Government Grant Scam
Scammers claim you've been selected for a free government grant. Real grants require applications—you can't win grants you didn't apply for.
🚩 Red Flags
- ⚠Unsolicited contact about grant money
- ⚠Fee required to receive "free" money
- ⚠Can't name specific verifiable program
- ⚠Friend's account promoting grants (hacked)
🛡️ Protect Yourself
- →IGNORE: Can't win grants you didn't apply for
- →NEVER PAY to receive grants
- →VERIFY: Real grants at grants.gov
- →Friend promoting grants = likely hacked
More Details
- “You've been selected for a government grant”
- “Free money from Federal Grant Administration”
- “Small processing fee to release funds”
- “I just received my grant - you should apply”
Common Questions
Never. IRS contacts by mail first, never threatens immediate arrest, never demands gift cards or crypto.
No. SSNs cannot be suspended — this is impossible. Any message saying this is 100% a scam.
Never. Warrants go through courts, not phone payments. Hang up.
Hang up. Call the agency using the number from their .gov website. IRS: 1-800-829-1040. SSA: 1-800-772-1213.
Report This Scam
If you've encountered this scam, report it to help protect others.
Warn Someone You Know
Know someone who might fall for this? Share this warning with them.
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73% of Americans targeted(Pew, 2025)
|$470M lost to text scams in 2024(FTC)
|$16.6B total losses(FBI IC3, 2024)