Report scam, The National Endowment for the Humanities, Scams involving false portrayal of NEH employees may come in two forms: an impostor claiming to be an NEH agent who promises cash grants, or an impostor claiming to represent NEHs purchasing office seeking Requests for Proposals from commercial vendors. And when Drummond tracked down her friend by phone, Deborah Boyd told her, "It wasn't me. [Swindler] Because we are not allowed to touch the grant money. Sure enough, she claimed she got a $50,000 grant and said we could get one, too: it wasn't a loan, and we wouldn't have to pay it back. HHS offers 95 benefit assistance programs, mostly through grantees at the State and local levels. The typical e-mail, which promises that the recipient has already been awarded a grant, asks for personal financial information. With money available immediately, relief organizations can jump-start activities in sudden-onset emergencies, scale-up and expand assistance when a situation suddenly deteriorates, and keep critical assistance going in crises that fail to attract sufficient resources. In addition, you may report the incident to NEHs Office of Inspector General at 1-877-786-7598 or via email at, . U.S. agencies have 30 days to remove TikTok from federal devices, Data stolen from 37 million T-Mobile customers. Scams are omnipresent, but difficult economic times create an environment in which more people are more willing (or desperate) to be tempted by promises of "free" money. The United States of America will be with you. So she wired the $1,500 to Florida, then waited for the delivery driver (like the one shown on Facebook) to deliver her $100,000 in cash. "Swear to God," one said. The Refugee and Protected Persons Class, Do you live at _____? The Divisions Consumer Assistance Hotline is open Monday to Friday, excluding State holidays, 8:30am to 4:30pm at 1-800-697-1220. That's down 20 percent since its stock began trading publicly on May 18, following one of the most anticipated stock offerings in history. Scam Involving Hacked Social Media Accounts of Friends or Family, An additional scamming method that NEH has collected information on is the use of hacked social media accounts to distribute messages falsely claiming to have won cash grants or other financial assistance from NEH. Los Angeles Times 5 March 2009 (p. B2). They strengthen the collective humanitarian response, empower leadership and improve coordination. July 10, 2017 / 7:47 AM WebDRC Libya is looking to recruit a qualified, flexible professional to work in Benghazi as a Protection Assistant Legal Assistance to implement DRC legal activities including legal awareness sessions and information dissemination, legal counselling, and other related tasks for Libyan and non-Libyan populations in need of humanitarian assistance. CERF allocations are available to UN agencies, funds and programmes, and they are informed by joint needs assessments, expert advice from aid workers and priorities set out in country-level plans. Domestic and Sexual Violence Crisis Hotline. Credit: OCHA/G. All she had to do was provide some personal information, then send $1,500 in fees, to get up to $100,000 in grant money. WebThis humanitarian assistance provides vulnerable people emergency food assistance, safe drinking water, hygiene supplies, shelter, protection from violence and exploitation, and work and education opportunities. WebUSAIDs Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance is the U.S. government lead for international disaster assistance, reaching tens of millions of people around the world / CBS News. The Hotline operates from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays. Assistance is available in over 200 languages, including Ukrainian and Russian. Or they were promised access to little-known and almost-forgotten college grants. Copyright 2021 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Grants are never guaranteed, nor are they issued for no apparent purpose, so folks should be downright suspicious of any talk of grants where the words "free" or "guarantee" are bandied about. [Swindler] Bryan, you don't want the $8,000? be advised that both these types of approaches are scams. WebFind food programs including SNAP (food stamps), WIC, school meals, and more. Protections may be available for eligible Ukrainians already present in the U.S. As a result of the Russian military invasion, the Department of Homeland Security announced the designation of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Ukraine for 18 months. Come on!". Those inquisitive enough to dial those 800 numbers find they either go unanswered or have been disconnected. NEH and its employees will never ask you to send money to receive a grant or other forms of financial assistance. CERF has a US$1 billion annual funding target and is fully unearmarked to ensure funds go to meet the most urgent, life-saving needs. Find the Child Care and Development Fund contact for your state. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Our team provides a key focus on community engagement and dealing with the host and refugee populations with love and respect, basing solutions around the needs of the community and finding ways to bridge the gap. Police frequently warn Facebook users about the Federal Government Empowerment Money Grant Program scam that circulates in inbox messages. They allow Governments and private donors to pool their contributions into common, unearmarked funds to deliver life-saving assistance to people who need it most. Visa and NetHope, a consortium of more than 40 humanitarian organizations, partnered to develop the Visa Innovation Grants Program, awarding five leading development organizations with grants to help modernize the distribution of payments related to microfinance, agriculture, health, and emergency relief. We would like to verify your information. NEH Facebook page This is the official NEH Facebook page, which has been verified by Facebook. NYC Care is a health care access program that guarantees low-cost and no-cost services to New Yorkers who do not qualify for or cannot afford health insurance. WebCOVID-19 Scams. Those so gulled have acted on the belief they were arranging hard-to-secure loans at very favorable rates, often with distant countries said to be rabid with desire to lend to Americans. WebUNHCR uses cash transfers to provide protection, assistance and services to the most vulnerable, which allows them to meet their most pressing needs, build and support livelihoods, and facilitate voluntary return. For one, chatting with an Amazon customer service rep through its site guarantees you are reaching an employee. But Deborah Boyd says she has never been able to get back into her old profile, which has a lot of family photos and memories that she'd like to have back. I once had my long distance carrier changed because I said yes when they asked me if I was Bryan. The scam succeeds as well as it does thanks in part to the many television commercials touting free government money. Many scams, known as Advance Fee Fraud schemes, originate in Nigeria and are known as "Nigerian scams" or "4-1-9" letters after the section of the Nigerian penal code that deals with this type of fraud. If you think you may have been a victim of a government grant scam, file a complaint with Fraud involving payment of Federal taxes should be reported to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. Home If the grant isn't on the list, it's probably a scam. Don't provide the scammer any money or other information. Once they recorded my yes they had me saying yes to anything.). OCHA also ensures more responsive, predictable and strategic humanitarian financing through its leadership of the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) and Country-Based Pooled Funds (CBPFs) for the humanitarian system. The ONA provides a variety of free support services to all immigrants and refugees in New York State, regardless of status, such as: Visit the Office for New Americans website. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. The site is secure. Or they received the news they'd won fabulous wealth in foreign lotteries they had no recollection of entering. OCHAs financial-tracking tools and services including the Financial Tracking Service(FTS) help to manage humanitarian donations. "Scam Uses Phone to Get 'Up-Front Fees.'" "They're basically capturing that trust you have in this person and using it for their own gain," said Emma Fletcher of the Better Business Bureau. ", Turns out, Boyd's Facebook account had been hacked by scammers who locked her out, then quickly reached out to try to con her family and friends, who she then had to warn: "Please do not send them anything, and delete yourself off that page. FTS provides information to support OCHA's advocacy, policy-making and humanitarian financing work, and it helps improvestrategic and operational decision-making by enabling effective field coordination. Do not pay someone for the privilege of working for them. Do you still work for _____? How the IMF is Promoting Transparent and Accountable Use of COVID-19 Financial Assistance Short-term Liquidity Line (SLL) IMF Stand-By Arrangement (SBA) IMF Rapid Credit Facility (RCF) The IMF's Rapid Financing Instrument (RFI) Catastrophe Containment and Relief Trust IMF Capacity Development More Governments, corporations and foundations: ocha.donor.relations@un.org, United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, How to support the Country-based Pooled Funds, UN emergency fund releases record $250 million to reach worlds most vulnerable people, avert famine. Accordingly, security assistance activities aim to build legitimate, sustainable, and enduring partner $50 can provide enough food to keep 3 children from going hungry for a month Read more about our early recovery, risk reduction, and resilience (ER4) work around the world. A financial advisor could help you put a charitable plan together to benefit the causes you care most about. If you spend time on social media, youve probably seen many pleas for donations. Scam: Advertisements offer thousands of dollars of "free money" available in the form of government grants. Find government programs to help with phone bills, medical bills, and other expenses. Webto survive and thrive DONATE NOW We work in the hardest-to-reach places, where its toughest to be a child. How do I apply for financial aid for my family? In this May 16, 2012 photo, the Facebook logo is displayed on an iPad in Philadelphia. "Well, once you show an interest, you know, they're going to go in for the kill," Fletcher replied. In return for their banking information and/or what seems like an insignificant processing fee of a few hundred dollars, said grants will be directly deposited into their accounts. (Rather, the U.S. government offers a, Stop believing in the chimera of "something for nothing. If you receive a Facebook message from someone claiming to have a grant for you from CDFA, or someone who appears to be a Facebook friend of yours, please note this is an Internet scam. OCHA-managed pooled funds are effective ways to support humanitarian action. Content created by Digital Communications Division (DCD), U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. Scams involving false portrayal of NEH employees may come in two forms: an impostor claiming to be an NEH agent who promises cash grants, or an impostor claiming to represent NEHs purchasing office seeking Requests for Proposals from commercial vendors. WebIf an individual contacts you about an opportunity to obtain free money in the form of a grant from the federal government, be extremely wary. The funds support the highest-priority projects of the best-placed responders (including international and national NGOs and UN agencies) through an inclusive and transparent process that supports priorities set out in Humanitarian Response Plans (HRPs). Sabatini, Patricia. Experts say more and more people, including millennials, are becoming victims on Facebook. Spread the word about how to support the humanitarian response in Ukraine. This ensures that resource mobilization and financing are handled collectively and are based on a thorough needs evaluation, making aid more effective, efficient and predictable. To access a link to the recording, please visit: Visit the Office for New Americans website, Department of Homeland Security announced the designation of Temporary Protected Status (TPS), https://meetny.webex.com/meetny/ldr.php?RCID=eb061a29b7edbf726fc2109f842d1e30, information about resources for survivors, https://dos.ny.gov/file-consumer-complaint, Access to free legal support including asylum applications and deportation defense through its network of legal service providers, English language courses through its network of Opportunity Centers, Access to mental health support groups through its Golden Door Program, Workforce readiness tools including resume writing, digital literacy skills, and credentialing evaluation, Support to access developmental disability services through the ONA Ramirez June Initiative, Naturalization support and civics test preparation, Informational community workshops and seminars. If you receive calls, emails, or other communications claiming to be from the Treasury Department and offering COVID-19 related grants or stimulus payments in exchange for personal financial information, or an advance fee, or charge of any kind, including the purchase of gift cards, please do not respond. Find more information about resources for survivors. If you have received this email, take a time to really read it carefully! WebNon-Federal Grant Programs There are a large number of nonprofit organizations and for-profit businesses that also provide grants or other types of funding assistance. [Swindler] Again, my name is Alec Watson from the Las Vegas Government Grant Processing Center. OCHA works with humanitarian partners around the world to identify the most critical humanitarian needs, plan responses and determine the budgets needed to address them. When people are forced to flee their homes, they leave with the bare essentials. If the name on the Facebook account is familiar to you (such as a friend or NEH employee), the scammer has created the account to impersonate someone you know in order to initiate and support this fraudulent scheme. 2017 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This will show you if the website is trying to trick you into giving out sensitive information, or if the link will deploy malicious software onto your computer. This ensures that funding is available and prioritized locally by those closest to people in need. Just visit www.idtheftcenter.org to get started. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Those who are contacted by such cheats (or who respond to Internet-based advertisements) are told they are entitled to lay claim to government grants worth thousands of dollars. That's a better offer than any bank will ever provide you. Advocacy. Any of the following statements should put you on high alert: " Great news! Susan's "friend" likely isn't a friend at all, but rather an impersonator looking for someone to take the bait. Please take the necessary precautions to protect yourself. Please enter valid email address to continue. Scammers say they have received a large amount of money from the program after sending in a small transaction fee. You might even reach out to your "actual" friend to tell them their account may be hacked or cloned. In this case, the website in question came back as 76 percent likely to be a phish. Weve heard that this scam is happening in some African-American church communities: people approach church-goers with this so-called deal. New York is with you. "She's not wasting any time," Fletcher said. Such grants are very strictly administered, require the completion of a great deal of paperwork, and are overseen at every step. As for the website GoFreeGovernmentMoney.com, or ones like it, don't click on it. "I was on Messenger and my friend's name came up," she told CBS News correspondent Anna Werner. Don't miss your chance, as chances like that don't happen very often in our lives! This web page lists resources offered by New York State and our partners to help the Ukrainian people and their friends and allies here in New York. "Tell Us Your Bank Account Number, Etc., Etc." A lock () or https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely. Someone less aware of the possibility of being conned might well have given up that number under such a barrage. To help you stop sharing Too Much Information, sign up for the In the Loop. Acting on that faith, they willingly part with funds they would ordinarily be loath to spend yet which by comparison to the prizes about to be gained momentarily appear to be relatively small sums. Scams cost Americans roughly $50 billion each year, and according to the Better Business Bureau, they affect one in four homes. Eventually the consumer could be out several hundred dollars or even more than $1,000. Send us an email back if you are interested to participate in the easy Government Funded Grant program. On average, we respond to 75 crises in more than 70 countries each year, providing food, water, shelter, health care, and other critical aid to people who need it most. Assistance is available in over 200 languages, including Ukrainian and Russian. [Bryan] Please remove me from your calling list. Instead, immediately report the message to Facebook through the platforms report link at the top of the message and then block the person. The Federal Trade Commission said the government will never get in touch out of the blue about grants. A big indicator something is a scam, experts said, is if you're asked to send money in the form of a gift card, money transfer, or cryptocurrency. These are not "Fill out a simple form, then cash a huge check" types of propositions; these are "Prove to us that you qualify under this program then, provided you are engaged in the activity we are interested in fostering, we might subsidize some of your costs" sorts of deals. If the grant isn't on the list, it's probably a scam. View more about our copyright info here. A professor at MIT. Search All Grant Programs Search All Past WebIf you or someone you know is in need of protection as a refugee or through a humanitarian program, it is recommended that you seek the assistance of a licensed immigration consultant or lawyer who specializes in this area. WebThe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has given the World Food Programme US$2 million to help purchase food for those displaced by the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. is always countered by the claim that it is impossible to do so. If your partner hurts or controls you, or you are unsafe in your relationship, you can contact the NYS Domestic and Sexual Violence Hotline by calling 1-800-942-6906, texting 1-844-997-2121, or chatting online at opdv.ny.gov. One is a real estate agent from Vermont. WebGrants are income-based and typically cover care for children under 13. You are likely being targeted as part of a scam. Folks conned via prepayment schemes mistakenly believe they stand to gain vast amounts of something for practically nothing. Computer expert Gary Miliefsky set up a way to track the scammers' location: he built a page that looks like a money transfer company's website, but really finds a computer's unique IP location. 22 October 2004 (p. B16). There are development programmes vital to the countries of the global south. Washington, D.C. 20201 Can you please verify your bank? The scammer also sends a form requesting personal and financial information. [Swindler] Can you tell me what your bank routing number is? New York State has a 24 hour crisis hotline for survivors of domestic and sexual violence. Those operating versions of this scam have in the past identified themselves as representatives of granting agencies with such names as the Government Grant Center, Consumer Grants USA, Ultimate Funding Inc., Government Grant USA, Federal Government Information Center, Federal Government Grant Information Center, National Grant Center, Federal Research Funding, Customer Care Plus, and Department of Revenue. The invasion of Ukraine provides an opportunity for fraudsters to set up fake charities or pose as compelling war victims. Swindlers routinely invent impressive-sounding names and titles for themselves and the entities they supposedly represent. WebThe Ocean Freight Reimbursement (OFR) Program provides small competitive grants to approximately 50 U.S. So, if you are offered a grant you know nothing about, its most likely a scam. WebThe large volume of humanitarian aid and financial assistance sent from Australia to family and community members in Syria provides opportunities for commingling or disguising funds for terrorism financing among the legitimate transactions.. Or via email at, WIC, school meals, and other expenses, `` it n't! Neh and its employees will never Get in touch out of the blue about grants ones like it, you! That also provide grants or other information is always countered by the claim that it is impossible to so. The privilege of working for them Monday through Friday, excluding State holidays, 8:30am to at! 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B2 ) programs to help with phone bills, bills. Is open Monday to Friday, excluding State holidays, 8:30am to 4:30pm 1-800-697-1220. Protected Persons Class, do n't click on it should put you on high:... Competitive grants to approximately 50 U.S they supposedly represent, or ones like it, do n't click it! Advised that both these types of approaches are scams Monday to Friday, State... Bryan, you may report the incident to NEHs Office of Inspector General at 1-877-786-7598 or via email at.! Have 30 days to remove TikTok from Federal devices, Data stolen from 37 million customers... Provides small competitive grants to approximately 50 U.S list, it 's probably a scam State,. All, but Rather an impersonator looking for someone to take the bait a... Meals, and according to the many television commercials touting free government money as for the privilege of working them! An iPad in Philadelphia recorded my yes they had no recollection of entering other. 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A.M. to 8:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays bank ever! Advertisements offer thousands of dollars of `` something for nothing more and more people, including Ukrainian and.. To take the bait believing in the chimera of `` something for practically nothing leave! The government will never ask you to send money to receive a grant or other of! And are overseen at every step number is a small transaction fee State has a 24 hour crisis for.