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Grant Scam Checker

Real federal grants require an application, and no government agency will call you to say you have won one or ask you to pay a fee to get it. Answer the questions below about the offer you received to see which FTC warning signs it matches. Nothing you enter leaves your browser.

1. Did they ask you to pay a fee, tax or "processing charge" to get or release the grant?
2. Did they contact you first, by phone, text, email or social media, about a grant you never applied for?
3. Did they say you already qualify or have been approved, without an application?
4. Did they ask for your bank account, Social Security number or other personal details?
5. Did they ask you to pay with a gift card, wire transfer, cash or cryptocurrency?
6. Did they claim to be from an agency like the "Federal Grants Administration"?
7. Did they offer a money-back guarantee if you are not happy?
8. Did they offer to sell you a list of grants or charge for access to grant listings?

Frequently asked questions

Warning signs include being contacted out of the blue, being asked to pay a fee to get the grant, being told you qualify without applying, and being asked for bank details or payment by gift card, wire transfer or cryptocurrency. The FTC lists these signs in its guidance on government grant scams.

Federal grant opportunities are posted on Grants.gov, which is free to search. If someone tells you about a grant, look up its opportunity number there.

Report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. If you already paid, the FTC advises contacting the company you used to send the money right away and asking it to reverse the transaction.

No. GovGrantsUSA sells software that helps you find opportunities and draft applications. We never award grants, we never contact people offering them a grant, and paying for software does not get you a grant. You apply to the agency yourself, and the agency decides.

No. The checker runs entirely in your browser. Your answers are not saved or sent to GovGrantsUSA.

Sources

Official sources this tool is based on, checked October 2026.

Planning aid only. Federal rules change; confirm against the cited official source and your award terms.

Independent platform. Not affiliated with or endorsed by any government agency. Data from public federal sources.

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