Protect your family
Recruiting Scams & Red Flags
How to spot recruiting and scholarship scams. Rules checked Oct 19, 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.
- Claims that a service can get a D1 softball coach to talk to you before Sept. 1 of junior year.
- Requests for your FAFSA login or a fee to "claim" a scholarship.
Before you pay anyone
- Ask exactly what you get, in writing.
- Ask college coaches whether they use that service.
- Report scams to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.