Grant Scams

Slideshow Transcript

1. Slide 1: Government Grant SCAMS © Evansville BBB 2007
2. Slide 2: John saw this classified ad in his local newspaper. © Evansville BBB 2007
3. Slide 3: The Phone Call [Alec] Hello, my name is Alec Watson from the US Government Grant Processing Center. And you have been approved to receive a $65,000 grant. We would like to verify your information. Do you live at 938 Main Street? Do you still work for Mike’s Automotive? Can you please verify your bank? [John] North Island Financial Credit Union. [Alec] Can you tell me what your bank routing number is? John, we can process your $65,000 fully free grant. We can automatically withdraw the processing amount from your back account. Do you think that a cost of $257 is worth receiving $65,000? © Evansville BBB 2007
4. Slide 4: John decides that the payout is worth giving the information and so the $257 is taken directly out of his bank account. © Evansville BBB 2007
5. Slide 5: This is what John received for his $257. Government Grants 2006 © Evansville BBB 2007
6. Slide 6: No government simply gives money away to individuals. Anyone who tells you differently has larceny in his heart. If you give him your bank account number, he will soon have your funds in his pocket. © Evansville BBB 2007
7. Slide 7: Regarding the government grant scam, keep these three points in mind: The U.S. Government does not telephone people to  offer them grants. Grants are never guaranteed, nor are they issued  for no apparent purpose, so you should be extremely suspicious of anyone who uses the words \"free\" or \"guarantee\" excessively. Real government grants require extensive  documentation with great attention to detail. There is nothing simple or painless about securing a government grant. © Evansville BBB 2007
8. Slide 8: Go to your local library and request grant information. Visit the governments official websites: Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance http://www.cfda.gov and www.grants.gov. It is generally not necessary to pay someone to help you through the process and most agencies provide assistance at no charge in filling out forms and explaining what it takes to qualify. © Evansville BBB 2007
9. Slide 9: If you have any questions about government grant scams, please contact the BBB. 5401 Vogel Rd. Suite 410 Evansville, Indiana 47715 812-473-0202 or 800-359-0979 info@evansville.bbb.org © Evansville BBB 2007 © Evansville BBB 2007