It’s not breaking news that money gets tight for college students, and that might make them a target for scams.

The Wisconsin Better Business Bureau offers advice on how to spot them.

“It’s tempting, of course, you know any money for your education is going to be very helpful,” Lisa Schiller of Media Relations tells The Lift. “We all are feeling the pinch of the economy. We want these things to be true. We want free money. We want scholarships and grants. You know, a lot of time, they are not for real.”

If you get a government grant or scholarship, look for the “.gov” at the end of the website URL. If it ends with “.org” or anything else, it might not be legitimate.

If you don’t know whether the offer is real or not, contact the school’s financial aid office for guidance.

Sometimes these deals are, in fact, too good to be true. That’s a key to spotting online shopping scams.

Lisa says that several online shopping scams are reported each day.

When you shop online, make sure you know who you’re doing business with. Look for their full contact information, including their business name, number, and company address. And reverse check all that information.

The Better Business Bureau has a list of thousands of fake online shopping websites. It’s really easy to take pictures and make something fake that looks like the real deal.

So, sometimes, spotting a scam is as easy as a good search. Research is also key when you’re finding an apartment.

“There is a slew of offers on Craigslist and social media ads that appear to be other students looking for roommates. But you really have to look into rental scams. It’s tempting to hand out your credit card number, lock in a great spot, but you have to make sure it’s a legit offer.”

To make sure you got the real deal, be wary of lower than usual prices, always see the property in person, verify the property owner’s information, and be cautious about credit check websites.

You can report scams to the Better Business Bureau. Lisa says her team is there to help.

But if you do fall for a scam, don’t be afraid to call local authorities.