But those photos of the "agents"? The NYS New Americans Hotline connects immigrants and refugees to free services across the state. How do you know if the grant offer is legitimate or a scam? Receive the latest updates from the Secretary, Blogs, and News Releases. See the full story with 2 News Oklahoma on Thursday at 6 a.m. Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere --. For one, chatting with an Amazon customer service rep through its site guarantees you are reaching an employee. If you think you are a victim of identity theft, or want to learn more about this scam, contact the Identity Theft Resource Center for toll-free, no-cost 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. So we wondered: were the scammers still active? Anytime disasters occur, scam artists prey on the heartstrings of individuals looking to help. Please be aware that NEH does not distribute cash grants as financial assistance and that all current grant offerings can be found atwww.neh.gov/grants/listing. ", 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. [Bryan] Please remove me from your calling list. Dont do it. If you are a U.S. citizen in Ukraine, the U.S. State Department has resources for those wishing to depart. There is nothing simple or painless about securing a government grant. I do not have a checkbook with me. [Swindler] Can you tell me what your bank routing number is? Scammers say they have received a large amount of money from the program after sending in a small transaction fee. [Bryan] Why can't you subtract the money from the grant? 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. The Federal Trade Commission said the government will never get in touch out of the blue about grants. Sure enough, the agent then told Drummond she could get financial assistance from the government. Wyoming Tribune-Eagle "BBB Warns Local Consumers About Government Grant Scam." However, all consular services which require receiving documents from Ukraine, including issuance of new passports and visa services, have been suspended until further notice. Credit: OCHA/G. The numbers needing support continue to rise from the estimated 14 million people needing aid last The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), a federal grantmaking agency, is committed to suppressing several ongoing scam attempts being perpetrated If the grant isn't on the list, it's probably a scam. 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. You can speak with an expert advisor by phone (888.400.5530) or live-chat on the company website. The U.S. Government does not telephone people to offer them grants. They also are not given away on Facebook and only rarely go to individuals, as opposed to organizations or local governments. These promises and seeming proofs serve only one purpose, and it is not the protection of the consumer -- they work to lend an air of legitimacy to the pitch so as to soothe the suspicions of those about to be taken. According to the FTC, the safest and smartest way to donate is to send a check, or use a credit card on the charitys secure website. WebIn this scam, random people befriend you on Facebook and send you messages informing you about a new federal grant such as the DHHS Financial Program that allows you to Emails or messages from individuals you know saying they are You may be one of the luckiest people ever to get a Government Funded Grant. Grants are awarded on the basis of specific criteria having been met for specific programs. The .gov means its official. Please let me talk to a supervisor. Our continuous goal is to empower the community to take leadership roles in building solutions. U.S. agencies have 30 days to remove TikTok from federal devices, Data stolen from 37 million T-Mobile customers. Spread the word about how to support the humanitarian response in Ukraine. 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. Can you please verify your bank? "Agencies Warn of Grant Scheme." Sabatini, Patricia. By the way, the people we mentioned whose photos were used? harnessing the power of communities, we work diligently, with all stakeholders in the community to build a network of information, that helps drive strategies and address the communities immediate needs; We work closely with the needs of the various stakeholders to be able to build sustainable solutions and strategies that are accepted by the host community and the refugee population. In this May 16, 2012 photo, the Facebook logo is displayed on an iPad in Philadelphia. Copyright 2021 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. WebCall 1-800-566-7636 for assistance. Often these methods use social media accounts of friends or family, creating confusion and using trust to manipulate people into responding. WebHumanitarian Emergency Response Personnel often set-up aid programmes in the first phase of the crises before passing it over aid workers deployed for longer missions. "Swear to God," one said. Policy. So what happens when a person you think is a Facebook "friend" turns out to be someone else? Real government grants require extensive documentation with great attention to detail. OCHAs financial-tracking tools and services including the Financial Tracking Service(FTS) help to manage humanitarian donations. "I've been approached about something that I think is a scam, even though my friend says it is legitimate, viewer Susan told 2 News. Home At the country level, OCHA helps partners to build common strategies and implementation plans and to appeal for funds as a group. But Boyd told us Facebook still hasn't solved her problem, and the scammers still have a fake profile up with her name. Or they were promised access to little-known and almost-forgotten college grants. "Supervisors" may join phone conversations between scam artists and their potential pigeons to assure those evincing doubts about the government wanting to give them money that everything is meticulously legitimate. 2 December 2004 (p. A2). > Answers She's raising the red flag on a scam that is again preying on innocent Facebook users. Find government programs to help with phone bills, medical bills, and other expenses. Be Aware of False Claims of NEH Grant Winners and False Requests for Proposals, The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), a federal grantmaking agency, is committed to suppressing several ongoing scam attempts being perpetrated through Facebook, texting, telephone, email, and other mediums. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. be advised that both these types of approaches are scams. To access a link to the recording, please visit: https://meetny.webex.com/meetny/ldr.php?RCID=eb061a29b7edbf726fc2109f842d1e30. If you spend time on social media, youve probably seen many pleas for donations. The most frequently reported WebThe United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is an independent agency of the U.S. federal government that is primarily responsible for administering civilian foreign aid and development assistance.With a budget of over $27 billion, USAID is one of the largest official aid agencies in the world and accounts for more than half of all U.S. Callers can connect with advocates for confidential support in most languages, including Ukrainian and Russian. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure youre on a federal government site. Tulsa World. Amid the appalling humanitarian crisis thats going on in Ukraine, its almost impossible not to want to dig deep and donate to the cause whether in the form of medical relief, refugee assistance, needed military supplies, or aid to children. Some of these schemes Those who suspect something might be wrong with the notion of the government's handing them money for no discernable reason are told they are eligible for this form of largesse as a reward for their having paid their taxes promptly for the past few years or because they're senior citizens. detention), can call the Consulates hotline number at 917-325-1444 for assistance. Take a look at where we work. If the grant isn't on the list, it's probably a scam. Such frauds are typically touted to Internet users through e-mails like the first example cited above or through a plethora of similar web-based advertisements, or to the off-line world through telephone solicitations. In this scenario, it is likely the message is a scam sent from a fake account. Washington, D.C. 20201 The scammer also sends a form requesting personal and financial information. In a recently published survey of 2,832 businesses about their concerns related to the pandemics impact, 82 percent were interested in pursuing federal assistance, but only four percent of respondents expressed concerns about government financial support, such as the Paycheck Protection If you receive a Facebook message from someone claiming to have a grant for you from CDFA, or someone who appears to be a "That's what scam artists do," said Pat Coakley of the Better Business Bureau, "they operate under a variety of names and phone numbers, then leave town and start all over again under other assumed names.". Covering a many different types of humanitarian jobs, Emergency Response Personnel need to be on stand-by ready to deploy into a rapidly developing crisis. Just visit www.idtheftcenter.org to get started. The Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has issued a humanitarian assistance fact sheet, Supplemental Guidance for the Provision of Humanitarian Assistance. 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. The Department of States Office of Global Partnerships has established a public-private partnership to direct funds to organizations that are helping to address the humanitarian needs of those impacted by the Kremlins aggression against Ukraine. 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. And when Drummond tracked down her friend by phone, Deborah Boyd told her, "It wasn't me. 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