This is the time of year when students are busy trying to apply for college scholarships, and although there are some good opportunities out there, you can also fall victim to scholarship scams and schemes.

Karen Stiles of the TODAY’S TMJ4 Call for Action Office has a few tips to help you in your search for real money.

If you or someone you know are looking for college scholarships, beware. Not all offers are as they seem.

We have heard from a number of consumers who have gotten taken advantage of by e-mails, Web sites, or seminars that fail to deliver on their guarantee for a scholarship.

If you are looking for college scholarships, here are a few things to keep in mind before paying or releasing any of your personal information:

•watch out for e-mails, Web sites, or seminars that present limited information and ask you to pay a hefty fee in exchange for a guaranteed scholarship. Quite often, the only thing you will get for this fee is scholarship information that is readily available for free.

•know who you are dealing with before you release your personal information. There are a number of e-mails and Web sites that will try to phish for your information that can be used to steal your money and identity.

•be sure to complete a free application for federal student aid. This can be a great resource for learning what is available from the federal government and may be required by those offering scholarships.

If you are unsure if the offer is legitimate, contact a college financial aid office, or a high school or college advisor.

They can be a great resource for locating less publicized scholarships, and also for providing additional information about some of the scams or schemes that may be circulating at the time.