Legitimate grants do not show up at your door as a surprise you have to apply for them. 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. When you give to Save the Children, 85% of every dollar goes straight to our mission to provide lifesaving relief to children. The authorities commitment to work with international partners to ensure that part of the disbursement will provide immediate Toll Free Call Center: 1-877-696-6775. Our goal is to work to communities and stakeholders to build sustainable momentum to face the worlds toughest challenges. Credit: OCHA/G. For 24-Hour Support for Deaf or hard of hearing American Sign Language users: The national Disaster Distress Helpline (DDH) is now offering direct crisis counseling and support for Deaf or hard of hearing American Sign Language users via a dedicated videophone option. All rights reserved. [Swindler] Bryan, you don't want the $8,000? Welcoming.US has created a toolkit with resources and information for the New York/ Newark area to support Ukrainian arrivals and their sponsors, available here. WebDonate to legitimate and efficient charities aiding those affected by the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Yemen. Humanitarian Assistance Program is an initiative providing comprehensive services, including strategic and on-ground support to Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. 23 July 2004 (p. B1). WebOn average, humanitarian crises are more complex than at any time in the last 15 years, and last nearly three years longer than they used to. You may also report it to the Federal Trade Commission athttps://reportfraud.ftc.gov/, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation athttp://www.ic3.gov. 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. The Consulate General of Ukraine in New York is currently providing consular services. And it wasn't just the fake Deborah Boyd account: we found what appears to be a network of fake Facebook profiles offering grants, from $50,000 to $1,000,000 -- all while assuring us it wasn't a scam. Fraud involving payment of Federal taxes should be reported to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. For Shellie Drummond, it started when she found the Facebook profile for a friend from years back, named Deborah Boyd. 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. 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. 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. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. It is important you can spot the scam and know what to do when you encounter it. In this situation, its wise to recall two adages: 1) If it appears too good to be true, it probably is, and 2) "Scam Uses Phone to Get 'Up-Front Fees.'" All calls are confidential. Do you still work for _____? The caller then leads the person to believe they have qualified for a government grant and in order to pay out the grant they need the persons bank account number or they have the account number and need the person to verify the account number. If you think you may have been a victim of a government grant scam, file a complaint with ", 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. July 10, 2017 / 7:47 AM [Swindler] We have noticed that you have paid your taxes on time for the last 20 years. Dont do it. Responding to the message could result in identity theft. WebWARNING: There has been a scam going around on Facebook where accounts have been approaching individuals as agents of Global Greengrants Fund saying they can provide You can find more information and tips by following the Division of Consumer Protection on social media on Twitter (@NYSConsumer) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/nysconsumer). Then, report the grant scam to the social media site. In this case, the website in question came back as 76 percent likely to be a phish. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in product are those of the contributors and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice. International humanitarian organization CARE has set up an emergency Ukrainian Crisis Fund with the goal of providing immediate support for 4 million people. As for the website GoFreeGovernmentMoney.com, or ones like it, don't click on it. This material may not be reproduced without permission. We work to ensure that this assistance reaches people affected by natural disastersincluding hurricanes, earthquakes, and volcanoesas well as slow-onset crises, such as drought and conflict. Both methods use email, Facebook Messenger, and other mediums to contact potential victims and elicit responses and eventual transmission of money or giftcards. $50 can provide enough food to keep 3 children from going hungry for a month Disaster survivors and responders can connect with trained DDH crisis workers fluent in ASL by dialing 1-800-985-5990 from a videophone-enabled device or via an ASL Now link which can be accessed at DisasterDistress.samhsa.gov. The authorities are committed to using resources transparently and intend to channel US$20 million of the disbursement through the existing systems of trusted development partners to provide immediate humanitarian assistance that Many grants go unawarded every year, simply because most people don't know about the programs they may qualify for. "Prepayment" frauds are far from brand-spanking new: Many successful flim-flams hold out the carrot of big money (which never materializes no matter how hard it is chased after) to seduce the gullible into parting with some of their hard-earned funds. You can check for phishing by copying the URL and pasting it into PhishTank. 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 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. Regarding the government grant scam, keep these three points in mind: Colker, David. Look at the "Contact Us" section. FEMA websites will be identified as official U.S. Government sites and will never accept credit card information for payments or donations. "The person that I was corresponding with that I thought was my friend had vouched for this foundation, and I believed her," said Drummond. In additional to the [web] sites, several e-mail frauds having to do with the stimulus package have been reported to the [Federal Trade Commission]. Send us an email back if you are interested to participate in the easy Government Funded Grant program. She's raising the red flag on a scam that is again preying on innocent Facebook users. However, it is a Federal Government Empowerment Money Grant Program scam. 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. Assistance is available in over 200 languages, including Ukrainian and Russian. In this scenario, it is likely the message is a scam sent from a fake account. "Tell Us Your Bank Account Number, Etc., Etc." . New York State is proudly home to the largest Ukrainian population in the United States, and we stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine in the face of Russia's unjustified and unprovoked attack. Folks conned via prepayment schemes mistakenly believe they stand to gain vast amounts of something for practically nothing. All calls are confidential. Please let me talk to a supervisor. Ukrainians eligible for TPS can contact the NYS New Americans Hotline for free legal assistance at 1-800-566-7636. "So when they click the link thinking they're going to a popular money transfer site, they are allowing us to track them.". Soon "Boyd" was telling her about a so-called government grant she'd gotten through an agent on Facebook. As to how the con is run, one of our readers who was contacted by someone intent upon victimizing him with the 'government grant' scheme reported this exchange: [Swindler] My name is Alec Watson. Others design websites to mimic a legitimate charitys official site to steal unsuspecting donors' money and/or personal information. The most frequently reported scams are delivered by phone. This partnership is designed to mobilize private-sector donations and individual giving to support relief organizations aiding those impacted by Russias actions. Poor grammar and punctuation are another giveway to a scam website. USAIDs Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance is the U.S. government lead for international disaster assistance, reaching tens of millions of people around the world each year with life-saving aid. Assistance is available in over 200 languages, including Ukrainian and Russian. More people are falling victim to schemes by con artists who hack Facebook profiles of friends and family and try to rip you off. "This website is an IP tracker," Miliefsky said. Werner showed Fletcher the conversation that progressed. 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. You may also report it to the Federal Trade Commission at, State and Jurisdictional Humanities Councils, https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0048-government-imposter-scams, Chronicling America: History American Newspapers. This is, what, six months later, nine months later? Contributions are collected into single, unearmarked funds and managed locally under the leadership of the Humanitarian Coordinator. Content created by Digital Communications Division (DCD), U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. Unexpected checks from Lions and/or LCIF that look legitimate, including correct routing numbers. The scam succeeds as well as it does thanks in part to the many television commercials touting free government money. 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. Advocacy. BANGKOK, Feb 21 2023 (IPS) - Nearly 18 million people about one-third of Myanmars population need humanitarian aid this year because of civil war and the post-coup economic crisis, according to the latest United Nations estimates. They can be used independently, but they work in synergy as complementary tools at the country level. But those photos of the "agents"? 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. When people are forced to flee their homes, they leave with the bare essentials. [Swindler] I can give you a few minutes to get your checkbook. 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. WROC-TV [Rochester]. 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. They can provide guidance on the application process and help you understand your options. How to Recognize a Government Imposter -https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0048-government-imposter-scams, Scam Advisory: Recent reports indicate that individuals are posing as the NEH on email and social media. Bryan's example also shows how much he was pressured to provide his banking information. Please take the necessary precautions to protect yourself. ". That's down 20 percent since its stock began trading publicly on May 18, following one of the most anticipated stock offerings in history. Home How do you know if the grant offer is legitimate or a scam? 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. Werner asked. Sure enough, the agent then told Drummond she could get financial assistance from the government. View more about our copyright info here. CERF continues to support life-savingemergency response activities in South Sudan. Claim: Scam: Advertisements offer thousands of dollars of "free money" available in the form of government grants. Levine, Steve. [Swindler] Sir, we cannot finish without your banking routing number; can you call someone at home and receive it? But if we were able to track them, what about Facebook? Do not fall in with schemes whereby you are required to prepay taxes on lottery winnings, or pay to have a prize shipped to you, or are to be charged a loan application fee. OCHA-managed pooled-fund allocations represent a relatively small portion of global humanitarian funding, but they are critical to the delivery of life-saving assistance. Join this great program right away with no risk at all! You got scammed. Our goal is to find long-term solutions that can be designed and created in some of the most complicated humanitarian environments, which then can be scaled up in host communities to build community resilience to face other humanitarian crises and the adverse effects of climate change. 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. The State of New York does not imply approval of the listed destinations, warrant the accuracy of any information set out in those destinations, or endorse any opinions expressed therein. 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. Get COVID rent assistance. 3. 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. Do you think that a cost of $257 is worth receiving $8,000? 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. They are managed by OCHA under the leadership of the Humanitarian Coordinator and in close consultation with the humanitarian community. 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. Please enter valid email address to continue. 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