$12.5B
FTC-reported fraud losses in 2024
FTC says consumers reported losing $12.5 billion to fraud in 2024.
women-owned business grant scam
Fake grant programs claim to offer funding exclusively for women-owned businesses, collecting application fees and personal information from female entrepreneurs.
“government grant scam”
↓ 41%Key indicators
Usually targetsLow-income households
Often hitsSmall business owners
Common regionUnited States
Last updated2026-04-04
Estimated impact
$960
median reported loss
Typical range$60 – $6.0K
Recovery rate~15%
Scam breakdown
1
Scammers create social media campaigns and websites advertising grants exclusively for women-owned or women-led businesses.
2
The application process requires personal and business information along with a fee for processing or women-owned certification.
3
No grant is awarded — the scammer collects fees from many applicants and disappears.
What to do first
Research women-owned business programs through the SBA's Office of Women's Business Ownership at sba.gov.
Related terms
WBE grant scamfemale entrepreneur grant fraudwomen's business funding scamFake government grant scamsSocial mediaRisingLow-income householdsSmall business ownersStudentsSmall business ownersCreators and online sellersEducators and studentsUnited StatesCanadaWBE grant scamfemale entrepreneur grant fraud
Real-world example
How this scam plays out in practice
Based on reported patterns. Names and details are illustrative.
The setup
Robert, 35, a low-income households, encountered what appeared to be a legitimate fake government grant scams situation while using Social media. Scammers create social media campaigns and websites advertising grants exclusively for women-owned or women-led businesses.
Step 2
What happened next was calculated: The application process requires personal and business information along with a fee for processing or women-owned certification.
Step 3
The pressure escalated quickly: No grant is awarded — the scammer collects fees from many applicants and disappears.
The outcome
Robert realized something was wrong when a social media ad targets women business owners with a large grant requiring no business plan or financials. By that point, significant damage had already been done — money sent, personal information shared, or trust exploited.
The lesson
Research women-owned business programs through the SBA's Office of Women's Business Ownership at sba.gov. Robert's experience shows why a social media ad targets women business owners with a large grant requiring no business plan or financials and the program charges an application or certification fee are the clearest early warning signs.
How to identify it
- A social media ad targets women business owners with a large grant requiring no business plan or financials
- The program charges an application or certification fee
- The grant organization has no verifiable track record or connection to the SBA or recognized WBE certifiers
- Pause before paying, clicking, or sharing information. Scammers rely on speed.
- Verify the sender, company, or agency using a phone number or website you already know is legitimate.
- Treat secrecy, urgency, and off-platform payment requests as strong scam signals.
What to do now
- ✓Research women-owned business programs through the SBA's Office of Women's Business Ownership at sba.gov.
- ✓Legitimate WBE certification through organizations like WBENC does not come through unsolicited social media ads.
- ✓Report fake women's business grant programs to the FTC and the SBA Office of Inspector General.
What to save before reporting
- ✓Save the message, profile, phone number, email, or URL that was used.
- ✓Keep payment confirmations, receipts, and account alerts before you dispute or delete anything.
- ✓Write down the timeline while the details are still fresh.
How big is this problem
You are not alone — this scam affects millions of people.
These numbers come from government agencies and official reports. If you have been affected, know that this is a widespread problem — not something that only happens to careless people.
FTC 2024 fraud losses
Imposters
Most common FTC fraud category in 2024
FTC says imposter scams remained the most commonly reported fraud category in 2024.
History and evolution
- This scam family tends to persist because the social-engineering pressure works even when the exact scripts, platforms, and payment methods change.
- The specific packaging evolves over time, but the core pattern usually stays the same: create urgency, control the channel, and push action before verification.
- The SBA's Office of Women's Business Ownership has issued warnings about fraudulent programs using the SBA name to solicit fees from women entrepreneurs.
Recovery and follow-up
- ✓Save the messages, receipts, account alerts, and transaction details before you block or delete anything.
- ✓Report the scam through the official platform or government channel that best matches where it happened.
- ✓Research women-owned business programs through the SBA's Office of Women's Business Ownership at sba.gov.
- ✓Legitimate WBE certification through organizations like WBENC does not come through unsolicited social media ads.
- ✓Report fake women's business grant programs to the FTC and the SBA Office of Inspector General.
Why this pattern keeps working
Even when the story changes, most scams still use the same pressure pattern: urgency, authority, and a request to move money or data fast.
The SBA's Office of Women's Business Ownership has issued warnings about fraudulent programs using the SBA name to solicit fees from women entrepreneurs.
FTC Consumer Sentinel 2025
Where to report it
If you have been targeted by this scam, reporting it helps authorities track the pattern and protect others. United States has dedicated agencies that handle fraud reports.
ReportFraud.gov
Federal Trade Commission
Central U.S. consumer fraud reporting portal.
File an IC3 complaint
FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center
FBI portal for internet-enabled crime reports.
Start identity theft recovery
IdentityTheft.gov
Official U.S. identity theft recovery plan builder.
Explore further
Understand the bigger picture
Who is most at risk
Who this scam targets
Primary targets
Low-income households, Small business owners, Students, Minorities
Geographic concentration
United States, Canada
Primary channel
Social media — Fake government grant scams
Why this group is vulnerable
Low-income households are particularly vulnerable because this scam exploits trust in familiar brands, authority figures, and time-sensitive decisions. The growing number of reports suggests that awareness among this demographic remains low.
Sources and methodology
How we verify this information
OpenScam tracks scam patterns using a combination of government consumer protection databases (FTC, IC3, Action Fraud), platform-specific fraud reports, and verified consumer complaint data. Each entry is cross-referenced against at least two independent sources before publication.
Severity ratings are based on financial impact potential, reversibility of damage, and volume of reports across multiple reporting channels. Trend velocity reflects the rate of change in report volume over the most recent 90-day window.
This page was last verified on 2026-04-04. Red flags, recovery steps, and reporting resources are reviewed quarterly against current agency guidance.
Evidence and indicators
- The SBA's Office of Women's Business Ownership has issued warnings about fraudulent programs using the SBA name to solicit fees from women entrepreneurs.
Source notes
- FTC Consumer Sentinel 2025
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about women-owned business grant scam
How does the women-owned business grant scam work?+
Scammers create social media campaigns and websites advertising grants exclusively for women-owned or women-led businesses. The application process requires personal and business information along with a fee for processing or women-owned certification. No grant is awarded — the scammer collects fees from many applicants and disappears.
What are the warning signs of women-owned business grant scam?+
A social media ad targets women business owners with a large grant requiring no business plan or financials The program charges an application or certification fee The grant organization has no verifiable track record or connection to the SBA or recognized WBE certifiers
What should I do if I encounter women-owned business grant scam?+
Research women-owned business programs through the SBA's Office of Women's Business Ownership at sba.gov. Legitimate WBE certification through organizations like WBENC does not come through unsolicited social media ads. Report fake women's business grant programs to the FTC and the SBA Office of Inspector General.
Who is most at risk for women-owned business grant scam?+
This scam primarily targets Low-income households, Small business owners, Students, Minorities. It is most commonly reported in United States, Canada and typically appears on Social media.
Is women-owned business grant scam on the rise?+
women-owned business grant scam is currently on the rise with growing reports. It has been reported across US, CA. Last updated 2026-04-04.
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Help someone avoid this scam.
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