Protect your family
Recruiting Scams & Red Flags
How to spot recruiting and scholarship scams in football. Rules checked Oct 20, 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 film and fill out questionnaires yourself, free, at any grade. See our free email templates and the directory.
Red flags
- "Guaranteed" offers, or promises that D1 coaches will be at an event.
- Paid combines selling "rankings" or "verified" numbers that college coaches don't use.
- Pressure to pay today, or "only a few spots left."
- Fees tied to the size of a scholarship.
- Anyone offering money, gear or other benefits to steer you to a school or agent.
- Requests for your FAFSA login or a fee to "claim" a scholarship.
Before you pay anyone
- Ask exactly what you get, in writing.
- For any camp or combine, ask which colleges will have coaches there, and check with those coaches.
- Report scams to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.