Conflict, migration, and climate change are the key trends driving these crises with 8 of the worst food crises in the world linked to conflict and climate change. If you have visa or passport questions, you can contact the Consulate General by emailing [emailprotected] or calling either 212-371-6965 or 212-371-5690. If this does happen to you, experts said do not to give out any personal information. These are scams. Emails or messages from individuals you know saying they are You can check for phishing by copying the URL and pasting it into PhishTank. To prevent donation money from falling into the wrong hands, the New York State Division of Consumer Protection recommends taking the following precautions: If you suspect that you have encountered a fraudulent attempt to receive donations, you can file a complaint with the New York State Division of Consumer Protection at https://dos.ny.gov/file-consumer-complaint. Werner showed Fletcher the conversation that progressed. They are managed by OCHA under the leadership of the Humanitarian Coordinator and in close consultation with the humanitarian community. Because it's not me.". 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. U.S. Department of States Ukraine Humanitarian Fund. detention), can call the Consulates hotline number at 917-325-1444 for assistance. Wyoming Tribune-Eagle "BBB Warns Local Consumers About Government Grant Scam." Just visit www.idtheftcenter.org to get started. Folks conned via prepayment schemes mistakenly believe they stand to gain vast amounts of something for practically nothing. 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. 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. So we wondered: were the scammers still active? [Swindler] Can I speak with Bryan P. please? "Never Give Unknown Callers Bank Account Number." 5. Not only do we save lives, we look to improve the lives of those vulnerable to or affected by crisis, unconditionally and impartially, so that all whom we serve are treated with dignity and respect. 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. Deborah Boyd's Facebook profile was hacked; the scam artists then targeted her friends. Snopes and the Snopes.com logo are registered service marks of Snopes.com. 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. > How do I apply for financial aid for my family? (Not kidding -- my wife knows better then to send me to work with a checkbook during the holidays.). Personal information, account information, payment. Acting on that faith, they willingly part with funds they would ordinarily be loath to spend yet which by comparison to the prizes about to be gained momentarily appear to be relatively small sums. Do not provide any personal information or send money to anyone claiming to be an NEH employee. A financial advisor could help you put a charitable plan together to benefit the causes you care most about. If you receive a Facebook message from someone claiming to have a grant for you from CDFA, or someone who appears to be a Facebook friend of yours, please note this is an Internet scam. The DRC Humanitarian Fund has funded critical education and health projects in South Kivu, DR Congo. [Swindler] Can you tell me what your bank routing number is? Find more information about resources for survivors. How much information are you putting out there? She said that she got a $500,000 dollar grant but I just can't believe that it's legit, Susan said. We would like to verify your information. 22 October 2004 (p. B16). Many grants go unawarded every year, simply because most people don't know about the programs they may qualify for. WebGrants Since its creation in 1965, NEH has awarded more than $5.6 billion for humanities projects through more than 64,000 grants. 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. However, all consular services which require receiving documents from Ukraine, including issuance of new passports and visa services, have been suspended until further notice. OCHAs financial-tracking tools and services including the Financial Tracking Service(FTS) help to manage humanitarian donations. As for the website GoFreeGovernmentMoney.com, or ones like it, don't click on it. 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. Find the Child Care and Development Fund contact for your state. Or they were promised access to little-known and almost-forgotten college grants. Web Individual assistance, one-time events, sponsorships, scholarships, and fellowships Humanitarian Programs Department 300 W. 22nd Street Oak Brook, IL IUSA 60523-8842 Telephone: (630) 203-3819 Fax: (630) 571-5735 E-mail: lcif@lionsclubs.org L C F 1 0 9 E N 1 2 / 1 4 SAMPLE GRANT APPLICATION BUDGET Ukrainians in New York and who are experiencing an emergency situation (e.g. CERF and CBPF allocations are designed to complement other humanitarian funding sources, such as bilateral funding. After Werner reached out to Facebook, it asked us for the URLs for the scam accounts, which we provided. But those photos of the "agents"? Please take the necessary precautions to protect yourself. OCHA coordinates global humanitarian funding appeals and manages global and country-specific humanitarian response funds. Yes, individuals and businesses should take care not to fall victim to investment scams, known as Advance Fee Fraud schemes. The U.S. Government does not telephone people to offer them grants. If you need 24-Hour Phone Support: You can contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Disaster Distress Helpline by calling 1-800-985-5990. 20 October 2004 (p. B7). Credit: OCHA/G. 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. Soon "Boyd" was telling her about a so-called government grant she'd gotten through an agent on Facebook. Computer expert Gary Miliefsky set up a way to track the scammers' location: he built a page that looks like a money transfer company's website, but really finds a computer's unique IP location. NEH does not use Facebook or text to contact individuals concerning grant awards. Grant applications are usually free as they are sourced at the federal or state/county level with public funds. Looking ahead, emergency financial assistance under the Rapid Credit Facilitys new food shock window will help address urgent balance-of-payments needs and mitigate the impact of elevated food prices. "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. The typical e-mail, which promises that the recipient has already been awarded a grant, asks for personal financial information. "These people should not still be contacting my friends and family," Boyd said. "Swear to God," one said. Is a fee involved? It is important you can spot the scam and know what to do when you encounter it. Check the grammar. If you think you may have been a victim of a government grant scam, file a complaint with 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. You are likely being targeted as part of a scam. In our goal to build the capacity of the communities, we engage refugees and displaced people in our team, so we have a close integrated approach to make sure our interventions are catered to the communities wants and needs, and respectful of their cultural heritage. 2. Weve heard that this scam is happening in some African-American church communities: people approach church-goers with this so-called deal. [Swindler] Again, my name is Alec Watson from the Las Vegas Government Grant Processing Center. WebThe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has given the World Food Programme US$2 million to help purchase food for those displaced by the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. (I never answer in an affirmative manner anymore. Search All Grant Programs Search All Past These scams involve impostors claiming to represent NEH directly or using hacked social media accounts to portray themselves as friends or family who have allegedly won cash grants.. The invasion of Ukraine provides an opportunity for fraudsters to set up fake charities or pose as compelling war victims. The Federal Trade Commission said the government will never get in touch out of the blue about grants. USAID is ramping up humanitarian assistance to help people affected by Russias invasion of Ukraine. All calls are confidential. How the IMF is Promoting Transparent and Accountable Use of COVID-19 Financial Assistance Short-term Liquidity Line (SLL) IMF Stand-By Arrangement (SBA) IMF Rapid Credit Facility (RCF) The IMF's Rapid Financing Instrument (RFI) Catastrophe Containment and Relief Trust IMF Capacity Development More With NYC Care, you can get a unique membership card to access health services, choose your own doctor, and get affordable medications. Assistance is available in over 200 languages, including Ukrainian and Russian. WebUnder the supervision of the Project Manager, and in close coordination with other DRC Protection teams and field units, the Protection Assistant Legal Assistance is an active member of the protection field team and is involved in different field-based activities related to legal assistance. Forget about the ads on television or the Internet -- there are not untold troves of government funds available just for the asking. WebA federal grant is an award of financial assistance from a federal agency to a recipient to carry out a public purpose of support or stimulation authorized by a law of the United States. HHS offers 95 benefit assistance programs, mostly through grantees at the State and local levels. But more than half of victims say they were contacted online through websites, e-mail, social media and more. New York is with you. If you receive a Facebook message from someone claiming to have a grant for you from CDFA, or someone who appears to be a $50 can provide enough food to keep 3 children from going hungry for a month In this scenario, it is likely the message is a scam sent from a fake account. Anytime disasters occur, scam artists prey on the heartstrings of individuals looking to help. 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 Visit the Ukraine Crisis page on the State Departments website. This material may not be reproduced without permission. [Bryan] Ok, I found you on the web and it says you are a rip off. Dont do it. Los Angeles Times 5 March 2009 (p. B2). Toll Free Call Center: 1-877-696-6775. 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. The Divisions Consumer Assistance Hotline is open Monday to Friday, excluding State holidays, 8:30am to 4:30pm at 1-800-697-1220. If you receive a message about this program, do not respond because it is a Federal Government Empowerment Money Grant Program scam. If you spend time on social media, youve probably seen many pleas for donations. 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. Even the venerable Nigerian scam is a prepayment con: though its victims initially believe that for helping distressed foreigners move large sums of cash from their country they will receive millions of dollars, very early into the process they discover they will have to dole out innumerable sums to various folks to bring this about. Experts say more and more people, including millennials, are becoming victims on Facebook. One declined to comment, but the other expressed shock when we told her. 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. [Swindler] Bryan, you don't want the $8,000? Any of the following statements should put you on high alert: " Great news! Grants are awarded on the basis of specific criteria having been met for specific programs. 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. 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 funds support the highest-priority projects of the best-placed responders (including international and national NGOs and UN agencies) through an inclusive and transparent process that supports priorities set out in Humanitarian Response Plans (HRPs). Stay informed with alerts, newsletters, and notifications from the Identity Theft Resource Center. Mostly they are the products of individual scammers who smell an opportunity to cash in using the name of a victim who may or may not even be real. Others design websites to mimic a legitimate charitys official site to steal unsuspecting donors' money and/or personal information. Content created by Digital Communications Division (DCD), U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. If you need a 24-hour Crisis Text Line: Text GOT5 to 741741 to connect with a crisis counselor. If you are in need of a financial assistance, you may qualify for a piece of the millions and millions of dollars awarded each year by private and government grant agencies to regular people like you. OCHA sets an evidence-based and forward-looking humanitarian policy agenda. "Its a website called GoFreeGovernmentMoney.com and supposedly they're giving out free grants, she said. 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 "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.". Please let me talk to a supervisor. Understanding the cultural and local context in a humanitarian context is key to success, and we build strong relationships with host community to help guide our work in various communities. "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. Contributions are collected into single, unearmarked funds and managed locally under the leadership of the Humanitarian Coordinator. By the way, the people we mentioned whose photos were used? This is, what, six months later, nine months later? Learn about government grants and loans for states and organizations. [Swindler] Sir, we cannot finish without your banking routing number; can you call someone at home and receive it? Our goal is to build host community resilience by connecting and empowering host community stakeholders to find ways to build sustainable support to help address humanitarian and national disasters caused by climate change. Since early 2009 we have seen seen a marked increase in the prevalence of "government grant" scams, many of which are promoted as offering funds made available to the public through the economic stimulus package recently passed by the U.S. Congress. our teams understands the complexities of a humanitarian crisis and we pride ourselves on a multisectorial understanding , to help guide donors and agencies with their interventions and its impact. They can be used independently, but they work in synergy as complementary tools at the country level. When you give to Save the Children, 85% of every dollar goes straight to our mission to provide lifesaving relief to children. A professor at MIT. [Bryan] Please remove me from your calling list. If someone purporting to be an NEH employee has contacted you through Facebook, pleasereport the incident to Facebook so that it can remove the fraudulent account. July 10, 2017 / 7:47 AM Please enter valid email address to continue. WROC-TV [Rochester]. Come on!". The hoops to be jumped through are many and varied, and there is precious little by way of a freebie to it. WebUNHCR uses cash transfers to provide protection, assistance and services to the most vulnerable, which allows them to meet their most pressing needs, build and support livelihoods, and facilitate voluntary return. Humanitarian Assistance Program is an initiative providing comprehensive services, including strategic and on-ground support to Please be aware that NEH does not distribute cash grants as financial assistance and that all current grant offerings can be found at, If someone purporting to be an NEH employee has contacted you through Facebook, please. Visa Innovation Grants. By Aloke Chakravarty and Alysha Green. To find out, "CBS This Morning" set up our own fake account on Facebook, and contacted Boyd's imposter. WebCOVID-19 Scams. Though there are genuine government grants to be had, they are not available to just anyone for no purpose. Werner asked. It won't call, it won't text, and it won't reach out on social media. Scam Involving Hacked Social Media Accounts of Friends or Family, 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. Visit a provider in your area that can assist you with: Learn more about refugee services and assistance for immigrants. 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. The NYS New Americans Hotline connects immigrants and refugees to free services across the state. 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