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Government grant scams: Here's how to avoid them
Brian Roche
Anchor
Government grant scams: Here's how to avoid them
TONIGHT WITH A SCAM PROMISING ITS TARGETS THOUSANDS. REPORTER: THIS IS A SCAM THAT I FEEL THE NEED TO REMIND PEOPLE ABOUT FROM TIME TO TIME. GRANT SCAMS HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR YEARS, BUT WE CONTINUE TO GET QUESTIONS ASKING IS THIS REAL? A VIEWER SENT ME THIS E-MAIL TODAY ASKING, HAVE YOU HEARD OF A SCAM FROM UNITED NATIONS AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ONLINE AGENCY? AGENT CATHY SCOTT TOLD ME I WAS AWARDED A $200,000.00 GRANT. ALL I NEEDED TO DO WAS SEND THEM $500.00 IN DIFFERENT CARDS FROM WAL-MART. THIS IS A SCAM BECAUSE FIRST OF ALL, NO SUCH AGENCY EXISTS. AND HERE’S THE DEAL WITH GOVERNMENT GRANTS. YES, THEY DO EXIST AND MOST GRANTS ARE FREE TO APPLY FOR, BUT THAT’S THE KEY, YOU HAVE TO APPLY FOR THEM, AND THE MONEY HAS TO BE USED ON A PUBLIC PROJECT. THE MONEY IS NOT INTENDED FOR PERSONAL USE. AND AGAIN, YOU DON’T HAVE TO PAY FOR GRANTS. SCAMMERS WILL ASK YOU TO BUY GIFT CARDS OR USE A WIRE TRANSFER TO SEND MONEY. SO, ANY E-MAILS, TEXT MESSAGES, OR PHONE CALLS TELLING YOU THAT YOU WON A GRANT AND YOU HAVE TO PAY TO GET IT, THEY ARE SCAMS. REMEMBER, IF YOU CAN SPOT A SCAM,
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Government grant scams: Here's how to avoid them
Brian Roche
Anchor
Grant scams have been around for years. But sister station WGAL continues to hear from viewers wondering, "Is this real?"WGAL got this email: "Have you heard of a scam from the United Nations and federal government online agency? Agent Cathy Scott told me I was awarded a $200,000 grant. All I needed to do was send them $500 in different cards from Walmart."This is a scam because no such agency exists.Government grants exist, and most grants are free to apply for. But you do have to apply, and the money must be used on a public project. The money is not intended for personal use. Again, you don't have to pay for grants.Scammers will ask you to buy gift cards or use a wire transfer to send money.Any emails, text messages or phone calls telling you that you won a grant and must pay to get it are scams.Watch the video above for the full story.

Grant scams have been around for years. But sister station WGAL continues to hear from viewers wondering, "Is this real?"

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WGAL got this email: "Have you heard of a scam from the United Nations and federal government online agency? Agent Cathy Scott told me I was awarded a $200,000 grant. All I needed to do was send them $500 in different cards from Walmart."

This is a scam because no such agency exists.

Government grants exist, and most grants are free to apply for. But you do have to apply, and the money must be used on a public project. The money is not intended for personal use.

Again, you don't have to pay for grants.

Scammers will ask you to buy gift cards or use a wire transfer to send money.

Any emails, text messages or phone calls telling you that you won a grant and must pay to get it are scams.

Watch the video above for the full story.