parents, what have your experiences been, and what would you add?