Grant scams rising in number

To The Haldimand Press

HALDIMAND—Haldimand OPP are warning residents of a new scam that has been observed by the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC).

The CAFC has titled this most recent scam as the “grant scam”. Grant scams are offers of guaranteed free money. Yet, fraudsters will collect personal and financial information, or upfront fees, and leave consumers with empty promises. The most common and current variations of grant scams are as follows.

Government Grants

A consumer will come across an ad stating that they may qualify for free money that they can spend on anything. The consumer completes an application and receives confirmation that they qualify. All the consumer has to decide is how much money they would like to receive based on the fee they are willing to pay. The promise is that the more they give upfront, the more they will receive. In a popular variation of the scam, the consumer receives a message from one of their trusted friends. The message states that they received a free grant and encourage the consumer to follow their lead. Unfortunately, the messages are from the fraudster who hacked their friend’s account.

Weight Loss Grants