Publication Date: April 30, 2002
Author: General Manager: FSA Student Channel
Summary: "Don't Get Stung!" poster
Posted on April 30, 2002
"Don't Get Stung!" poster
The "Don't Get Stung!" poster reminds students that information about federal student aid is free and that it's available from a variety of easily accessible, and reputable, sources.
There are many legitimate organizations that charge fees for advice on college admissions and financial aid. But there are also organizations that make excessive claims regarding their services, charge exorbitant fees, and use high-pressure tactics on students and parents. Concern over this threat to the free student aid application process was so great that, in 2000, Congress passed the College Scholarship Fraud Prevention Act. The Act's purpose is "to enhance protections against fraud in the offering of financial assistance for college education." "Don't Get Stung!" is one aspect of ED's nationwide campaign to let students know they don't have to pay for federal student aid applications or advice.*
The poster is available in Portable Document Format (PDF) here for you to download and print out on 8.5x11 paper. You can also receive up to 10 copies of the full-size poster by calling ED Pubs at 1-877-4-ED-PUBS.
*For more information about financial aid scams, visit our "Looking for Student Aid" page (www.ed.gov/prog_info/SFA/LSA) and the Federal Trade Commission's "Scholarship Scams" pages (www.ftc.gov/scholarshipscams).