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Government Grant Scams
Grant scams are designed to get you so excited about the idea of getting "free" money that you'll share personal information or pay a made-up fee to claim imaginary winnings.
Grant scammers posing as federal employees try to contact people in every way imaginable. They call. They text. They post fake ads for grants. They create fake social media pages using the names of real federal agencies and employees. But all of these grant offers are scams.
The federal government doesn't award grants to to individuals. Instead, federal grants to go to organizations, usually ones conducting research or doing work to further policy goals.
Protect Yourself
If you ever get contacted out of the blue by someone claiming you won or qualify for a federal grant:
- Know that all federal grants are free. Federal employees will never ask people to pay to apply for or receive money from a grant. Federal grants are posted at grants.gov – a site you can check out at no cost.
- Do not engage with calls, letters or messages that claim you won or qualify for a government grant.
- Don't be lured by fake ads or social media pages promising "free" government money.
- Do not share private information such as bank account or Social Security numbers to try to win a grant.
- Avoid clicking on links in unexpected texts or emails. Links from scammers can infect your device with malware or lead you to fake sites designed to collect your personal information.
Report grant scams to Scam Squad at 216-443-7226 or cuyahogacounty.gov/scamsquad.