Have you gotten a Facebook message notice from a 'friend' on Facebook recently asking you:

“I'm wondering if you heard about the Catalog Financial Domestic Assistance?? (CFDA)”

You reply- ‘Nope’

Your 'friend' responds- “they are in support for the retired, young & old age, disabled, Veteran's, deaf and hearing people helping to pay great debts off, pay school fees, get a home and a better life for the growth of the nation.I saw your name on the awardees list when their delivery team came to delivered mine to me at my doorstep,so I thought I would see if you have gotten yours from them as well”

You reply- ‘Nope definitely a scam!’

Your 'friend' responds- “Definitely is 100% legit”

You reply- ‘Nope if my names on a list someone will be served a lawsuit!’

Your 'friend' responds- “If you haven't got your package deliver to All you need to do is to talk to Mr Johnny Turnbull his the online claiming Agent Just click on the link below now and send him a message and a friend request he will get back to you https://www.facebook.com/johnny.turnbull.940 XMA Header Image”

You reply-‘ Really hope your FB has been hacked...’

Your 'friend' responds- “Not at all my Facebook is 100% okay”

You reply-‘ Good luck with that. There are so many things wrong with that post....’

Your 'friend' responds “ok”

Block the conversation from going any further and report it to Facebook or whichever social media avenue the individual claiming to be your friend has contacted you on.  

Whenever you are contacted via a social media message the likelihood that you are being contacted for an internet scam has increased. Legitimate grant opportunities will not come through social media avenues. 

Grants have specific requirements that must be met for your application to be accepted and applying through any type of social media is not one of them. Do not provide the scammer any money or information; even if it appears the person reaching out to you is a 'friend.' There is a high probability your 'friend's' account has been hacked or the person you are speaking with is using a copycat of the 'friend's profile' making you think you are speaking with your friend when in fact you are conversing with a scammer.  

If you were to friend request the individual referenced in the above example, it would tell you that the person, Johnny Turnbull, is with the United Nations Organization Grant Program. This is not the same as reference when speaking with your friend about CFDA:   

Things to be aware of include:

Government Grants are FREE. You do not pay money to claim a “free” grant. There is no grant processing fee to be awarded a grant. The only official list of all US federal grant-making agencies is Grants.gov.   

Be aware of the common misspellings in the text to you, via the social media exchange. Does your friend typically misspell when they write to you? If not, this is a red flag to alert you that something is off.

Be sure to do your research and see if a government agency or organization exists. The United Nations Organization Grant Program does not appear to even exist. Find contact info on your own and call them to be sure the person you’ve heard from or are told to communicate with is legitimate and works for that group. Can you reach https://www.cfda.gov/ as a valid government website?

Report scam accounts and messages to the social vendors, alert administrators to fake profiles, compromised accounts and spam messages; to report Facebook, click here and Instagram, click here.