Fake Government Grant Scams on Email
Fraudulent emails promise free government grants you have supposedly been awarded, then demand processing fees or personal details to 'release' the money.
Part of: Fake Government Grant Scams
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
A fake grant email arrives as unexpected good news: you have been selected for a government grant, no repayment required, simply claim it. Wrapped in official-looking branding and a 'reference number', the offer is engineered to feel like a genuine windfall from a public programme.
Genuine grant programmes do not award money to people who never applied, nor do they charge fees to release funds. Email is ideal for scammers because logos and department names are easy to imitate, addresses are simple to spoof, and one optimistic template can be sent to thousands.
How this scam works on Email
The email congratulates you on being awarded a grant from a named or vaguely 'federal' programme, sometimes citing a real-sounding department. It instructs you to reply or click a link to claim the funds.
To 'process' or 'release' the grant, you are asked to pay an upfront fee — for taxes, processing, or insurance — and to supply personal and banking details. The fee is pure profit for the scammer and the details enable identity theft or further fraud.
After the first payment, additional 'fees' may appear, each promised as the last step before the grant lands, until the victim stops paying.
Common red flags
- An email claims you have been awarded a grant you never applied for
- You must pay a processing, tax, or insurance fee to 'release' the money
- You are asked to reply with bank and identity details to claim funds
- The sender address does not match an official government domain
- The message promises free money with no repayment as a hook
- Payment is requested via vouchers, transfer, or cryptocurrency
How to protect yourself
- Know that genuine grants never require an upfront fee to release funds
- Be sceptical of any grant you did not apply for through an official programme
- Do not reply with bank or identity details to an unsolicited grant email
- Verify grant programmes only on official government websites typed directly
- Check the sender's full address against the real department domain
- Report the email via your provider's phishing tool and delete it
How to report it
- Use your email provider's 'Report phishing' function on the message
- Report the impersonation to the genuine grant agency or government department
- File a report with your national fraud or cybercrime reporting centre
Frequently asked questions
Why would a real grant program never charge a fee to release money?
Legitimate grants are funded to support recipients, not to collect fees from them. Any demand for an upfront payment to 'release' a grant is a hallmark of fraud — genuine programmes deduct nothing before paying.