These take the forms of loans, equity investments and occasionally grants. The elderly people who I saw in the videos on Agent Thomas George’s Facebook page were certainly coerced to film those testimonials. In the past, I’ve heard from scam victims who told me that they were encouraged to film similar videos with the promise that if they did they would get their money back.
- They simply published their videos to lure more victims.
- “Whenever there’s a big storm that goes through an area, people will get phone calls or text messages that pretend to be from their insurance or the federal government,” Murray says.
- I had heard enough and had other work to do, so I let this scammer know he was wasting his time.
Linking From EDA Website
This page was clearly dangerous to the Facebook community – especially elderly and naive members. Fake Shirley then admits there is a cost involved in getting this “free” money. Then she shares the Facebook page of Agent Thomas George.
- “This is a scam that regrettably never goes out of vogue,” said Dana Badgerow, president and CEO of BBB of Minnesota and North Dakota.
- Fraud and scams come in all forms, like faked phone calls and swiped credit card information.
- Using a well-known listing service or database, such as GrantWatch, is an excellent place to start.
- In 2024, consumers reported losses of $12.5 billion to fraud, a 25% increase over the previous year.
- When it comes to text-based scams, not engaging can be your most powerful line of defense.
Fraud.org – Government Grants
Grants are free and awarded to you or your organization based on merit and eligibility. If someone tells you to pay a small fee for a guaranteed larger grant size (award), this is never a legit grant. Do not confuse this with paying for a grant-listing service like GrantWatch.com, where you pay a membership fee to access the full directory.
Every grant from the federal government involves an application submitted through a government website, such as Grants.gov. Also, you cannot apply for federal grants over the phone or via email. Any individual claiming that a grant does not require an application, or requires only a phone call or an email, is attempting to scam you.
Doing so could confirm to the fraudsters that your phone number is active and valid, and potentially expose you to further fraud attempts. Be aware that seeing a company’s official logo is not a guarantee that a communication is legitimate. Convincing-looking images or text in a communication can be generated with AI, to give a fraudulent communication an appearance of legitimacy. The good news is that you can take steps to protect yourself and your money—primarily by staying vigilant against suspicious texts and other vehicles for fraud. Here are 3 steps to help protect yourself against text-based fraud.
State and Local Sources:
Although you may be reasonably certain that you wouldn’t fall for any of these con games, unfortunately, there are many people who do. Of course, it’s important to remember that the government has no way to retrieve money sent to scammers. But reporting the schemes can help future victims from falling prey. Recovering funds from a grant scam is very difficult, as scammers quickly move money, often grant scam and fraud alerts using untraceable methods like gift cards or wire transfers.
Warn your at-risk friends and family about Facebook scams
The government does not charge a fee for individuals or entities applying for a federal grant. While financial information may be required as part of the application process, it should be submitted through a government website, such as Grants.gov, and there should never be a cost to you. The government grants scam is just one of many schemes floating around Facebook.
AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that empowers people to choose how they live as they age. “I’ve seen proposals as short as 18 pages and as long as several hundred pages,” says Chamberlain. Those applications must explain who the grant will serve, what the expected outcome will be along with detailed budgets. Writing them isn’t easy, and they can take one to two months, or even longer, to prepare, says Chamberlain. You may be told you have money waiting for you but must give your Social Security number to verify. Hang up and check it with your state property agency or search the free missing money database maintained by the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators.
Fidelity makes no warranties with regard to such information or results obtained by its use, and disclaims any liability arising out of your use of, or any tax position taken in reliance on, such information. Consult an attorney or tax professional regarding your specific situation. When it comes to text-based scams, not engaging can be your most powerful line of defense. Security-related text messages will only ever come from one of the listed “Security” numbers. Join our mailing list to receive the latest news and updates from StartUp Greater Good.
Additionally, avoid those who guarantee you will receive the grant being sought. Just applying for a grant NEVER guarantees you will win the grant. Once submitted, your proposal still needs to undergo a review by the funding source, in what is often a highly competitive process. The government does not award grants based on a drawing or raffle; an individual or entity must first apply for the grant through a federal website, like Grants.gov.
If an offer exhibits any of the following characteristics, it is almost certainly a scam. Your nonprofit receives a phone call, email, or letter claiming you’ve been awarded a free U.S. grant from the federal government. You must pay a processing fee before funds are released. When trying to confirm the validity of a grant, it is crucial to look at who is offering the grant.
So you set to work to get your application, filled with all your personal information, immediately filed. Applying for a real federal grant is nothing like the simple call from a scammer. The process is complex, detailed, and highly competitive. Students facing high tuition costs are vulnerable to scams promising “guaranteed” scholarships or financial aid.
While younger people report losing money more often, adults over 70 consistently lose the most money per incident. These scammers are often trying to lure people into disclosing their personal information—such as login credentials or security codes—potentially by tricking them into entering this information on a malicious website. By not clicking and not engaging, you can stop a potentially devastating fraud in its tracks.
