Money for Resettled Refugees??

February 3rd, 2012 by Jennifer

Scammers work the phones, and so do scam-fighters.  The FTC just heard from our friends in the Office of Refugee Resettlement about a new scam targeting refugees from Bhutan.  We want to shine some light on this – and ask you to share this with anyone who might get a call like this.

Here’s the scam:  Someone calls a recently-resettled refugee from Bhutan.  The scammer says he’s from the “Federal Grants Department” in Washington, DC, and seems to be calling from a DC-area phone number.  He claims that the person he’s talking to is eligible to receive $10,000 because they’re a refugee from Bhutan.  The scammer also says that the refugee must send a money order for $650 before they can claim the $10,000.

Unfortunately, people have gotten hurt by this scam.  At least one refugee paid nearly $5,000 for what the scammer called “processing fees.”  How can you steer clear of scams like this?

• Don’t give important personal information – or money – to someone who contacts you unexpectedly.
• Remember that the federal government does not charge security deposits or processing fees when it gives financial grants.
• If you are a refugee and get a call like this, talk to the case manager at your resettlement agency immediately.
• If you have gotten a call or sent money in a situation like this, please report it to the Federal Trade Commission, online or at 1-877-FTC-HELP.
• To find out how to avoid immigration scams, visit ftc.gov/immigration or ftc.gov/inmigracion

No one in the refugee community, or any community, can afford to lose money to a scam. Please pass this on, and thank you.

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