Release Date: March 30, 2018
Media Contact: Jerad Albracht, Senior Communications Specialist, 608-224-5007 or Bill Cosh, Communications Director, 608-224-5020
MADISON - Wisconsin farmers are receiving telephone calls about supposed grants from the "Federal Crop Registry." Call recipients are left a message with a phone number to call and are told they have three days to respond to the offer. If you receive this message, take no further action.
This operation appears to be a scam:
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There is no "Federal Crop Registry" program.
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The number listed in the message is no longer in service.
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The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will not call you and offer grant money. While the USDA does provide grants, you must apply for them in writing (typically online).
Government grant scams are common, with scammers calling consumers and offering free money through federal programs. Grant scammers generally follow a script: they congratulate you on your eligibility, then ask for your checking account information so they can "deposit your grant directly into your account" or cover a one-time "processing fee." The caller may even reassure you that you can get a refund if you are not satisfied. You will never see the grant they promise; they will disappear with your money.
For more information on grant scams, review DATCP's Government Grant Scams fact sheet.
For additional information, visit the Consumer Protection Bureau at http://datcp.wisconsin.gov, send an e-mail to datcphotline@wisconsin.gov or call the Consumer Protection Hotline at 1-800-422-7128.
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