<p>I understand to avoid those letters that for "a minimal fee" offer to help provide financial aid information or scholarship information.</p>
<p>However, I've been perusing fastweb more recently, and have submitted an application to places like "College Insider Resources" and might submit an application to "AdmissionFacts". Masons of California asks for your social security number.</p>
<p>I understand that in order to get money you would have to provide tax information at some point... but I'm worried that my information (such as address, name, etc) will be going to the wrong places. Is fastweb a surefire safe and secure place? If not, how can you tell which scholarship sources are legitimate?</p>
<p>On the alternative, scholarships outside of the school's financial aid system I've heard are really hard to come by - maybe the effort's not worth it at all, and the fin aid app should speak for itself?</p>