Protect your family
Recruiting Scams & Red Flags
Recruiting service and scholarship scam red flags for high school athlete families. Rules checked Oct 18, 2026. Rules change, so confirm details on the linked sources and with each school's compliance office. This is general guidance, not legal or eligibility advice.
What the NCAA says
- No recruiting service can guarantee a scholarship, an offer or a roster spot.
- A service whose fee depends on how much scholarship money you get can create NCAA eligibility problems.
- You can email coaches, send video and fill out questionnaires yourself, free, at any grade. See our free email templates.
Red flags
- "Guaranteed" scholarships or offers.
- Pressure to pay today, or "only a few spots left."
- Fees tied to the size of a scholarship.
- Vague contracts, or claims of special connections to coaches.
- Requests for your FAFSA login or for a fee to "find" or "claim" a scholarship. The FTC says never share your FAFSA credentials or pay to get a scholarship.
Before you pay anyone
- Ask exactly what you get, in writing.
- Ask college coaches whether they use that service.
- Compare it to what you can do free: the directory, questionnaires, and camps at schools on your list.
- Report scams to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
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