How to Report a Government Grant Scam: Stop Fake Free Money Offers

Last reviewed: June 1, 2026 · Written by James Carter, Consumer Rights Researcher · Reviewed by HowToReport Editorial Desk · Independent resource — not a government site

{ “@context”: “https://schema.org”, “@graph”: [ { “@type”: “HowTo”, “name”: “How to Report a Government Grant Scam: Stop Fake Free Money Offers”, “totalTime”: “PT10M”, “estimatedCost”: { “@type”: “MonetaryAmount”, “currency”: “USD”, “value”: “0” }, “step”: [ { “@type”: “HowToStep”, “position”: 1, “name”: “Step 1”, “text”: “Do not pay anything. No legitimate government grant ever requires an upfront fee, processing charge, or tax payment. The moment a “grant” requires payment to receive it, it’s a scam — hang up or stop responding.” }, { “@type”: “HowToStep”, “position”: 2, “name”: “Step 2”, “text”: “Contact your bank if you paid. Call immediately to stop payment or initiate a wire recall. For gift cards, call the card issuer’s fraud line — some can freeze unused balances. The faster you call, the better the chance of recovery.” }, { “@type”: “HowToStep”, “position”: 3, “name”: “Step 3”, “text”: “Gather documentation. Save call logs, text messages, social media messages, any account or confirmation numbers the scammer provided, and any payment records (gift card numbers, wire receipts).” }, { “@type”: “HowToStep”, “position”: 4, “name”: “Step 4”, “text”: “Report to the FTC. File at ReportFraud.ftc.gov with the caller’s number or contact info, the agency they claimed to represent, the amount paid, and how you paid. The FTC is the primary agency pursuing grant scam operators.” }, { “@type”: “HowToStep”, “position”: 5, “name”: “Step 5”, “text”: “Report to Grants.gov. If the scammer impersonated Grants.gov or a specific federal grant program, report directly at grants.gov/learn-grants/grant-fraud. Grants.gov actively tracks and publicizes these scams.” }, { “@type”: “HowToStep”, “position”: 6, “name”: “Step 6”, “text”: “File with the FBI’s IC3. For wire fraud or significant losses, file at IC3.gov. IC3 coordinates with financial institutions on recovery and tracks patterns in advance-fee fraud.” }, { “@type”: “HowToStep”, “position”: 7, “name”: “Step 7”, “text”: “Report to your state AG. State attorneys general can pursue scammers targeting residents of their state and have obtained refunds for victims in some cases.” }, { “@type”: “HowToStep”, “position”: 8, “name”: “Step 8”, “text”: “Report social media accounts. If the scam came via Facebook, Instagram, or another platform, use the platform’s report button to flag the account. This helps get it removed before more victims are targeted.” } ], “description”: “Report fake government grant scams to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and Grants.gov. The government never calls to offer free grant money — legitimate grants require an application and never charge fees.” }, { “@type”: “FAQPage”, “mainEntity”: [ { “@type”: “Question”, “name”: “Is someone calling about a government grant a scam?”, “acceptedAnswer”: { “@type”: “Answer”, “text”: “Almost certainly, yes. The U.S. government never calls individuals to offer unsolicited grants. If you receive such a call, hang up and report the number to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.” } }, { “@type”: “Question”, “name”: “Where do I report a fake government grant scam?”, “acceptedAnswer”: { “@type”: “Answer”, “text”: “File with the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov (primary), Grants.gov at grants.gov/grant-fraud if a specific program was impersonated, FBI IC3 at IC3.gov if you sent money, and your state attorney general.” } }, { “@type”: “Question”, “name”: “Can I get my money back after paying a grant scammer?”, “acceptedAnswer”: { “@type”: “Answer”, “text”: “Possibly if you act fast. Call your bank immediately for wire recalls. Report gift card payments to the issuer. File with IC3 — the FBI’s Financial Fraud Kill Chain has recovered funds in some cases. FTC enforcement actions have also produced refunds for victims.” } }, { “@type”: “Question”, “name”: “How do I find real government grants?”, “acceptedAnswer”: { “@type”: “Answer”, “text”: “All legitimate federal grant opportunities are listed at Grants.gov. Most federal grants go to organizations, nonprofits, state governments, and researchers — not individual consumers. Be very skeptical of any individual consumer “grant” offer.” } }, { “@type”: “Question”, “name”: “What if the scammer knew personal information about me?”, “acceptedAnswer”: { “@type”: “Answer”, “text”: “Scammers often purchase data lists or use social media to appear credible. Knowing your name, city, or even partial financial details doesn’t make them legitimate. If you shared sensitive financial or Social Security information, place a fraud alert at the three credit bureaus and consider a credit freeze.” } }, { “@type”: “Question”, “name”: “What are common fake agency names used in grant scams?”, “acceptedAnswer”: { “@type”: “Answer”, “text”: “Common fake names include “Federal Grants Administration,” “U.S. Treasury Grant Division,” “Department of Grant Services,” “National Consumer Relief Fund,” and variations. None of these agencies exist. Verify any claimed agency at USA.gov before providing any information.” } } ] } ] }