Phone calls promising government grants are scams

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Phones are ringing all over Houston with the promise of cash in the form of government grants.

There's just one problem. Grants are not easy to get, but that's not what callers are telling Houston residents. The catch to getting government money? You have to pay first.

Betty Williams says a recent call to her cell came with the promise of big bucks.

"The reason they said my number was picked was because he government is giving free grants to people who pay their bills on time and pay all of their taxes," said Williams.

Williams says the caller said she would get $7500 in government grants to help pay bills. But to get the money, she needed to wire $300 first.

Williams says that's a step she knew not to take.

"There are a lot of senior citizens who do not know a lot, especially at my age, they will say, 'oh 7500 dollars,'" said Williams.

Fortunately Williams knows better, did some research.

"I found out this is really truly a scam. I am not crazy, I was not born yesterday," said Williams. "I might be a senior citizen, but I got all my mental faculties with me."

Monica Russo with the Houston Better Business Bureau says Williams did the right thing by not falling for the grant scam. She says getting a real grant is not so easy.

"It's a whole process. You have to apply for it. A lot of times you have to draft paper work for it. So it's not something that is as easy as these guys make it out to be," said Russo.

The BBB says to be on the lookout because if one person in our area got this call, it will likely happen to many, many more.