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The government doesn’t telephone people or send
unsolicited letters or emails to offer grants. If someone contacts
you unexpectedly and offers you a grant, it’s a scam. Don’t provide your
financial account numbers, Social Security numbers, or other personal
information in response to such an offer. Crooks “phish” for that
information to steal victims’ money and impersonate them for other
illegal purposes.
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Government grants never require fees of any
kind. You might have to provide financial information to prove that
you qualify for a government grant, but you won’t have to pay to get
one.
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Government grants require an application
process. They aren’t simply given over the phone and are never
guaranteed. Applications for government grants are reviewed to determine
if they meet certain criteria and are awarded based on merit. If you
didn’t apply for a government grant and someone says you’re receiving
one, it’s a scam.
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Government grants are made for specific
purposes, not just because someone is a good taxpayer. Most
government grants are awarded to states, cities, schools, and nonprofit
organizations to help provide services or fund research projects. Grants
to individuals are typically for things like college expenses or
disaster relief.
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Don’t be fooled by official or
impressive-sounding names. Swindlers claiming to provide or help get
government grants often invent impressive-sounding names and titles for
themselves and the companies they represent. They operate under many
different names and phone numbers, take your money, then leave town to
start all over again.
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Beware of services offering government grant
information for a fee or requesting your personal information to provide
it. Information about government grants and other benefits is free
(though there may be a fee for some print publications) and you don’t
have to give personal information to get it.
Resources for Information about Government Grants and Benefits
www.cfda.org
Online catalogue of federal domestic assistance
programs. Hard-copy available for a fee through the Government Printing
Office, (202) 512-1800 or toll-free outside of the DC metro area, (866)
512-1800.
www.fafsa.ed.gov
Information and applications from the U.S.
Department of Education for student financial aid programs. Telephone
hotline, (800) 433-3243, operates Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to midnight
Eastern Standard Time, Saturday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
www.govbenefits.gov
Information about a wide variety of state and
federal government benefits and programs. Telephone hotline, (800)
333-4636, operates Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern Standard
Time.
www.grants.gov
Information about grants available from government
agencies. Telephone hotline, (800) 518-4726, operates Monday-Friday, 7
a.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
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