Terry Goddard Warns of Phone Scam Promising Financial Grants

(Phoenix, Ariz. – Oct. 16, 2007) Attorney General Terry Goddard is warning consumers of a phone scam offering phony financial grants.

The Attorney General’s Office has learned that Arizonans are receiving phone calls from scam artists posing as reputable grant foundations. Consumers are told that they are eligible to receive a grant, often thousands of dollars, either because they are a female small business owner or a senior. Consumers are asked multiple “pre-screening” questions to determine eligibility for the grant. Upon approval, they are told they must pay a large sum of money up front as well as a finder’s fee. In return for these fees, they are promised the grant.

This is a scam! These phone calls are fraudulent and are an attempt to gather personal information that could be used to facilitate identity theft.

Goddard offered the following tips:

  • Be wary of callers who insist on gathering personal information. If you are being pressured, hang up.
  • Do not give out personal information, such as your Social Security number, bank account numbers or credit card numbers, to anyone you do not know.
  • Report any suspicious calls to the Attorney General’s Office at 602-542-5763.

If you believe you have been a victim of fraud, please contact the Attorney General’s Office in Phoenix at 602.542.5763; in Tucson at 520.628.6504; or outside the Phoenix and Tucson metro areas at 1.800.352.8431. To file a complaint in person, the Attorney General’s Office has 36 satellite offices throughout Arizona with volunteers available to help. Locations and hours are posted on the Attorney General’s Web site at www.azag.gov.

Please visit the Web site to sign up for scam alerts and weekly messages from Attorney General Goddard.